Every call in this book is built the same way, front to back:
1 · formationI Right2 · motion (optional)Z Close3 · the play44 Power4 · tag (optional)Z Reverse
So “I Right Z Close 44 Power Z Reverse” reads: line up in I Right, Z motions in
close, run the 44 Power look, ball comes back to Z on the reverse. That’s the longest call
in the book — and you just read it.
Step 1 · the formation — where everyone stands
I
F and H stacked in a straight line behind the QB. Right / Left is the strong side.
Open
Tag on I — same backfield, but Y splits off the line instead of staying attached.
Twins
Tag on I — both WRs move to the same side.
Offset
F kicks out to one side instead of stacking behind the QB.
Spread
One back deep. Right / Left tells Y and Z which side they own.
Tight
Tag on Spread — Y stays attached to the tackle like a true tight end instead of flexing out.
Trips
Three receivers to the called side.
Bunch
The trips trio squeezed into a tight cluster.
Wing
H stands up as a wing just outside the tackle, F offset behind the QB. One back deep, and H’s gap makes the run game nasty.
Step 2 · run numbers — who carries, where it hits
Two digits: first digit is the ball carrier, second is the hole.
Every run in this book starts with 4 — that’s H, the deep back.
Even hole = right of centre. Odd = left. Bigger number = wider.
42 ISO hammers just right of the centre. 44 Power hits off the right guard.
48 Stretch races for the right edge. Flip to 41, 43, 47 and it’s the same play mirrored left.
Step 3 · run words — how it’s blocked
Power
Backside guard pulls through the hole, F kicks out the end man, H follows the puller downhill. Two extra bodies at the point of attack.
ISO
Straight lead run. F isolates the linebacker, H reads him and hits inside or outside the playside guard. No pull — just downhill speed.
Stretch
Outside zone. The whole line steps playside and H strings it to the edge, cutting up the moment a lane shows.
Jet Sweep
The jet-motion man takes the hand-off at full sprint around the corner.
Reverse
Tag — after the sweep look, the ball comes back against the grain to the tagged player.
Play 70
Quick hitter — H straight through the right side behind F’s lead block.
The Wing package — Igloo & Iceberg
From Wing Right, the run scheme gets a codename — Igloo or Iceberg —
and the quoted tag on the end is the wing back’s job. Same play for everyone else; only H changes.
Insert
H inserts into the B-gap on his side — an extra lead blocker downhill.
Arrow
H bails flat to the sideline as the RPO outlet off the run look.
Arc
H arcs around the edge to lead outside.
Slash
H crosses behind the line to hit the backside.
Slip
H slips flat to the backside while Y climbs to the safety.
Triple
Y orbits behind the QB as the pitch man — give, keep or pitch off the marked defender.
Pop
Play action off the insert — H streaks in behind the backers, Y sits under. Read: Pop–Post–Sit–Go.
Waggle
Insert fake, QB rolls — flat, post-corner, and two drags crossing behind it. Read H–Z–Y–X.
H Screen
Show pass, then H slips out behind the wall for the throwback.
Step 4 · pass words — the concept
Stick
Y hitches (“sticks”) at five yards with a back in the flat underneath him. Quick game — the ball is out in two seconds.
Up
Tag on Stick — the sticker fakes his hitch and takes off deep. The shot play for when they start jumping the stick.
Officer
Both outside WRs push vertical to clear space. Y runs the out with H in the flat under him — a high-low on the flat defender.
Play 35
Flood. Both WRs go deep while Y, F and H layer the same sideline at three different depths.
Swing
Two-back play only. Both backs swing wide out of the backfield — quick look to Z first, then dump it and let them run.
Snag
Triangle right: Z settles inside, H wheels underneath, Y corners over the top. Tag it GO and the snag man takes off.
Queen
Dropback shot — deep benders from both sides, F sneaking out right.
Dagger
The seam clears the middle, then the dig arrives behind it at 12 with the back in the flat.
Heat
Deep shot off the Wham fake — X attacks behind the safeties, Z crosses at 20–30. QB reads X–Z–Y–H.
Step 5 · play action — the run is a lie
A run’s name plus one of these words means the run never happens — sell the fake.
Waggle
Fake the named run, QB rolls the other way behind protection. Comeback deep, drag coming underneath late — and the last read is always RUN it yourself.
Naked
Same fake, but the QB boots with nobody in front of him. Ball comes out fast or he wears the hit.
POP
Sell the run so the linebackers bite, then Y pops into the grass behind them. One look, one shot.
Motions — one man moving before the snap
Across
Crosses the whole formation to the other side.
Close
Tucks in to a wing — a yard outside and a yard back from the end man on the line.
Out
Leaves the backfield or tight spot to become a slot receiver.
Jet
Full sprint in front of the QB — a hand-off threat at the snap.
Orbit
Loops behind the QB. Built to smell like a reverse.
“v 3-4”, “v 4-4” — not a new play
Same call, drawn against that defensive front so you can see how the blocking rules
change. Learn the base play and the versions come free.
The five-second read
Staring at a diagram in the quiz? Work it in this order:
1 · Backfield
Two backs stacked = I. F kicked wide = Offset. One back deep = Spread or Trips — count receivers per side.
2 · Lines
Routes everywhere = pass. Blocks plus one carry line = run.
3 · If run
Which hole does the carry hit? That’s the number. Guard pulling = Power. F leading straight in = ISO. Chasing the edge = Stretch.
4 · If pass
Find Y. Hitch at five = Stick. Out with H underneath = Officer. QB rolling off a fake = Waggle or Naked. Y popping over the middle = POP.
5 · Motion
Dashed pre-snap line = the motion tag in the call. Jet sprint = sweep threat.
Team leaderboard
Side by side
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0.0s
Assignments
Traced from the 2026 Offence playbook, page .
Tap a position to spotlight it. Keys: space play/pause, ←→ change play.
New to the calls? How to read a call.
