clearly define: H-Back

for all of us who were old enough to remember the glory of Joe Gibbs but too young to know the plays and formations: what exactly sets an H-Back apart from a TE or FB? i know its been discussed in countless other threads, but couldn't find a needed dedicated thread.

my general impression is that an H-Back is essentially a blocking FB lined up at the much more mobile and versatile TE position. what are the priorities (besides brains)? attributes compared to either? and how are they used most?

try here

http://www.thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=1611&highlight=h-back

ugh sorry again Matty. dunno why that didnt show up in my search. maybe its case sensitive? go ahead and delete this thread.

Hey Ill.

In the one-back offense that Gibbs has run in the past, the H-back is a substitute for the the FB. Motion reveals what a D is doing. Motion gives the QB some sense of what's up!

H-backs are guys that have TE/FB size, can block, and have receiving skills. These guys need to understand the O really well and can actually perform well in that O. Sometimes they need to block someone's lights out; the next, they need to stretch an opponent's secondary.

The reason that the Skins traded up to snag Cooley was because Cooley did most of those things at Utah St. Motion, hard hits, good hands, and good attitude all added up to a 3rd round pick! just MO, howver.

thanks guys.

yeah turns out i had read that thread Matty referred to before, but still came away with a foggy picture. how often will an HBack line up in the backfield? do they ever split out?

more mobile than a blocking TE, and a little more beefy than a running FB is that right? which current nfl TEs or FBs fit the mold?

thanks guys.

yeah turns out i had read that thread Matty referred to before, but still came away with a foggy picture. how often will an HBack line up in the backfield? do they ever split out?

more mobile than a blocking TE, and a little more beefy than a running FB is that right? which current nfl TEs or FBs fit the mold?
When the offense first lines up on the ball, the H-back can lineup virtually anywhere. Most often, he'll either be lined up as a TE/slot-TE or a fullback. It's probably about 50/50 as far as how often he lines up at either spot. More often than not, the H-back is in motion before the snap, moving from fullback to TE/slot-TE or vice-versa. In some cases, you may see him split-out wide, though that's more of a wrinkle than a staple of the H-back role.

The purpose of the H-back's pre-snap motion is multi-faceted. From the offensive standpoint, it allows the quarterback to shift an extra blocker or receiver (the ideal H-back should be adept at both) to a more advantageous position or matchup. In turn, the motion forces the defense to react to the shift in formation, possibly revealing defensive assignments and coverages. It can also create confusion and ambivalence for the defense, as the H-back could be used as a lead blocker on a run play, a blitz-snuffing pass blocker, or a receiving threat.

Generally, H-backs are built like TEs (at least 6-2, 250+ lbs), but are more athletic than traditional blocking TEs. They need to be quick enough to challenge a linebacker's pass coverage skills. They're also balanced blockers; capable of blocking a defensive end in pass protection, or pancaking a linebacker as a lead run blocker. Jimmy Kleinsasser and Frank Wycheck are two of the more prominent H-backs in recent memory.

Crisp, thanks for the enlightenment, concise as always. a multi shifting H-Back sounds like a great decoy as well. anyone know the history and etymology of 'H-Back'? who invented, perfected it, and named it?

Frank Wycheck? aw, we drafted him...