Playbooks

HB Counter

Shotgun·Trips TE·11

Counter Run Play Power Run

Play diagram for HB Counter from Shotgun Trips TE in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetTrips TE

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

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Breakdown

HB Counter out of Shotgun Trips TE is a power run play that pulls the backside guard (and often a tackle or fullback) to lead the HB through the hole while the play side blocks down to seal gaps. The diagram shows three receivers stacked wide to the trips side with no route assignments run since this is a designed handoff, and the HB takes a counter step away from the play call before hitting the hole hard off the misdirection. This is a run scheme built to beat aggressive downhill defenses and gap-shooting linebackers, with the primary read being the pulling blocker's kick out or wrap block, so the ball carrier presses the initial hole then breaks to the alley the lead blocker creates.

Defensive Reads

Watch linebacker depth and flow pre-snap, since counter punishes linebackers who key hard to the initial flow and get out of position. This run beats one gap penetrating fronts and light boxes with six or fewer defenders, especially when the defense is playing zone coverage on the back end and can't get extra run support downhill fast enough. Heavy blitz packages and gap exchange stunts can actually blow this play up if the timing of the pull gets disrupted, so avoid calling counter into known aggressive blitz tendencies without a hot route adjustment. Post snap, identify whether the defense sends a user linebacker to shoot the backside gap, since that defender can blow up the counter before the puller gets home. Look for safeties cheating down into the box pre-snap, which signals run support that can close the cutback lane and force the HB to bounce outside into traffic.

Usage Tips

Run this play on early downs like first and second and ten when defenses are more likely to sit in base run fits rather than sub packages.

Check the defensive front pre-snap and avoid calling this into overloaded fronts with extra defenders stacked in the box since the misdirection loses value against gap sound defenses.

Use manual control on the pulling blocker to seal the first threatening defender off the edge, then let the HB read the crease off your block.

Pair this with Inside Zone and HB Mid Draw earlier in a drive so defenders start flowing hard downhill, setting up the counter action to hit big once linebackers overcommit.

Sequence this with PA Counter Go later in the game since the play-action pass off the same counter footwork punishes defenders who have been keying the run all game.