Running

 

Running
ID Name Who Notes
RC Rush Through Center FB power/dive straight ahead, short yardage
RT Rush Off Tackle FB power behind strongside tackle
LT Left Tackle FB power behind weakside tackle
FW Fullback Sweep FB outside, HB misdirection
DE Delay FB run off fake pass (all showing pass)
RI Lead Dive Inside HB dive, FB lead dive, short yardage
RL Lead Run HB off tackle, FB lead strongside
RO Option Veer HB option in/out option off tackle
RN Run Counter HB weakside, FB misdirection
PW Power Sweep HB outside behind pulling linesmen
RW Run Weakside HB run, FB lead weakside
TW Toss Sweep HB pitchout strongside
SW Sweep HB outside, FB lead strongside
CW Counter Gap HB inside cutback behind pulling linesmen
TR Trap HB run behind trap block of aggresive DL
DR Draw HB run off OL showing pass
DT Draw-Trap HB inside run off OL showing pass, trap blocking
DW Draw-Sweep HB outside run off OL showing pass
EV End Around WR direct handoff, run weakside (QB to WR)
RV Reverse WR reverse on sweep, run weakside (QB to HB to WR)
DV Double Reverse WR reverse on end around, run strongside (QB to WR to WR)
OR Option Run QB run, HB pitchout option
OT Triple Option QB run, HB pitchout, FB handoff option
QR QB Scramble QB rollout to strongside
QK QB Keeper (bootleg) QB weakside keep, misdirection
QS QB Sneak QB dive behind center
QD QB Draw QB run off pass fake

 

 

Rush Through Center ( RC ) Back to Table
Primarily a short yardage play, with the offensive line looking to overpower the defense and the fullback powering through the line of scrimmage. It is the play most likely to gain a couple of yards, but not likely to get much more.

 

Rush Off Tackle ( RT ) Back to Table
The basic running play for many teams, with the fullback powering behind the strongside tackle. With the extra blocking of the tight end the play is likely to get yardage consistently.

 

Left Tackle ( LT ) Back to Table
Also an off-tackle run, but it is run to the weakside without the extra blocking of the tight end. Yardage is not likely to be as good as the strongside run, but may exploit a defense which is over-compensationg to the strongside.

 

Fullback Sweep ( FW ) Back to Table
The only outside fullback run, with the halfback and strongside of the line faking a run, while the quarterback hands off to the fullback running around the weakside.

 

Delay ( DE ) Back to Table
A form of Draw play run by the fullback, with the whole of the offense showing pass. The offensive linemen drop into pass protection, the wide receivers step into their routes, and the quarterback drops back to pass before handing the ball off to the fullback to charge up the middle.

 

Lead Dive Inside ( RI ) Back to Table
A variation of the Rush Through Centre play, with the halfback carrying the ball behind the lead block of the fullback. Yardage is likely to be better than for fullback dive, but there is more chance of the play breaking down.

 

Lead Run ( RL ) Back to Table
An off-tackle play, with the fullback leading the halfback. The extra blocker increases the chance of breaking a big gain, but also increases the chance of the play breaking down.

 

Option Veer ( RO ) Back to Table
An off-tackle run, with the halfback having the option of cutting inside or outside the tackle. The halfback reads the play as he approaches the line of scrimmage, and tries to pick the best hole available. This play gives the halfback a good chance of finding a hole and getting decent yardage if the defense is expecting the run, but isn't likely to get much extra yardage if the defense is playing pass as the linebackers get time to readjust.

 

Run Counter ( RN ) Back to Table
A misdirection play with the strongside of the line and the fullback faking an off-tackle run while the halfback carries the ball to the weakside. Blocking at the point of attack is light, but if the defense buys the fake the halfback can find himself in open field.

 

Power Sweep ( PW ) Back to Table
The basic outside running play. At the snap of the ball both guards pull to the right and lead the halfback around the strongside of the offensive line. The halfback cannot afford to overrun his blockers, so must wait for the offensive linemen to seal off the defense to the inside before turning upfield. If the offensive linemen fail then the halfback will simply end up running laterally until he runs out of field. If the halfback does turn the corner then a long run is very likely with only the secondary left to beat.

