Counter trey
Encyclopedia
The counter trey is a misdirection running play used in American football
. The counter trey is a type of counter run
.
This play is designed for the offensive team to feign rushing one way, then attack the defense in the opposite direction. In a counter trey right, the center
, right guard
, and right tackle block left as if the play is going left, with the right tackle leaving the last defensive player on the line of scrimmage unblocked. The left guard and left tackle are pulling or turning, and running to the right parallel with the line of scrimmage. The left guard will block the last defensive player on the line of scrimmage and the tackle will cut underneath him and block the first defender in the hole.
The running back
takes an initial feint step to the left, then cuts back to the right, receives the handoff from the quarterback
, and runs off the hip of the pulling guard, with the pulling tackle leading him through the hole created by the pulling guard kicking out the last man on the line of scrimmage. The counter trey requires quick, athletic linemen for good execution.
Many teams have run this play, but it first became well-known when run by the Washington Redskins
in the 1980s and the early 1990s, which they modeled from the Nebraska Cornhuskers http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/osbornes_innovation.html. In particular, guard Russ Grimm
and tackle Joe Jacoby
would open up massive holes for John Riggins
, George Rogers, and Earnest Byner
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. The counter trey is a type of counter run
Counter run
In American football, a counter run is a running play in which the running back will take a step in the opposite direction of the play, only to get the handoff in the other direction. Weak side linemen will sometimes pull and lead the back downfield , but not necessarily...
.
This play is designed for the offensive team to feign rushing one way, then attack the defense in the opposite direction. In a counter trey right, the center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
, right guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
, and right tackle block left as if the play is going left, with the right tackle leaving the last defensive player on the line of scrimmage unblocked. The left guard and left tackle are pulling or turning, and running to the right parallel with the line of scrimmage. The left guard will block the last defensive player on the line of scrimmage and the tackle will cut underneath him and block the first defender in the hole.
The running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
takes an initial feint step to the left, then cuts back to the right, receives the handoff from the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and runs off the hip of the pulling guard, with the pulling tackle leading him through the hole created by the pulling guard kicking out the last man on the line of scrimmage. The counter trey requires quick, athletic linemen for good execution.
Many teams have run this play, but it first became well-known when run by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the 1980s and the early 1990s, which they modeled from the Nebraska Cornhuskers http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/osbornes_innovation.html. In particular, guard Russ Grimm
Russ Grimm
Russell Scott Grimm is a former American football guard for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. As a collegian, he was an All-American center at the University of Pittsburgh. As a professional, Grimm had multi-selections to both the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams, and was...
and tackle Joe Jacoby
Joe Jacoby
Joseph Erwin Jacoby is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins...
would open up massive holes for John Riggins
John Riggins
Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel", is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992....
, George Rogers, and Earnest Byner
Earnest Byner
Earnest Alexander Byner is a former American football running back in the National Football League and is currently a running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars...
.