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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
HB Toss out of Strong I Slot 21 personnel is an outside zone run designed to get the HB to the edge quickly with lead blockers in space. The fullback and strong side tackle or tight end pull and climb to the perimeter, sealing the edge while the offensive line reach blocks to create a cutback lane inside. This is a pure run play with no play-action or RPO element, and the primary read is the HB reading the FB's lead block first, then bouncing outside if the edge is sealed or cutting up inside the fullback's block if the defensive end squeezes down.
Defensive Reads
Watch for an extra defender crashing the edge pre-snap, a nine technique defensive end or overhang defender aligned wide can blow this play up before the FB gets a block. If the strong safety is stacked tight to the line of scrimmage in the box, that is a run blitz key and this play will struggle unless you cut it back immediately. Post-snap, key the playside linebacker's pursuit angle, if he flows too fast and overruns the toss you have a natural cutback lane behind the guard. User-controlled defenders who spy the FB lead block and shoot the gap can diagnose this run quickly, so avoid calling HB Toss repeatedly against aggressive user defense. Look for cornerback and safety rotation to the strong side, heavy numbers to that side signal the defense is loading up to stop the toss and you should check to a weak side run instead.
Usage Tips
Run HB Toss against defenses that show light boxes with six or fewer defenders since the edge blocking cannot handle extra run fits from an eighth man in the box.
Check the strong safety and outside linebacker alignment pre-snap, if they are crashing down hard on run flow you want to bounce this toss outside behind your FB lead block immediately.
Use HB Toss on early downs like first and second down to keep defenses honest, then pair it with HB Power O or Counter Weak from the same set so the defense cannot key on one blocking scheme.
If the CPU or user defender flows too fast to the edge, hot route the FB to a different angle or manually control your lead blocker to adjust the kick out block in real time.
Sequence this play with Inside Zone Wk or HB Dive earlier in the game so linebackers start cheating inside, opening up bigger cutback lanes on the toss when you call it later in a drive.
