Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Counter out of Pistol Trips Left Open is a pure gap-scheme run play designed to pull blockers across the formation and create a misdirection lane for the HB. The offensive line steps flow one direction while the backside guard and tackle (or FB/blocking back) pull through the hole, kicking out the edge defender and letting the HB counter back opposite the initial line movement. With three receivers stacked to the left and nobody running downfield routes shown in this diagram, this is strictly a ground and pound concept, not a play-action or RPO look. The primary read for the HB is to press the point of attack, read the puller's kick block, and decide between bending it back inside off the double team or bouncing outside if the edge gets sealed.
Defensive Reads
Check safety depth pre-snap, a single high safety often means the box is loaded and counter will need a clean kick block to hit. Key the play side defensive end and outside linebacker, if they sit and read instead of crashing they can blow up the pulling lineman before the kick out lands. Watch for a Mike linebacker flowing hard with initial line steps, aggressive flow defense gets gashed once the ball cuts back against the grain. User the backside linebacker or safety as a spy to close the cutback lane, this is the single biggest counter killer in competitive play. Beware nano blitz packages and edge pressure sent from the trips side, if the defense brings numbers off the strength the pulling blocker may whiff and the play dies at the mesh point.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs (1st and 10, 2nd and short) to stay unpredictable since the trips left alignment threatens pass first.
Watch the linebacker flow before the snap. If the Mike and Will are cheating hard to the trips side, counter's backside blocking angle becomes easier to spring.
Use manual control on your HB to press the hole late and let the pulling linemen get set before committing to a lane, patience is the key skill here.
Pair this play with HB Dive and Close HB Dive from the same set so linebackers freeze on flow reads instead of jumping the pulling guard.
Mix in Read Option and RPO Read Bubble from Trips Left Open to keep defenses honest on the perimeter, which slows down edge defenders crashing down on counter action.
