Playbooks

Orbit Lead Triple Option

Pistol·Strong·21
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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

In 1 playbook

Franchise Offense Sharedcoach3Offense

Breakdown

Orbit Lead Triple Option is a true option run play out of Pistol Strong 21 personnel that reads the defensive end and the pitch key defender to determine whether the QB keeps, hands off to the dive back, or pitches to the orbiting lead back on the perimeter. The orbit motion adds a moving lead blocker to the edge, giving the QB a numbers advantage and a kickout block if the play bounces outside. This is a run scheme designed to attack aggressive front seven defenders and gap-sound but slow-flowing linebackers, with the primary read progression going dive key first, then pitch key second as the QB works downhill to the mesh point and outside toward the alley.

Defensive Reads

Watch the defensive end assignment before the snap, since a crashing end that squeezes the dive is your green light to pull and pitch. Key the play side linebacker depth, as linebackers sitting too shallow will get caught flat footed on the mesh read and lose containment on the pitch. Look for defenses in odd fronts or 3-4 alignments with a true point man on the end, since this play is designed to option him off directly. Man coverage and blitz heavy calls that send extra defenders inside the box are the biggest scheme fits against this play, as they collapse the dive lane before the mesh point develops. Beware of scrape exchange linebacker techniques and disciplined force players who stay home on the QB, since this defensive read takes away both the keep and the pitch lanes simultaneously.

Usage Tips

Use pre-snap to check the box count and confirm you have a numbers advantage before snapping, since this play lives or dies on gap integrity math.

Trigger the orbit motion early enough that the lead blocker is moving full speed before the snap to get a clean kickout or lead block on the edge defender.

Take the dive read only when the defensive end sits inside or crashes hard, otherwise pull the ball and work the pitch phase for the bigger explosive gain.

Call this on early downs or in short yardage when defenses are stacking the box expecting a straight dive, since the pitch phase punishes overaggressive linebacker fills.

Pair this with Orbit HB Power and Orbit HB Power G in your play calling sequence so the defense sees the same orbit motion but has to guess between a designed dive, a gap run, and the true option read, which slows down linebacker diagnosis.

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