Playbooks

Mtn HB Duo

Singleback·Tight Doubles·11

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Breakdown

Mtn HB Duo is a gap scheme run play out of Singleback Tight Doubles that uses double team blocks at the point of attack to create a vertical crease before the play flows to the backside. The offensive line down blocks in combination while the backside guard or tackle pulls to seal the edge, giving the HB a designed one cut path. This is a run play built to grind out yards between the tackles, and the primary read for the HB is to press the double team double team gap, locate the first wave of linebacker flow, then cut off the puller's block to whichever side stays cleanest.

Defensive Reads

Check the defensive tackle alignment before the snap, a 3 technique or shaded nose can blow up the double team and force a negative play if the guard cannot climb. Watch the middle linebacker's depth, if he sits tight to the line in run support this play struggles, but if he is at 5 yards or deeper reading run flow, Duo hits hard downhill. Identify user-controlled defenders flying downhill from depth, aggressive human safeties will crash the alley and can be countered by setting up play-action off this exact run look. Look for a bear front or heavy blitz package showing pre-snap, since overloaded fronts and A gap blitzes are the main defensive answer to Duo's double team concept. Track backside linebacker pursuit, if he is disciplined enough to stay home on the cutback lane, the HB needs to press the double team side hard instead of banking on the backdoor cut.

Usage Tips

Run this out of 11 personnel when the defense shows base 4-3 or nickel with linebackers sitting at normal depth, since Duo thrives against downhill fits rather than fast flow defenses.

Use pre-snap motion or a quick alignment check to see if the defense shakes its front, this tells you whether the double team side will hold up against an odd front or bear alignment.

If the defense stacks the box with 8 or more defenders, kill this play at the line and audible to a play-action shot like Mtn PA Boot Slide or PA Boot to punish the aggression.

Pair Mtn HB Duo with HB Inside Zone and HB Dive in the same series so linebackers cannot key blocking angles, this keeps second level defenders honest and slows their trigger.

On second and short or first down, call this play early in a drive to set up Zone Fake Jet Wk and Jet Sweep Wk later, since Duo's downhill action makes outside zone and jet motion fakes look identical at the snap.

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