Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Counter out of Singleback Y Trips TE Slot is a power run play that pulls the offside guard and tackle across the formation to kick out the edge defender and lead through the hole for the HB. The diagram shows the trips receivers to the right running off their defenders while the offensive line executes down blocks, and the HB takes a counter step away from the flow before cutting back through the vacated gap behind the pulling linemen. This is a gap scheme run designed to attack aggressive downhill defenses and beats over-pursuing fronts, with the primary read being the frontside double team, then the pulling guard's kick out block, and finally the backside cutback lane if the linebackers flow too hard to the play side.
Defensive Reads
Watch for defensive ends or outside linebackers crashing hard down the line, since a disciplined edge defender who stays home can blow up the counter before the pullers get there. Key the Mike linebacker's first step, if he flows immediately to the play side flow you have a clean cutback lane once the backside guard seals. Identify run blitzes from the slot cornerback or nickel defender coming downhill pre-snap, this play struggles against a fast off-ball blitzer who beats the puller to the point of attack. Look at the safety alignment, a two high shell with soft run support opens up the cutback while a single high robber defender crashing the box can eliminate this run entirely. Post-snap, track whether the defensive tackle is being read by a spy or scraping linebacker, since a disciplined scrape exchange defense is one of the few looks that consistently shuts down HB Counter.
Usage Tips
Run this play when the defense is showing a heavy or crashing front, since the counter action punishes linebackers who flow hard to the play side. Pre-snap, check the defensive tackle alignment and linebacker depth, if the Mike is sitting tight to the line expecting run blitz, counter timing will hit before he can fill. Use the left trigger or right trigger to control your HB's patience through the mesh point, letting the pulling guard clear before you commit to the hole. Pair this with HB Zone Wk and HB Dive from the same set so defenses cannot key on your pulling linemen, then hit them with Power O later in the series to keep gap reads honest. Against man coverage looks with single high safety, this is a great early down call since the extra TE gives you a lead blocker and the trips set pulls coverage away from the box.
