Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Counter U out of Shotgun Wing Slot Wk lines up with two wide receivers stacked to the left and two attached tight ends to the right, giving the offense a heavy run surface with 12 personnel. The blocking scheme pulls the backside guard and a lead blocker around the edge to kick out the defensive end while the offensive line blocks down, creating a misdirection lane for the HB as he steps opposite the flow before pressing the counter path. This is a power run play designed to attack the edge with numbers, and the primary read progression is the HB reading the kick-out block first, then following the puller through the hole while pressing the mesh point to sell the counter action.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the strength of the defensive front and check if the linebackers are stacked tight to the line, since light boxes are the ideal matchup for this counter concept. Watch for a Mike linebacker who consistently keys the guard's first step, as disciplined linebacker play that reads pulling linemen can diagnose the counter early and blow up the timing. Post-snap, track the kick-out blocker at the edge, if the defensive end wins outside or the linebacker fills the alley before the puller arrives, the play has no room to develop. This play struggles against overload blitzes to the counter side because it removes the extra gap the scheme needs to create a running lane. Man coverage shells with aggressive edge defenders crashing down can string the play out, so look for a safety cheating into the box pre-snap as a sign the defense may be sitting on run.
Usage Tips
Run this play on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage when you want to establish physicality and set up misdirection later in the drive.
Check the defensive front pre-snap for light boxes or six-man fronts, this play gains explosive yardage against those looks because the double pull creates a numbers advantage at the point of attack.
Use the HB's jump cut or truck stick control input to press the hole late and let the pullers clear the alley before committing to a lane.
Pair this play with RPO Peek Post or RPO Peek Slant from the same formation to keep linebackers honest, since the mesh point action looks identical presnap and post-snap for the first two steps.
Avoid calling this against fast flow linebackers who key the backfield well, as slower counter timing can get blown up if the defense reads the pulling guard immediately.
