Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Punch out of Shotgun Wing Slot Offset is a gap scheme power run designed to get the fullback-less lead blocker (the extra TE/H-back) puling through the hole to seal the edge for the HB. The diagram shows the offensive line down blocking with the play side guard and tackle climbing to the second level while a wing/TE pulls across the formation to lead through the point of attack, with the two outside receivers running vertical stems to occupy the corners and hold the safeties deep. This is a downhill power run, not a man or zone beater in the passing sense, and the primary read is the play side double team at the point of attack, the HB pressing the hole off the puller's block before breaking to daylight based on the flow of the second level defenders.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the Mike linebacker's depth and alignment, a stacked Mike sitting tight to the line signals a run blitz that can beat the puller before he reaches the hole. Watch safety rotation, if both safeties stay deep in a two high shell the box is likely light and the power scheme has room to work, if one safety creeps down into the box expect a crash on the edge. Key the play side defensive end and outside linebacker, if they squeeze hard down inside the lead blocker loses his angle and the runner must bounce outside. User-controlled defenders flowing hard downhill pre-snap are the biggest threat, a defender jumping the mesh point or shooting the gap the puller is aiming for can blow up the play before the double team forms. This play struggles against stacked eight man fronts and heavy blitz packages that bring extra defenders into the box, since the numbers advantage disappears and the puller has no free lane to work.
Usage Tips
Use HB Punch in short yardage and goal line situations where you need a hard-nosed downhill runner to convert on 1st or 2nd and short.
Check the box count before the snap, if the defense is in a light box with six or fewer defenders in the box this play has a high success rate against base fronts.
Hot route the outside receivers into quick hitches if the corners are playing off coverage, this holds the corner from crashing down and squeezing the edge.
Pair HB Punch with Inside Zone and Dbl Mtn Counter Y from this set to keep the defense honest, alternating between power gap schemes and zone stretches forces linebackers to hesitate on their fills.
Against aggressive linebacker blitzes, audible into RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Zone Alert Bubble from the same formation to punish overcommitted second level defenders.
