QB G/H Counter RPO

North Texas came out in Week 0 with a nice game plan. This Red Zone wrinkle was particularly impressive. Quarterback Austin Aune has enough juice to be a running threat and this particular call was reminiscent of some of the things Seth Littrell did in his time at North Carolina with QB Marquise Williams. QB Counter with an RPO RB Rail out of the Backfield. If the defense fits Counter, throw the Rail. If the defense bails to Rail, keep Counter.

  • Formation Unbalanced to the Field (X is covered up)

  • H-Back Off

  • QB G/H Counter

  • RB Rail

  • QB Reads Leverage on the Rail while attacking downhill

Haters will say this is illegal man downfield, but they probably coach defense. I said this often in The Ultimate Guide to Counter, but the best way to run RPO tags with Counter is with G/H Counter. Ideally the Guard kicks out and the (eligible) H-Back climbs to the LB which prevents illegal man downfield. North Texas gets into a little bit of trouble when the Left Tackle Climbs to the Mike LB. Whenever you call an RPO, tell that “Deuce” Block to be a little more patient - don’t chase, wait to gather the LB when he comes to you.

All that being said, this is a nice little RZ play that can cause some confusion for the Defense.

Win the "Middle 8"

Here’s practical advice that I have found helpful the last couple years.

Michael Lombardi has written extensively on Bill Belichick’s game management. Belichick stresses the importance of winning the “Middle 8” - the last 4 minutes of the first half and the first 4 minutes of the second half.

As a coach, it is important to be sharp in the Middle 8.

My advice is:

“Don’t wait for halftime!”

Spend the first quarter deciding if you need to make adjustments. Spend the second quarter identifying & implementing 3 specific adjustments. Use halftime to solidify those 3 adjustments for the second half.

There is nothing worse than a coaches meeting at halftime asking, “What adjustments should we make?” Don’t waste too much time discussing. If you wait for halftime, you’re too late!

The goal is to go into halftime having already identified any changes that need to be made and be on your way to implementing those adjustments.

Don’t overdo it - maximum 3 adjustments.

TE Leak

What is the most consistently WIDE OPEN pass play against the most sophisticated defenses in football? Based on what I’ve seen, the answer is TE Leak. Somehow, even the most dominant defenses tend to loose track of the TE off a hard Wide Zone fake. Here, the Bills shift the TE to Strong I Rt. They run Wide Zone Lead with the Fullback which is designed to create extra gaps to the playside. The Linebackers and Strong Safety flow to Wide Zone, while the TE Leaks across the formation on a Shallow.

  • Shift to I Rt. with Y-Off

  • Play Action Wide Zone Lead

  • Center takes Wide Zone Step and Spins Out to Protect the Backside C-Gap

  • X Wide Receiver buries the CB and runs to the FS

  • TE Leaks Shallow

What I like most about this design is the Center Lag. What typically gets these types of plays in trouble is pressure. You do not want to True Boot a Leak Concept because it will attract secondary attention. Leaving the Backside C-Gap unprotected is a recipe for getting your Quarterback destroyed. The Center Lag is such an effective protection strategy because it is an extremely difficult read for the Linebackers and Safeties. I referenced this in both The Ultimate Guide to Counter and The Ultimate Guide to Screen - mobility at the Center Position can unlock some creative possibilities for your offense!