Playbooks
Breakdown
QB Power is a designed QB run out of Shotgun Ace Slot with 12 personnel, pulling a lineman across the formation to lead block for the quarterback as he attacks the mesh point behind the play side guard. The offensive line down blocks to seal the interior while the puller kicks out the first threat off the edge, creating a running lane between the tackle and guard. This is a pure gap scheme run play with no pass option attached, so the primary read is simply following the pulling blocker and reading the leverage of the play side linebacker or edge defender at the point of attack.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a stacked box with a linebacker cheating downhill pre-snap, that is the first sign the defense is sitting on this run. Key the play side defensive end or outside linebacker, if he crashes down hard on the pull he can blow up the kick out block and force a cutback. Man coverage on the perimeter with safeties rotated into the box is the ideal shell for this play since it removes extra run support. A user-controlled defender spying the quarterback lane or flowing hard with the pulling lineman is the biggest counter, look to cut it back away from that flow. Zone blitzes that send an extra linebacker off the edge can beat this play before the puller gets set, so avoid calling it into obvious run blitz down and distance situations.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs against light boxes to punish defenses playing pass first out of nickel or dime personnel.
Check the box count before the snap and if there are six or fewer defenders in the box, this is a green light run.
Use your quarterback's speed rating as a guide, this play loses value with immobile pocket passer archetypes since it relies on the QB actually gaining yards.
Pair this with RPO Alert Bubble and RPO Zone Alert Bubble from the same set so linebackers cannot sit on the power run without opening up the bubble screen behind it.
Mix in Read Option after a few reps of QB Power so defenders keying the pulling lineman get frozen by the mesh point fake.
