Playbooks
H Misdirection Str is a run play out of Singleback Bunch Base that uses stretch zone blocking to the strong side while selling a counter step and misdirection fake to the backfield flow away from the actual hole. The bunch alignment helps disguise the run by clogging the defensive read with traffic and forcing linebackers to hesitate on their fills. This is a run play, not a play-action or RPO, and the primary read progression starts with the frontside cutback lane off the double team at the point of attack before working to the backside cutback if the strong side gets sealed off.
Watch linebacker depth and shade at the snap since defenses that crash hard toward the initial flow are the easiest to gash on the backside cutback lane. Identify whether the defense is running a 3-4 or 4-3 front pre-snap because heavier fronts with extra run support in the box are tougher to displace with the misdirection element. Key the play side defensive end and outside linebacker leverage, if they stay home and do not bite on the fake this play loses its value quickly. Look for user-controlled defenders flowing hard downhill immediately after the snap since that flow confirms the misdirection is working and the cutback lane will open. Beware of gap-sound defenses or scrape exchange linebacker techniques, disciplined linebackers who read the mesh point and stay square will shut down both the primary and backside lanes.
Run this play against defenses that show aggressive linebacker flow or overpursuit tendencies since the misdirection step is designed to punish downhill linebackers who bite on the initial fake.
Use pre-snap motion or shifts out of the bunch look to confirm whether the defense is playing zone or man, because base 4-3 or 3-4 fronts with linebackers stacked tight are the best matchups for this concept.
Pair this play with PA Misdirection or PA Ctr Waggle from the same set so the defense has to respect both the run fake and the pass off identical backfield action, which slows down linebacker triggers over a series.
Best called on early downs, first and ten or second and short, when you want to stay ahead of the chains and set up misdirection pass concepts later in the game plan.
Take what the blocking gives you and do not force the play backside if the strong side double team wins clean, since patience on the backside cutback is where explosive runs come from.