FlexBone Slot Counter
One of FirstDown PlayBook’s most popular sections is the FlexBone area. What used to be an offshoot for most offensive game plans is now a staple for most, including NFL teams. Just turn on the television and you will almost certainly see an NFL team dialing up some version of a misdirection run game normally associated with the Wing T and FlexBone offenses. This FlexBone Slot Counter is a good example.
Today we want to share one of these plays in the FirstDown PlayBook FlexBone section. This play is drawn up against a 3-4 defense. If you are a FirstDown PlayBook coach you can get this and thousands of other football plays drawn up against 12 different defensive looks.
FORMATION & PLAY: FLEXBONE SLOT COUNTER
DESCRIPTION:
FLEXBONE SLOT COUNTER PLAY WITH TWO PULLERS TO THE STRONG SIDE.
THE FIRST PULLER WILL BE THE GUARD AND THE SECOND PULLER WILL BE THE TACKLE.
THE GUARD WILL EITHER KICK OUT OR WRAP IF THE DEFENDER STUNTS INSIDE.
THE TACKLE WILL READ THE GUARD’S BLOCK TO DICTATE THE PULL PATH.
THE FLEXBONE BACKFIELD ACTION WILL SELL THE OPTION AWAY FROM THE COUNTER.
THE F WILL TAKE THE BALL ON THE COUNTER AND READ THE GUARD AND TACKLE’S BLOCK.
QB:
-OPEN TO THE STRONG SIDE AND THEN REVERSE OUT TO THE WEAK SIDE.
-GET SEPARATION FROM THE LOS SO THE GUARD, TACKLE AND F CAN TRAVEL UNDER YOU.
-EXCHANGE THE BALL TO THE NEAR HAND AS THE F TRAVELS UNDER YOU ON THE COUNTER PATH.
-EXECUTE THE UNDERNEATH HANDOFF TO THE F.
-CONTINUE ON THE OPTION PATH AND SELL THE DEFENDERS ON THE OPTION THREAT.
Related: Check Out Some Of FirstDown PlayBook’s Gun Wing T Installs
FLEXBONE SLOT COUNTER: SLOT & WR ASSIGNMENTS
F:
-RECOGNIZE THE FRONT PRE-SNAP. THIS WILL HELP YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR PATH.
-ON THE SNAP STEP OUTSIDE TO CREATE SEPARATION BETWEEN YOU AND THE TACKLE.
-PLANT AND COME BACK TO THE STRONG SIDE UNDERNEATH OF THE QB.
-TAKE THE UNDERNEATH HANDOFF AND READ THE BLOCK OF THE TACKLE.
-IF THE TACKLE TRAVELS UP INSIDE OF THE GUARD’S BLOCK FOLLOW HIM
-IF THE TACKLE WRAPS AROUND THE BLOCK OF THE GUARD FOLLOW HIM.
Y:
-ON THE QB’S SIGNAL BREAK THE FLEXBONE & COME IN ORBIT MOTION.
-THE BALL WILL BE SNAPPED AS YOU NEAR THE HOME POSITION.
-ON THE SNAP EXECUTE A CONVINCING OPTION FAKE WITH THE QB AWAY FROM THE PLAY.
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H:
-RECOGNIZE THE FRONT PRE-SNAP. THIS WILL HELP YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR PATH.
-ON THE SNAP OF THE BALL ATTACK DOWNHILL TO THE OUTSIDE LEG OF THE PULLING TACKLE.
-CUT OFF ANY DEFENDER THAT SHOWS FROM THE TACKLE TO THE OUTSIDE.
WR’S:
-PLAY SIDE: BLOCK THE THE SUPPORT PLAYER IF IT IS A DEFENSIVE BACK
-MOF OPEN: BLOCK THE SAFETY.
-MOF CLOSED: BLOCK A SAFETY IF ROTATION IS TO YOU. BLOCK THE CORNER IF ROTATION IS AWAY.
-BACK SIDE: CUTOFF MOST DANGEROUS.
FLEXBONE SLOT COUNTER: OFFENSIVE LINE ASSIGNMENTS:
CALLS ARE MADE PLAY SIDE TO STRONG SIDE STARTING WITH PLAYSIDE TACKLE
PLAYSIDE TACKLE:
-COMMUNICATE THE FRONT TO THE BACKSIDE PULLERS.
-VS A B GAP THREAT: BLOCK DOWN AND HELP THE GUARD SECURE THE B GAP UP TO THE BACKSIDE LB.
-VS NO B GAP THREAT WIDEN YOUR SPLIT.
-VEER DOWN INSIDE AND THEN GET VERTICAL TO BLOCK THE FIRST LB POSSIBLE PLAYSIDE.
-IF THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN VEERS INSIDE AND CROSSES YOUR FACE WASH HIM DOWN INSIDE.
-ALLOW NO PENETRATION.
-VS A SOLID FRONT BE PREPARED TO SOLO THE 3 TECHNIQUE.
PLAYSIDE GUARD:
-COMMUNICATE THE FRONT TO THE BACKSIDE PULLERS.
-VS B GAP DEFENDER: WORK WITH THE TACKLE TO DOUBLE THE B GAP DEFENDER TO THE BACKSIDE LB.
-IF A GAP DEFENDER: DOUBLE THE A GAP DEFENDER WITH THE CENTER TO THE BACKSIDE LB.
VS A SOLID FRONT BE PREPARED TO SOLO THE NOSE GUARD.
CENTER:
-COMMUNICATE WITH TWO GUARDS.
-VS AN A GAP DEFENDER THREAT WEAK BLOCK THE DEFENDER & PROTECT THE PULL OF THE GUARD.
-IF A GAP THREAT STRONG WORK WITH THE PLAYSIDE GUARD TO SECURE THAT A GAP BEFORE BLOCKING BACK.
-VS ODD FRONTS SECURE THE NOSE FIRST THEN WORK BACK TO PROTECT THE PULLING GUARD.
PULLING GUARD:
-COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLAYSIDE LINEMEN TO GET A FRONT RECOGNITION.
-ON THE SNAP PULL ACROSS THE FORMATION AND HUG THE LOS AS YOU TRAVEL.
-LOOK TO KICK OUT THE FIRST DEFENDER ON TO OUTSIDE OF THE PLAYSIDE TACKLE.
-IF THE PLAYSIDE TACKLE WASHES THE END DOWN WRAP AROUND THIS BLOCK AND BLOCK THE FIRST DEFENDER WHO SHOWS.
PULLING TACKLE:
-COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLAYSIDE LINEMEN TO GET A FRONT RECOGNITION.
-ON THE SNAP OPEN TO THE PLAYSIDE AND FOLLOW THE PULLING GUARD.
-READ THE PATH AND BLOCK OF THE PULLING GUARD.
-IF THE GUARD KICKS OUT THEN TRAVELS UP INSIDE OF THE GUARD’S BLOCK.
-IF THE GUARD WRAPS AROUND THE BLOCK OF THE PLAYSIDE TACKLE THEN FOLLOW HIM OUTSIDE BEFORE TURNING UP.