 

Run Weakside ( RW ) Back to Table
A sweep to the weakside with the fullback leading the halfback around the left corner. Without the extra blocking of the tight end the play will not go far against a solid run defense, but the halfback may otherwise be sprung for a long gain.

 

Toss Sweep ( TW ) Back to Table
The fastest developing sweep play, with the quarterback pitching the ball out to the halfback. The halfback does not have to wait for any blockers to get in front of him and simply uses his speed to try and get outside as quickly as possible.

 

Sweep ( SW ) Back to Table
A variation with the fullback leading the halfback around the corner. The extra blocker slows down the development of the play and increases the scope for confusion, but provides an extra chance of breaking the halfback open for a long gain.

 

Counter Gap ( CW ) Back to Table
Looks and starts like a sweep, with offensive linemen pulling from the weakside of the formation. The intention is to get the defense to overpursue the play, while the halfback cuts back inside. The pulling linemen also turn inside to trap any defensive players who are at the point of the cutback. The play can only work when the defense buys the threat to the outside, or the offensive blocking is powerful enough to move the defense at will.

 

Trap ( TR ) Back to Table
Designed to take advantage of an aggressive defensive line, with the offensive line encouraging a defender into an apparent hole, then trap blocking the isolated player as the halfback carries through the hole. If the defense does not pursue across the line of scrimmage then the halfback will find himself with nowhere to go.

 

Draw ( DR ) Back to Table
The offensive line set up to pass block and guide their immediate opponents away to the outside while the ball is handed off to the halfback up the middle.

 

Draw-Trap ( DT ) Back to Table
A draw play with a trap block. There is no lead blocker. It is less vulnerable to blitzes, stunts, stacks and the flex than the draw play because the first defensive player penetrating the line of scrimmage should be trap blocked but has even less impact on "passive" run defenses.

 

Draw-Sweep ( DW ) Back to Table
A draw to the outside, reliant mainly on the halfback's speed in getting to the corner. If the defense bites on the draw and the halfback gets outside he should get decent yardage - if they don't, or he doesn't, he won't go far.

 

End Around ( EV ) Back to Table
The quarterback fakes a handoff to a running back running strongside and hands off direct to a wide receiver crossing the field to the weakside.

 

Reverse ( RV ) Back to Table
The quarterback hands the ball off to a running back running strongside who then hands the ball off to a wide receiver looping to the weakside. The misdirection, faking a strongside run and sending the ball to the weakside makes the reverse more likely to fool the defense but it is more risky because of the extra handoff.

 

Double Reverse ( DV ) Back to Table
The reverse play with a second handoff, the wide receiver running to the weakside handing the ball off to a second wide receiver running to the strongside. This is the riskiest play of all, but if the defense is caught pursuing the play to the weakside the extra blockers to the strongside (from the initial misdirection) may lead to a large gain.

 

Option Run ( OR ) Back to Table
Primarily a short yardage play, with the quarterback carrying the ball off tackle with the option to pitch out to the halfback or keep it himself. The pitchout is the usual result, as the objective is to force the outside defender to give up the running back and cover the quarterback.

 

Triple Option ( OT ) Back to Table
Primarily a college running play, and not recommended against pro defenses (who are quicker). The QB has the option to pitch out to the halfback (option run) against an aggressive defense, hand off to the fullback up the middle (triple option) against normal run defenses and keep the ball (Quarterback Scramble) if the defense is soft.

 

QB Scramble ( QR ) Back to Table
Not normally used as a designed play, usually occurring as the quarterback tries to avoid a sack. The quarterback rolls to the strongside, looking to get as much yardage (and perhaps out of bounds) before the defense closes in on him.

 

QB Keeper (Bootleg) ( QK ) Back to Table
A misdirection play, with the quarterback faking a handoff to a running back on a strongside run, and rolling out to the weakside.

 

QB Sneak ( QS ) Back to Table
A short yardage play, in which at the snap of the ball the quarterback simply follows behind the offensive line surge. The play is likely to get a yard, maybe two, but no more.

 

QB Draw ( QD ) Back to Table
A delay/draw run by the quarterback. The added advantage over the other draw plays is that the quarterback drops behind his running backs (an important key for many defensive players), making the pass fake more convincing. Yardage is likely to be variable, and it is not a play that should be repeated regularly (unless you want your quarterback carried home in a box).