Most of my experiences on the offensive side of the ball have evolved around one back or empty sets. We like to spread out the defense and make them cover us. In order to get a lead blocker in our running game, we offset our tight end from the line of scrimmage. There are three plays that we like to run utilizing our tight end from this spot.
Play 1 - Counter (See Diagrams 1 and 2)
Traditional counter pulling of both the guard and tackle normally ends up either being a big play for your offense or a loss of yardage. We lost yardage on our counter only one time in 2008 because our tailback slipped. To be successful with the counter, always leave one lineman home on the backside for the counter play and replace him with the pulling tight end. Against an odd front, the guard leads and kicks out followed by the tight end who turns up into the hole leading the play like a fullback. If you face an even front, your left tackle and tight end become the players leading this play. The tailback sells zone to the tight end, taking three steps, planting, and then cutting back following the tight end. An even better situation is using an empty set so now the QB has a lead blocker. Running the quarterback counter out of an empty set and faking the jet sweep can be a very effective running play.
Play 2 - Wham (See Diagram 3)
As coaches, we teach our defensive tackles about being trapped. On the other hand, we normally don’t like to trap 1-techniques so they consequently don’t work against the trap. Welcome to the Wham play. If a nose or 1-technique is giving us a problem, we like to make sure he’s blocked. Our tight end becomes our trapper and this becomes a blindside block.
Against an odd front, both guards go directly up to the linebacker. The center must vacate to the linebacker away from the side the tight end is coming from. The tackles step hard inside and hinge out on their respective players. The tailback uses a banana like, rounded look in order to create space for the tight end to come across. The tight end goes on the snap and cheats down a little bit.
Another play that can be just as effective utilizing the tight end is the Iso play. This is another great opportunity for the quarterback to gain positive yardage out of an empty set. You can empty the box yet still be able to run a power game. Use your tight end as the fullback and move him to the bubble.
About the Author: Tom Wapinsky is the head coach of Fleetwood High School (PA). He previously was an assistant coach at Albright College for two years. Wapinsky also coached at two additional Pennsylvania high schools – Reading and Emmaus. He played for and is a graduate of Lycoming College.