Iso
Every lineman blocks the man in front of him, leaving one linebacker unblocked, and the fullback leads through the hole to take him on, one against one. The back follows the fullback and reads the collision.
- The offense1 / 3
The look
The line blocks man-on-man and pushes their defenders away from the hole. The fullback goes straight through it at the linebacker, and the back is a step behind him, aiming at the fullback's back.
- vs Fill2 / 3
The conflict
The linebacker attacks downhill to meet the fullback in the hole. The collision happens at the line, and the back bounces off the fullback's hip to whichever side the linebacker is not.
- vs Fill3 / 3
The collision
Iso is a head-on contest the offense has chosen: one blocker, one linebacker, and a back who will go wherever the linebacker is not. Win the collision and it is a big run; draw it and it is still four yards.
Why it works
Simple to teach
Everybody blocks the man in front of him and the fullback blocks the one who is left. It is the first gap scheme most youth tackle teams install.
The offense picks the matchup
It chooses which defender the line leaves unblocked, and sends its best blocker at him.
The back reads one thing
Wherever the linebacker is, go the other way. It is a read a young back can make at full speed.
How it gets run badly
The back passes the fullback
If the back reaches the hole first, he meets the linebacker himself. Stay a step behind and let the fullback arrive.
The fullback aims at the hole instead of the man
He is blocking a linebacker, not a gap. He finds the linebacker and hits him wherever he is.
Linemen blocking the wrong way
On iso each lineman pushes his man away from the hole. Push him the wrong way and he closes it.
Who can run it
Tackle only: 11v11 as drawn, and 9v9 with its three linemen and a fullback. The whole concept is a fullback isolating a linebacker and winning the collision; in flag it would be a foul on every snap.
- 9v9Its offense
- 11v11The 11v11 page
Take it to your team
Draw your plays in the free flag football play designer, collect them in the free playbook maker, and print play cards so every player knows them come Saturday.
Put Iso in your playbook
Draw it in the designer, change the assignments, and save it to your playbook.
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