Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Counter U out of Singleback East 12 personnel is a power run play built to pull blockers across the formation and create a designated crease for the HB. The diagram shows the offensive line down blocking with a puller sweeping toward the play side while the HB takes a counter step away from the flow before pressing the hole behind the pulling guard. This is a base run concept, not a play-action or RPO, so the primary read is a one-cut decision at the mesh point: press the designed A or B gap crease and follow the puller's block, bouncing outside only if the edge defender crashes down too hard.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker and defensive end for over aggression, both need to respect the counter action or the puller will seal them for a clean lane. Stacked fronts and blitz packages that send extra defenders through the play side gap can blow this up before the puller arrives, so watch for a pre snap overload look. Zone coverage shells that keep linebackers reading run fits at depth tend to struggle against the misdirection since flowing defenders overrun the counter step. Man coverage with aggressive safety run support can close the cutback lane fast, especially if the safety triggers downhill immediately at the snap. Post snap, track whether the backside linebacker chases the initial flow or stays home, a disciplined backside backer can chase down the counter cut for a short gain.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs like first and ten or second and short when the defense is showing base personnel and has not tightened the box.
Watch the linebacker depth pre snap: if the backers are sitting flat footed at five yards or closer, they can beat the puller to the hole, so consider checking to HB Dive or Inside Zone Split instead.
Pair Counter U with HB Off Tackle and HB Wham in the same drive to keep defenders guessing on which gap the pullers are hitting.
Against aggressive edge defenders who crash hard on run flow, let the back trust his counter step, the misdirection is designed to freeze the contain defender long enough for the puller to seal the alley.
Sequence this with Play Action or PA Boot Slide off the same formation look so linebackers start hesitating on run fits, opening up bigger lanes later in the game.
