The Tailback Counter
THE TB COUNTER IS OUR VERSION OF THE PLAY MADE FAMOUS BY THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS. IT IS A PERFECT COMPANION PLAY TO THE DIVE AND BLAST ONCE THEY ARE ESTABLISHED. A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFULLY RUN DIVE PLAYS AND THE OPPOSITION'S SCOUTING REPORT WILL GET THE DEFENSE TO STEP TO TACKLE THE FB ON THE DIVE.
THE PLAY BEGINS WITH THE SAME BACKFIELD ACTION AS THE DIVE OR BLAST AND THE OPTION. THE QB TAKES THE SNAP, SEATS THE BALL AND PRESENTS THE BALL TO THE FB WHO STEPS TO THE LOS JUST AS ON THE BLAST OR DIVE. THE FB EXECUTES A GOOD FAKE INTO THE LOS BY ROLLING HIS INSIDE SHOULDER. THE FB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FILLING THE AREA VACATED BY THE PULLING IOT.
THE QB, AFTER PRESENTING THE BALL TO THE FB, TAKES THE BALL DEEPER IN THE BACKFIELD AND HANDS OFF TO THE TB. THIS PLAY CAN BE RUN FROM EITHER THE REGULAR RIGHT FORMATION OR FROM THE POWER FORMATION. WE HAVE HAD MORE SUCCESS WITH TIMING AND EXECUTION RUNNING THE PLAY FROM THE POWER FORMATION ESPECIALLY WHEN WE RUN SO MANY SUCCESSFUL FB BLAST PLAYS. IN ADDITION, THE PLAY ACTION PASS SEEMS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE FROM THE POWER FORMATION. AFTER THE HANDOFF THE QB DROPS AS IF FOR PASS.
FROM THE POWER FORMATION THE TB TAKES ONE STEP TO THE LOS AS ON THE BLAST PLAY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE TB BE DELIBERATE WITH THIS STEP. ALONG WITH THE STEP IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE TB TO LOOK INTO THE EYES OF THE DEFENSE AT THE 4 HOLE. AFTER THE FIRST STEP AND LOOK, THE TB GETS INTO A POSITION THAT IS PARALLEL TO THE LOS FOR THE HANDOFF.
FROM THE RIGHT FORMATION, THE TB TAKES HIS FIRST TWO STEPS (CROSSOVER AND PLANT) JUST AS HE WOULD FOR THE DIVE OR DIVE OPTION PLAY. HE THEN GETS INTO POSITION FOR THE HANDOFF. TO RUN THIS PLAY FROM THE RIGHT FORMATION WHERE THE TB IS A FULL 7 YARDS DEEP REQUIRES THAT THE TB HAVE CONSIDERABLY BETTER THAN AVERAGE SPEED. THE POA FOR THE TB IS THE OUTSIDE LEG OF THE WG.
THE SG (PULLING GUARD) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BLOCKING THE END MAN ON THE LOS USUALLY THE DE. SINCE THE DE IS NOT BLOCKED INITIALLY, HE HAS A TENDENCY TO CHARGE ACROSS THE LOS AND GET DEPTH IN OUR BACKFIELD. THE GUARD MUST, THEREFORE, AS HE PASSES THE CENTER WORK TO GET SOME DEPTH WITH HIS PULL TO BE IN POSITION TO BLOCK THE DE. THE BLOCK OF THE SG MUST BE EXECUTED IN SUCH A FASHION AS TO KEEP THE DE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FORMATION. OFTEN THE SG ENDS UP PUSHING THE DE A LITTLE WIDER BUT MUCH DEEPER INTO THE BACKFIELD DUE TO THE MOMENTUM OF THE DE'S CHARGE. THIS IS PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT BECAUSE THE TB IS RUNNING A PATH THAT WILL TAKE HIM INSIDE THE DE'S PATH.
THE PULLING GUARD IS FOLLOWED BY THE PULLING IOT. IT IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD THE TB THROUGH THE HOLE. IF EVERYONE HAS DONE THEIR JOB, THE IOT WILL BLOCK THE CB ON THE SHORT SIDE OF THE DEFENSIVE FORMATION. IF A DEFENDER GETS IN THE PATH OF THE IOT BEFORE HE CAN GET TO THE CB, THAT DEFENDER MUST BE BLOCKED.
EVERYONE ELSE BLOCKS AS INDICATED. THEY USE THE SAME ANGLE, CUT-OFF BLOCK AS IN OTHER PLAYS OF THE OFFENSE. THEIR JOB WILL BE MADE EASIER BECAUSE THE DEFENSE WILL COLLAPSE ON THE FB FAKE. THE WB FROM MOTION BLOCKS THE BACKSIDE DE. IF THE DE DOES NOT CHARGE HARD ACROSS THE LOS, THE WB SHOULD CONTINUE UP FIELD AND POSITION HIMSELF TO BLOCK THE BACKSIDE DEFENSIVE PURSUIT.
THE SE RUNS THE FS OFF AND "STALK BLOCKS" HIM KEEPING HIMSELF BETWEEN THE FS AND THE BALL CARRIER. THIS PLAY IS A GREAT ONE TO CALL AT MID FIELD IN A SECOND AND MEDIUM OR SHORT SITUATION. A LARGE GAIN OR BREAKAWAY IS OFTEN THE RESULT.
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