Power/Counter

All contingencies are built into the play. The double team will not take the PS/LB (3 yds deep) UNLESS he crosses the path of the man coming off the DT for the BS/LBer! In that case - they WILL take him, & "wash him down"! You stay ON TRACK building the wall to the BS/LBer (like a train on railroad tracks) - & if the PS/LBer is "on the track" - TAKE HIM! Do not go "off track" chasing the PS/LBer!

As said above - if PS/LBer penetrates AFTER the man coming off the DT playside goes by for the BS/LB - the OFF G will TRAP HIM!!!!! This happens as much as 50% of the time (& is EXPECTED)!

SEE BELOW:

A) ALL DOUBLE TEAMS ON PLAYSIDE (TE & ON T = “TREY”; ON T & ON G = “DUECE”) – THESE ARE VERTICAL DOUBLE TEAMS:

OUTSIDE BLOCKER = FIRST STEP IS A FLAT LATERAL GAP STEP WITH YOUR INSIDE FOOT, KEEPING THE SHOULDERS SQUARE. YOUR SECOND STEP WITH YOUR OUTSIDE FOOT IS UPFIELD, GETTING HIP TO HIP WITH YOUR INSIDE TEAMMATE, AND PLACING YOUR INSIDE FOOT IN THE CROTCH OF THE DLM. STRIKE THE OUTSIDE BREASTPLATE OF THE DLM WITH THE HANDS. THINK OF BLOCKING THE DLM AND IF HE STAYS HEAD UP OR OUTSIDE SHOULDER OF YOUR INSIDE TEAMMATE, HE IS YOUR MAN – PERIOD! IF THE DLM DISAPPEARS INSIDE ACROSS THE FACE OF YOUR INSIDE TEAMMATE, GO TO THE SECOND LEVEL AND “BUILD THE WALL” TO THE FIRST Lber OFFSIDE. IF YOU GET A SHOT AT THE PLAYSIDE Lber – TAKE IT, BUT DON’T VARY OFF COURSE TO CHASE THE PLAYSIDE Lber, BECAUSE THE BACKSIDE Lber IS THE MAN THAT KILLS THE PLAY (IF YOU HIT THE PLAYSIDE Lber AND START LOSING HIM – LET HIM GO, AND CONTINUE TO THE FIRST Lber OFFSIDE). THIS IS A VERY “DISCIPLINED TECHNIQUE”. YOU AND YOUR INSIDE TEAMMATE ARE WORKING TOGETHER – BOTH YOU ARE BLOCKING GAP – UPSTREAM (FROM THE DLM TO THE FIRST Lber OFFSIDE).

INSIDE BLOCKER = FIRST STEP IS A VERY SHORT & FLAT LATERAL GAP STEP WITH YOUR INSIDE FOOT KEEPING YOUR SHOULDERS SQUARE. YOUR SECOND STEP WITH YOUR OUTSIDE FOOT IS UPFIELD THRU THE CROTCH OF THE DLM, GETTING HIP TO HIP WITH YOUR OUTSIDE TEAMMATE. STRIKE THE INSIDE BREASTPLATE OF THE DLM WITH YOUR OUTSIDE HAND – OR BOTH HANDS (“GET A LITTLE BITE” TO HELP YOUR OUTSIDE TEAMMATE – TRY TO STAND THE DLM UP). YOUR EYES MUST GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE INSIDE AS YOU WORK UPFIELD TO “BUILD THE WALL” TO THE FIRST Lber OFFSIDE (BE ALERT FOR PLAYSIDE Lber RUNNING THRU THE INSIDE GAP AS YOU GO FOR FIRST Lber OFFSIDE). IF THE DLM COMES INSIDE, YOU MUST LOCK ONTO HIM, AND YOUR OUTSIDE TEAMMATE WILL “BUILD THE WALL” AT THE SECOND LEVEL. YOU AND YOUR OUTSIDE TEAMMATE ARE WORKING TOGETHER – BOTH OF YOU ARE BLOCKING GAP – UPSTREAM (FROM THE DLM TO THE FIRST Lber OFFSIDE).

NOTE: IF “GAP” CALL MADE PLAYSIDE – EVERYONE BLOCKING A DLM ALONE MUST GET A “BIGGER BITE” ON THE DLM (YOU MAY NEED TO DRIVE YOUR HELMET ACROSS IN FRONT OF HIM AND USE THE FAR SHOULDER IF HE IS A “PENETRATOR”).


B) CENTER = BLOCK BACK ON THE FIRST MAN ON L.O.S. AWAY FROM POINT OF ATTACK (BE ALERT FOR Lber RUN THRU – OR NOSE CROSSING YOUR FACE TO OFFSIDE).

C) "H" = KICK OUT E.M.L.O.S. (“DIG HIM OUT”). IF HE GETS LOST INSIDE, IT BECOMES A NATURAL “LOG”. DON’T THINK “LOG”, THINK KICK HIM OUT!

D) OFF GUARD (WRAPPER) = PULL & TURN UP HUGGING THE DOUBLE TEAM AND LOOK OVER YOUR INSIDE SHOULDER FOR THE PLAYSIDE Lber. LEAD THRU AND DON’T SLOW DOWN (IF PLAYSIDE Lber RUNS THRU, TRAP HIM).

E) OFF TACKLE = TAKE A LATERAL STEP TO B GAP (STAYING SQUARE) USING A HAND WHAM ON ANYTHING THERE (TO BUY TIME FOR THE CENTER), THEN HINGE BACK ON EDGE RUSHER.

F) WR’s = BLOCK THE SAFETIES!