The Spin Counter & Bootleg Series

When defenses commit to stopping the outside running game, the offense must then have an answer: The Spin Counter & Bootleg Series
by: Dale Weiner
Head Coach, Catholic High School, Baton Rouge (LA)
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The Spin Offense is designed to take advantage of speed and deception. Most defenses must make sure that a team using the Spin doesn’t make a living on the outside running game. Both the Spin Sweep and Spin Reverse are mainstays of the offense. If a defense can’t defend the perimeter, they will see a steady diet of those plays, as well as the Spin Option. When defenses do commit to stopping the outside running game, the offense must then have an answer. One answer is the Spin Counter/Bootleg series.

The Spin Counter

The Spin Counter (See Diagram 1) is an excellent inside misdirection play. This will look familiar to any Wing-T or Single Wing coach. The playside slot goes in motion to fake the sweep. The backside slot takes a drop step and crossover to get the ball underneath the QB. We emphasize to the counter slot to get his shoulders upfield as quickly as possible. We don’t want this play to take too long.

Diagram 1: Spin Counter

The QB executes his sweep pivot and hands off underneath. He then carries out a fake away from the direction of the play. The FB lines up in the backside “A” gap and fills the “B” gap. A big coaching point here is to tell the FB that he does not necessarily have a specific defender. He must attack the gap for whatever shows.

We like to pull the backside guard and tackle. The guard leads the play and kicks out or logs the end man on the LOS. The tackle turns up or goes around the guard’s block. The playside guard and tackle base or combo to the near inside LB. The center fills the backside “A” gap. Against some fronts, we prefer to pull the guard only. We do this if we’re worried about not being able to account for both inside LB’s (See Diagram 2).

Diagram 2: Spin Counter

There is even a situation in which we don’t pull any linemen. With some defenses that give you a nine man look and blitz one or more LB’s every play, we simply have the FB come across from his backside alignment and kick out the defender we are attacking. This works well against the 3-3-5 defense that is gaining popularity (See Diagram 3).

Diagram 3: Spin Counter

The Spin Bootleg

To complement the Spin Counter, we utilize the Spin Bootleg (See Diagram 4). This play is a “key breaker” off of the Spin Counter. It will utilize the same routes as the waggle out of the Wing-T. On the Spin Bootleg left, the right slot will go in motion and then get down hill quickly to help seal the edge. The left slot will execute his drop step cross over and fake the counter right. He protects the backside.

Diagram 4: Spin Bootleg

The FB will fake the fill block and head into the left flat. He usually becomes our primary target. We pull the playside guard to the backside to sell the counter. The playside tackle blocks down on the guard’s man, which also gives a flow read to the backside. Remember that some teams are really going to key the guard’s pull to read the direction of the play.

The left WR will run a “crack corner” route. The right WR, who compressed his split a little bit, will run a drag. The QB pivots to fake the counter, then gains depth to carry out the bootleg. He checks the corner quickly, but will usually throw to the FB in the flat. His third option is the drag. We tell the QB that if his first two options are closed, the drag is always open. The backside linemen will reach playside. We have great backside protection due to the counter fake and pulling linemen.

Both the Spin Counter and Spin Bootleg give the Spin offense a perfect misdirection complement to the outside running game.

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