Football Library · Plays
Power· 11v11 Tackle
Gap-scheme downhill run with a pulling blocker as lead. QB hands to the back, who follows the pulling guard (or H-back) through the designated gap. OL down-blocks playside; backside guard pulls and kicks out / leads up to the second level. Hard-hitting, decisive — the defense gets one count to fit gaps and the back is already through. Best when the defense over-aligns to one side or against a stack-and-shed front you can knock off the ball.
Coaching breakdown
Power Right: @QB hands to at the mesh; the backside guard pulls and leads through the playside B-gap. follows the puller, presses the line, and breaks downhill — first defender to fit the gap takes the contact, is already through. OL down-blocks playside; receivers stalk-block their man.
When to call it
Short yardage between the tackles. Reliable hammer when you need 2-3 yards — gets at least the LOS even vs a stacked box.
When not to use
Avoid Power when immediate interior penetration prevents the puller from clearing, or when the defense is spilling every kick-out to a fast scrape player with no answer outside. It is a downhill gap call; it loses its advantage when the offense cannot create the down-block wall.
How to adjust for situations
Set the kick-out/turn-up rule before the snap: log a wrong-arm edge and bounce, kick an upfield shoulder and follow inside. Move the puller to an H-back if guard traffic is a problem. On short yardage, tighten splits and prioritize vertical movement; against an overloaded front, run it weak or add a formation shift.
Common mistakes
- RB cuts away from the puller; should follow him through the hole, not freelance.
- Puller stops at the LOS instead of climbing to the LB; the second-level block is what springs the run.
- Down-blocks too soft; need to knock the DTs off the ball, not just engage.