Counter Dive or Sniper Series
In this blog post we will discuss the Counter Dive Series. Some coaches may have heard it call Sniper. The history of the play started with Willamette University, they would run it out Wing-T sets and then Ian Shields adapted it when he was at Cal Poly and Army. It's a neat play that several Colleges use, Navy, Citadel, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State. Its primarily run to an A gap bubble but can be manipulated to run vs. Odd fronts. We will get into the X & O’s in the diagram below.
Rules:
PST: Veer Release for #2 in the count
PSG: Align with a widened split, Base the 3 technique, don’t get turned or pushed into the A gap
Center: Base to back
BSG: Align Closer to the ball but with a widened split, Playside linebacker (Mike)
BST: Veer release for backside linebacker
PSA: Motion on Ready, aiming point is hand of the B back, aiming point after the mesh is playside hip of the center and to hug the block of the center.
B Back: Veer path away like toss to pull the Mike so the BSG can wall his playside armpit
BSA: Load release to safety
WR’s : Block man on
This play is really good vs. a 4-3/6-1 defense that declares a 3 technique. It gives you an A gap bubble and you have leverage on all defenders. It hits quickly and can give you a “counter concept” with limited rules and repetition expense at practice.
If you wanted to run it vs. a 2i and to the B gap side of a 4-3 then the above diagram illustrates this.
Rules:
PST: Veer release for #2 in the count
PSG: Base 2i
Center: Backside A gap to playside linebacker (Mike)
BSG: Base
BST: Veer release to backside linebacker
PSA: Motion on Ready, aiming point is hand of the B back, aiming point after the mesh is playside hip of the PSG and to hug the down/base block of the guard.
B Back: Veer path away like toss to pull the Mike so the BSG can wall his playside armpit
BSA: Load release to safety
WR’s : Block man on
Issues that arise: If you have a hard squeezing #1 in the above picture, then he could possibly blow this play up. Which is why most teams try and run it to the A gap bubble instead, but if you can get a piece of #1 as you veer release the PST then you should be able to shoot the A back through because it hits so quickly.
To further the discussion on this series, you can run this play vs. two 2i’s as well, but it will require some technique and scheme adjustments. Because this is an A gap designed play you have to move towards more of a trap scheme to help open the A gap window to run through it. So this scheme was a halftime adjustment to a team that played two 2i’s the whole game. The above diagram goes in to the details and the rules are as follows.
Rules:
PST: Veer release for #2 in the count
PSG: Pull and trap the backside 2i
Center: Backside A gap (back block on the 2i)
BSG: Align closer to the ball but using a widened spilt, outside release to influnce to 2i out and work up to the Mike linebacker
BST: Veer release to backside linebacker
PSA: Motion on Ready, aiming point is hand of the B back, aiming point after the mesh is playside hip of the center and to hug the back block of the center.
B Back: Veer path away like toss to pull the Mike so the BSG can wall his playside armpit
BSA: Load release to safety
WR’s : Block man on
To run this vs. a 5-2 look you must adjust a few blocking assignments for the OL. The rules are as follows:
Rules:
PST: Scoop release the 4 technique, be prepared to cut him if he pinches. If he works out/away then expect #2 folding inside and be prepared to climb and seal him.
PSG: Ace the nose with the center, could make a call to alert the OL of a linebacker pop in A gap which would then have all the lineman base block their man on defender to try and get positive yardage.
Center: Base to Ace
BSG: Align closer to the ball, work through the heels of the nose, up to the playside linebacker, again trying to gain leverage in the far armpit of that linebacker.
BST: Scoop release the 4 technique, if pinch slide behind and climb to the second level defender, if no pinch climb now for backside backer.
The image below shows the blocking scheme vs. an A pop:
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All the Best,
Matt McLeod