What Is a Skip Pull? How Linemen Stay Square Through the Hole

6 hours ago

6 min read

Information cutoff: 2026-11-12 12:00 PM CST. A skip pull is a tight pulling technique that lets an offensive lineman move across the formation while keeping his chest and eyes facing the defense. The point is not the little hop itself. The point is to clear interior traffic, find the correct entry into the hole and arrive square enough to adjust to a linebacker who has not stayed still.

That makes the skip pull a useful companion to Football Nation’s recent lessons on the kick out block and the down, down, around rule. The kick out creates the outside wall. The down blocks create the inside wall. The skip pulling guard becomes the moving lead blocker who enters between them.

The job before the footwork

Start with the assignment. On a typical power run, frontside linemen block down or double toward the play side. A back or tight end handles the force defender with a kick out. The backside guard leaves his original spot, crosses behind the line and leads through the newly created lane. His target is usually a play side linebacker, although the exact defender and landmark depend on the front and the offense’s terminology.

A skip pull helps that guard remain square to the line of scrimmage. Because his shoulders do not have to turn completely toward the sideline, he can keep both inside and outside threats in view. He also reaches the hole in a posture that makes it easier to redirect when the linebacker spills, scrapes over the top or attacks downhill.

Original Football Nation diagram showing a backside left guard skip pulling on power right, clearing the line, staying square and leading through the hole while an edge blocker kicks out.

Diagram: Football Nation original, created November 12, 2026. The gold path shows the guard gaining enough depth to avoid the down blocks, crossing behind the wall and turning vertically toward the Mike linebacker. The teal path is the separate kick out block. The runner reads inside that kick out.

A worked example: power right against an even front

Imagine the ball on the left hash. The offense calls power right. The right tackle and right guard block down. The center protects the backside A gap. An H back kicks out the edge defender. The left guard is the puller.

At the snap, the left guard gains enough depth to avoid colliding with the center and the down blocks. He keeps his shoulders close to square as his feet cross behind the formation. Once the kick out and down blocks define the lane, he plants and climbs through the hole. If the Mike linebacker attacks inside, the guard meets him there. If the Mike scrapes wider, the guard can adjust without having to unwind his entire body. The back follows the guard’s inside hip, then reacts to the guard’s block.

The teaching sequence is usually depth, clear, square and climb. That is a concept, not a universal four step recipe. Different coaches teach the first step, crossover and hand carriage differently. The useful test is whether the puller clears traffic on time, sees the target and enters the collision under control.

Film evidence: watch the guard, not the ball

The embedded Steelers Depot clip shows Mason McCormick pulling from left guard to the right. Watch his shoulder angle as he crosses behind the line, how much depth he needs to clear bodies and when he changes from lateral movement to an upfield track. The clip is evidence of the movement problem; terminology can vary by coach.

Public X status opened and checked at 2026-11-12 12:00 PM CST: https://x.com/Steelersdepot/status/1784751340016861550

The contrasting example: when an open pull is better

Now change the call to a wide sweep or another concept whose target is outside the tackle box. The puller may need a faster, wider path. An open pull turns the hips and shoulders sooner so the lineman can run to an outside landmark. That posture may sacrifice some immediate vision across the entire front, but it can gain width more efficiently.

This is why skip pull and open pull are not rankings. They are tools. USA Football’s North Dakota State breakdown describes a skip pull for a guard leading into the A gap and an open pull when the blocker must travel wider. The NFL’s own concept primer likewise notes that advanced linemen can use a skip pull to find the opening and lead through it. Landmark, traffic and target determine the choice.

Common misconceptions

Misconception one: every square looking pull is identical. Coaches use square pull, skip pull and pull and lead labels differently. Identify the body position and track before arguing over the name.

Misconception two: the puller must sprint to the linebacker immediately. If he climbs before clearing the down blocks, he can run into his own linemen or allow penetration through the vacated gap.

Misconception three: the guard chooses any defender he sees. The blocking scheme sets a target and an inside out rule. Vision helps the guard adjust inside that rule; it does not erase the assignment.

Misconception four: a dramatic collision proves a good pull. A clean positional block that keeps the linebacker away from the runner’s path can be more valuable than a highlight knockdown.

Exceptions and the strongest counterargument

The best counterargument is speed. A skip pull can be slower or more demanding than opening the hips and running. Against fast penetration, or when the landmark is wide, a coach may prefer an open pull or another technique. The guard’s body type, the defense’s front and the spacing of the play all matter. A puller who stays square but arrives late has not solved the play.

There is also no single league wide glossary. One staff may call the movement a skip pull; another may fold it into a broader square pull family. Film should settle the football question: did the blocker clear the wall, keep useful vision and reach the correct target on time?

Why it matters while watching an NFL game

On replay, locate the backside guard before the snap. After the snap, ignore the ball for one second. Track whether the guard gains depth, stays square, avoids leakage and turns up inside the kick out. If the run fails, ask which part broke: penetration interrupted the pull, the kick out squeezed the lane, the guard chose the wrong color in the hole, or the back outran the block.

For fantasy football, the technique is context rather than a start or sit signal by itself. Repeated clean pull paths can help explain why a runner receives efficient gap scheme carries near the goal line. Repeated collisions or late arrivals can reduce the reliability of those designed lanes. The next checkpoint is game film: compare the guard’s path and the runner’s landmark across several power and counter calls, not one highlight.

Short takeaway

A skip pull is a way to move laterally without surrendering a square view of the defense. The puller gains depth, clears the blocking wall and becomes a lead blocker through the hole. It is most useful when the target is tight and can move. A wider landmark may call for an open pull instead.

FAQ

Is a skip pull the same as a kick out block? No. The skip pull describes how a blocker travels. His assignment may be to lead through the hole. A different blocker often performs the kick out on the edge.

Who usually skip pulls? Guards are the most common examples, but tackles and other linemen can use related square pulling techniques depending on the concept.

What should I watch first? Watch the puller’s shoulders and eyes, then check whether his path clears the down blocks and enters the lane on time.

Does every NFL team teach the same steps? No. The coaching language and exact footwork vary. The assignment, landmark and result are more stable than the label.