Playbooks

HB Counter

Singleback·Doubles·11

Counter Run Play Power Run

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This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

SetDoubles

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 1 playbook

Franchise College Pro OffenseOffense

Breakdown

HB Counter out of Singleback Doubles is a power run play built on misdirection, pulling the backside guard and tackle (or fullback surrogate blockers depending on personnel) around to lead through the point of attack while the offensive line down blocks to seal the initial flow away from the counter action. This is strictly a run play with no pass option attached, designed to freeze linebackers and force them to flow the wrong way before the ball carrier cuts back into the lane created by the pullers. The primary read progression for the HB is patience: press the initial hole shown by the down blocks, locate the lead blocker, and decide whether to follow the puller through the designed gap or bend it back if flow overcommits.

Defensive Reads

Identify box count before the snap, six or fewer defenders in the box gives the pulling linemen a clean path to the second level. Watch linebacker depth and lean, if they are crashing hard toward initial flow before the snap they are vulnerable to the cutback lane once the counter action develops. Beware defenses that stay disciplined with a spy or a designated backside contain defender, since that player can blow up the counter before the puller ever gets set. User controlled defenders sitting in the backfield gap or reading the pulling guard's path will erase this play quickly, so switch to a different concept if you see the user manually shading toward the counter side. Heavy blitz packages that send extra rushers upfield immediately can actually help this play if the blitz overruns the point of attack, but zone blitz looks with a spy plugging the cutback lane are the toughest shell to beat with Counter.

Usage Tips

Run this from personnel groupings where the defense has already shown aggressive downhill linebacker fits on Inside Zone or HB Dive, since Counter punishes fast flow and overpursuit. Use manual motion or a stutter dance with the HB pre-snap to bait linebackers into flowing hard before the snap even happens. Sequence this play right after HB Power O or Tight Zone Wk in the same drive so linebackers keep guessing between zone and gap schemes, then hit them with Counter when they start keying run fits too aggressively. Save this for second and short or first and ten situations where you can commit to the play fake mentality of the blocking scheme without fear of a long negative play. Avoid calling this into stacked fronts with extra defenders in the box unless you have a numbers advantage, since the pulling linemen need time and space to get around the edge.