Power O Blocking: A Downhill Run Built on Angles

Power O is a gap run built around down blocks, a block on the edge defender and a backside guard pulling through the opening. The offense uses those angles to create a downhill lane rather than asking every blocker to drive straight ahead.

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In a common version, a fullback or tight end kicks the edge defender outward and the pulling guard leads inside that block to a linebacker. The running back follows the leverage the blocks create.

Build the lane

The blockers on the called side secure defenders to their inside, often with a combination that can release to the second level. The offense must also protect the space vacated by the pulling guard. Penetration there can disrupt the play before the guard reaches his target.

The edge block sets the other side of the lane. When it widens the defender, the back runs inside it. If the defender squeezes hard and the blocker seals him inward, the ball may bounce around the outside instead.

This is why force and spill techniques matter. A defense can deliberately make the back leave his preferred path and run toward pursuing help. A successful spill is coordinated with the linebacker or safety arriving outside.

Follow the guard, then the back

The guard must clear the traffic and turn into the lane without drifting so deep that the defense closes it. The back needs enough patience to let that block develop, then a decisive cut. The diagram's intended hole is a starting plan; the defender's reaction can change the finish.

Compared with Counter, traditional Power O usually attacks more directly and uses the back or tight end for the edge block while the guard leads. Counter commonly uses two pullers and more misdirection, although coaching labels and variations overlap.

Power is a family of calls

The offense can run Power from under center, shotgun or Pistol. A quarterback version uses the passer as the runner. Motion, a fake or a pass option can add another conflict without replacing the core down blocks and pull.

To identify it, locate the backside guard first. Then find who handles the edge and who meets the linebacker. That sequence tells you more than whether the runner looks powerful or the offense is near the goal line.

Keep learning

• Duo blocking: Compare downhill double teams without the signature pulling guard.

• Trap blocking: See a puller target an intentionally unblocked interior defender.

• Pistol formation: Learn how the same run can appear from another alignment.

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Reference: USA Football teaching the square pull.