The Quarterback Lead Play out of the Double Tight Pistol Formation is a great play that will allow you to utilize your athletic QB. You also gain an extra blocker because the QB is the ball carrier. This play utilizes double teams and a kick-out at the point of attack. The Double Tight Formation is great because it gives you numbers at the point of attack and it also makes the defense have to defend both sides of the formation.
Quarterback Lead Play out of the Double Tight Pistol Formation
Center: Block head up nose guard. If you are facing double A-gap defenders, the center must block backside A-gap defender.
Right Guard: Work onto the middle linebacker. If your center can’t handle the nose have your right guard double team him.
Right Tackle: Double team the defensive tackle with the TE.
Right TE: Double team the defensive tackle with the right tackle. If your RT can handle the defensive tackle then have your TE work onto a linebacker.
Left Guard: Step play-side, cutoff.
Left Tackle: Block defensive tackle.
Left TE: Step play-side, cutoff.
Fullback (FB): Lead block through the hole. Look to block the outside linebacker. This is pretty much an isolation block.
Halfback (HB): Fake like it is a sweep. This will influence the play-side defensive end to widen, which creates an easier kick-out block for the blocking back.
Blocking Back (BB): Kick-out defensive end. If the edge defender is a linebacker (in a 4-4) the BB must turn up and block the outside linebacker.
QB (1): Catch snap, cut inside of the BB kick-out, get behind fullback’s lead block.
Related Content: Pistol Offense Playbook for Youth Football
Quarterback Lead Play out of the Double Tight Pistol Formation vs. 4-4
Coaching Tips
- The kick-out player won’t always be the defensive end. Make sure your BB knows to turn up field if no defensive end shows, or if the DE really widens out for motion (taking himself out of the play).
- A good fake by the HB will cause the defensive end to widen and it will also grab the eyes of the play-side linebackers.
- If the defense is over-shifting to the BB side, just have the BB trade (shift to the other side). Since this is out of a Double Tight-end Formation you can run this to both sides. Make the defense have to defend both sides of the formation.
- A good pistol snap is needed, a high or low snap will throw the entire timing of the play off.
(See Also) Pistol Power Series