While my identity as a coach has primarily been as a pass happy #AirRaid guy, one of my favorite plays continues to be GT Counter. I love gap scheme run plays as it naturally instills a sense of aggression in our lineman that is needed when you spend the majority of your practice doing pass protection drills.
This is a play where each lineman knows exactly who they are attacking and angles to help each blocker with their leverage are already built in. This allows linemen to play carefree and just focus on their job of attacking their assignment.
My philosophy strongly aligns with the #PowerRaid system #LincolnRiley has created at his time in the #CollegeFootball ranks. He runs #GTCounter many different ways, and you will see below that we try to mirror that. As will all of our Air Raid passing plays, the more you can run the same play out of different looks, the advantage shift to the offense. We love plays that start out looking different to the defense but the offensive players do not have to learn anything new. We always put ourselves in a position to out execute our opponents because we have dedicated ourselves to perfecting our small playbook. Once your team understand how to run the base play, you as a coach, can get creative around different formations and different positions getting the ball in various ways.
Our GT Counter was utilized by the middle school (#12U, #14U), as well as our High School teams. Our #8U team runs off tackle but doesn't pull any lineman and our #10U team pulls the Guard only.
GT Counter (Larry/Roger)
Formations
- Ace/Open (2x2), Late/Early (3x1), Blue/Green (2 Back), Black/Brown, Star/Lazer (Empty)
Concept Rules
- Backside Guard: Throw inside elbow, pull full speed at a slightly downhill angle aiming for the DE downfield shoulder. If you miss, miss on the downfield side of the DE body.
- Backside Tackle: Throw inside elbow, pull full speed with just enough depth to turn adjust to backside guards block.
- If the guard successfully kicks the DE out, turn up into the hole created, looking inside->out for linebackers.
- If the guard has to log the attacking DE, continue on your patch and take it outside looking to turn upfield ASAP.
- Inside & Outside Receivers: Mirrored Bubble/Petal Screen concept on both sides
- RB (F) & #OLine will run GT Counter toward the direction of the screen
Note: RB responsibility to flip pre-snap to appropriate side of QB once the Larry or Roger call has been made.
All of our GT Counter looks
- Open (2x2)
- Open (2x2), Move Motion
- Early (3x1)
- Early Pistol, Direct Turn Handoff
- Late Pistol, Reverse Pivot Handoff
- Green (2 Back), H Outside Tackle Release
- Pulls OLB out of the box
- Blue (2 Back), H Cross Face Release
- Help block backside defensive players
- Creates hesitation at 2nd-3rd levels
- Brown (2 Back Heavy), Deep Back Reverse Pivot Handoff
- Black (2 Back Heavy), Up Back Direct Handoff
- Late QB Counter, Push Motion
- Laser (Empty) QB Counter
- Late Bunch, H Slot Counter
GT Counter Breakdown and Cut Ups (all time, all levels)