Combo in power/counter

Keep the shoulders square. If the outside blocker turns his shoulders - he often knocks the inside blocker OFF the combo. Also - you are striving for the VERTICAL DOUBLE TEAM on Power-O & Counter (knocking the DLM back into the laps of the LBers - cutting off their pursuit).!

Here are the TECHNIQUES. IF there are questions - PHONE me at 804-740-4479 (up to 10 PM/EDT)!

TECHNIQUES ON “COUNTER/POWER”:

NOTE: 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 (3”) & 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).


PS: The BEST video showing all of the above is from the 2005 COOL CLINIC with Pat Flaherty (NY GIANTS) talking about the play with GREAT shots of the combo technique (above) & how to DRILL it! When they had Tiki Barber - it was his BEST play (also "LT's" with the Chargers).

BIG REASON for this: ALL the NFL & Div. I College teams that run it this way (& I can name a BUNCH that do) run it as a "DOWNHILL" play for the RB - who runs for the butt of the playside Guard & looks for his cut INSIDE-OUT (A GAP/B GAP/C GAP).

Lets' take one example. If you VERTICAL DOUBLE the 3 tech. DT - quite often the RB crams the A gap (but CAN wind it into the B gap if necessary). IF you laterally doubled DOWN on the 3 tech DT with your OT - he might drive the DT into the A gap THUS taking away the RB's first option to cut.

Did I make this clear? If not - phone me at 804-740-4479!