Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Mid Draw out of Shotgun Tight Slots HB Wk is a designed draw run that shows pass protection at the snap before handing off to the HB up the middle. The offensive line pass sets briefly to sell dropback action, drawing linebackers and edge rushers upfield before the RB takes the delayed handoff and follows his blockers through the interior gap. This is a pure run play meant to punish aggressive pass rush teams and blitz-heavy defenses, with the primary read being the mike linebacker and defensive tackle depth to determine which crease opens between the guards.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check linebacker depth: if they are creeping toward the line in blitz posture, the draw has a much better chance of hitting for extra yardage. Post-snap, user the mike linebacker and delay your rush read instead of crashing upfield, since disciplined LB play is the biggest counter to this concept. Watch defensive tackle alignment and gap discipline, a controlled interior lineman who stays home can blow up the play before it develops. Defenses in zone shells with linebackers sitting at normal depth and reading the backfield will diagnose the draw quickly and limit it to minimal gain. Man coverage with off-ball defenders staying disciplined and not biting on the pass-rush sell is the toughest shell for this play, since it leaves extra bodies near the box.
Usage Tips
Call this play when the defense shows a heavy pass rush look or overloaded blitz package pre-snap, since the draw action capitalizes on aggressive first-step rushers.
Watch for linebackers cheating up into blitz gaps before the snap, that vacated depth is exactly what HB Mid Draw exploits on the second level.
Mix this in after calling RPO Peek Slant or RPO Zone Peek from the same set so defenders start keying pass concepts and bite on the initial drop step.
Use HB Mid Draw on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and medium) to stay ahead of the chains without tipping your hand, since obvious 3rd and long draws get sniffed out by disciplined defenses.
Avoid this call against spy-heavy or contain defenses that keep linebackers at normal depth, since the draw needs that initial rush momentum to create the cutback lane.
