Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Fake End Around is a play-action run fake out of Strong I Z Close 21 personnel that dresses up as the End Around look before releasing the QB on a designed rollout. The line and backfield sell the jet motion and misdirection to the flank, pulling flowing linebackers and edge defenders out of position, while the diagram shows the QB carrying out a fake handoff before working a boot path away from the fake. This is a run play by design, not a pass concept, and the primary read progression is simply following the fake through the mesh point and letting the play develop as a designed QB run or scramble lane once the defense has committed to the perimeter fake.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebackers immediately after the snap: if they flow hard toward the jet motion fake, you know the offense is running this exact misdirection concept. Defensive ends and outside linebackers must maintain contain discipline and not crash inside on the fake, since squeezing down opens the running lane the play is designed to exploit. Spy or scrape exchange calls at the second level are the best counter, since they keep a defender responsible for cutback lanes without fully committing to the perimeter. Watch the safety rotation pre-snap: if the defense is in a run heavy front with safeties stacked near the box, they are more susceptible to the misdirection since they have less time to diagnose the fake. User the play side linebacker manually and stay square rather than flowing on the snap, since AI controlled defenders are the ones most likely to bite hard on the fake and get out of position.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs, ideally second or third and short, when you have already shown the base End Around from this set at least once to condition the defense to flow hard to the edge.
Watch linebacker depth and flow pre-snap: if the Mike and Sam are already cheating toward the strength or showing aggressive run fits, this is the perfect counter-punch.
Use this after running HB Dive or Counter Weak earlier in the drive so the defense is keying downhill run action, making the outside fake even more effective.
Since there is no pass concept attached, do not force this into obvious passing situations; treat it strictly as a change-up run to keep second level defenders honest.
Pair it in your call sheet alongside End Around and HB Stretch so the visual tells look identical pre-snap, forcing the defense to guess every time you break the huddle.
