The Football Brainiacs

Continuing with our plan this offseason to share some content that a couple members of our community have been creating for close to a year now!

I am happy to be able to announce that TFB supports The Champion Standard Podcast!

Our guys @soonerbrad and @Birddawg have been pumping out some high-quality podcasts that talk about Xs and Os, hot topics, and OU football talk in general. This podcast represents the views and opinions of Rob and Brad and TFB is not part of their operation, but we do endorse it wholeheartedly!

Each time a new podcast drops I will post it here for the community. Give the guys a listen, sub to their YouTube channel, and include their pods on your mobile devices!

Also, keep an eye out in the spring for Rob and Brad’s tailgate which we here at TFB are planning on supporting!

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Transcript:

“Deception and Destruction”

In this episode of Champion Standard, Rob is joined by Coach Flo for a deep dive into one of the most explosive run concepts in football: the Counter play.
In the game of football, some concepts are built on consistency. Others on chaos. And a few—like the counter run play—on the thin, volatile line between deception and destruction.

On the latest episode of Champion Standard, I sat down with Coach Flo to break down one of the most explosive schemes in modern college football: the counter. With a specific lens on new Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and his 2023 season at Washington State, we took a deep dive into the technique, data, and evolution of this classic gap-scheme run play—and why it might be the key to unlocking the Sooners’ offense in his first SEC campaign.

Counter: The Boomer-Bust Blueprint
There’s a reason this episode was titled “Deception and Destruction.” Counter, at its core, is a beautifully aggressive run concept. It’s a symphony of misdirection and physical violence. But it’s also a high-wire act.
“This play is either going to hit for a 50-yard touchdown,” Coach Flo explained, “or you’re getting tackled for a loss and wondering who blew it.”
The numbers from Arbuckle’s Wazzu offense in 2023 paint that picture vividly. Of Washington State’s 57 counter attempts, 13 were explosive plays—meaning gains of 10+ yards—and they produced six touchdowns, more than any other run concept on the year. That’s nearly a quarter of their explosive rushing output from one scheme alone.

Yet, when you remove those breakaway runs from the equation? The average gain on counter shrinks from 6.3 yards per carry to just 2.2.
That stark contrast is where the conversation got real.

“Counter is expensive,” Flo said. “It costs you time in practice. It costs you mental bandwidth. But if you invest in it, it can completely change your offense.”

Anatomy of the Play

Counter is a gap scheme defined by two pullers, typically the backside guard and
either the tackle (GT Counter) or tight end (GY Counter). Its genius lies in creating new gaps by shifting blocking responsibilities and using the backfield action to bait defenders into the wrong fits.
Execution is everything. The first puller (the guard) must identify whether to kick out the edge defender or log him inside, depending on leverage. The second puller (tackle or tight end) reads the guard’s block and adjusts—either inserting inside or wrapping around to the edge. Finally, the running back or quarterback follows that read.

It’s a chain reaction of reads, and if even one player gets it wrong, the whole thing unravels. “You’ve got to drill it,” Flo emphasized. “The guard has to go fast and decisive. The second puller can’t be guessing. Everyone’s on a string.”

From Pullers to Playcallers: Arbuckle’s Identity in Question
While the mechanics were compelling, what really captured the heart of the discussion was how Arbuckle utilized counter at Wazzu, and what that tells us about his evolving philosophy.

Despite being branded as an “Air Raid” guy—thanks largely to his stint at Western Kentucky with Bailey Zappe—Arbuckle’s run game was varied in 2023.

Inside zone, wide zone, dart, draw, duo, and counter were all in the playbook. But none were clearly emphasized.

That lack of identity raised questions.

“Was he experimenting?” I asked. “Was this his first year with full autonomy? Or was he just adjusting to the tools he had?” Coach Flo was candid. “It might’ve been all of the above. But if you’re going to survive in the SEC, you need a foundational run scheme. And if I had to pick one based on last
year’s film, it would be counter.”

Oklahoma’s Counter Legacy — and Its Future

The conversation naturally turned to Oklahoma—where counter isn’t just a scheme; it’s tradition. Under former offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh, OU's offenses thrived for years on the back of well-executed counter, especially during the Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts eras.

In 2024, a mid-season coordinator shift brought it back. After parting ways with
offensive coordinator Seth Littrel, the Sooners handed the reins to their tight ends coach Joe Jon Finely. Almost immediately, the offense saw a surge in counter concepts—including variations like Counter Bash, GY Counter, and motion lead tight-end Counter. “And just like that, the offense started moving again,” I said.

With a young but athletic offensive line and the arrival of a new bruising back in
Xavier Robinson (6’0, 235 lbs), the potential to lean into counter as an identity play is very real. Robinson&#39’s physicality makes him an ideal downhill fit, and his versatility could allow for creative deployment in Bash packages and lead-blocking roles.(G/RB counter) “He’s your hammer,” Flo said. “You want someone to run through a linebacker’s soul? That’s your guy.”

The Tight End Dilemma

One red flag in OU’s ability to major in counter? The tight end room.
Since Brayden Willis left the program, the position group has been shaky—especially in the blocking game. 2025’s projected TE1, Jaren Kanak, is a converted linebacker with freakish athleticism but zero college reps at tight end.
Coach Flo acknowledged the challenge.

“That position requires decisiveness, leverage, and quick reads,” he said. “You don’t have to be a mauler, but you’ve got to get there, get your hat on the right shoulder, and finish. It’s a technical job.”

To mitigate those concerns, OU could opt for more GT Counter (pulling the tackle instead of the tight end) or use motion to reposition tight ends and receivers into favorable blocking assignments.

“You don’t need to abandon counter just because your tight ends can’t dominate,” Flo said. “You just need to call it the right way.”

Defensive Fits and Counter’s Complexity

One of the most fascinating threads from the episode was how defenses fit
counter—and how counter attacks modern defenses in return. Most teams today prefer to spill counter—forcing the run to the perimeter where safeties or nickel defenders can clean it up. It's what Brent Venables’ defense did effectively against Tennessee and Alabama last year. With hybrid athletes like Robert Spears-Jennings patrolling the third level, OU’s defense played a classic “spill and kill” structure.

Counter challenges this approach by manipulating keys, shifting gaps, and creating conflict at the second level. And when the quarterback is part of the run game, like Arbuckle’s offenses often do with Bash concepts, the defense is forced into even more hesitation.

“You’re spinning plates,” Flo said. “They’re reading the Y, the back, the front. Then you throw in GT Counter Bash? Somebody’s gonna bust.”

What Should Oklahoma Major In?

The episode closed with a philosophical question: What should Oklahoma’s core run concept be?

The stats say inside zone was called most at Wazzu—but it was also the least
productive. Wide zone appeared frequently but didn’t produce explosiveness. Counter, though called less, delivered the goods. “Historically, OU has never been a wide zone team,” I said. “And it’s never really fit our
personnel. Counter has.”

Flo agreed—while leaving the door open.

“If you want to be wide zone based, cool. Build your program around it. But if you are trying to be explosive, counter has to be in the top two.”

The Verdict: Deceptive. Destructive. And Just Maybe… Foundational.

In a college football world where offenses are increasingly hybrid, the question isn’t whether counter can work—it’s whether a program is willing to commit to it.

For Oklahoma, with SEC play on the horizon and new personnel stepping in across the board, the timing might be perfect. Counter isn’t safe. It isn’t simple. But it could be the identity-builder this offense needs. “You don’t need 12 different run plays,” Flo said. “You need two that you run better than
anyone else. If counter is one of them, you’re gonna hit home runs.”
In 2025, the Sooners may be ready to swing for the fences.