clearly define: H-Back

[joecrisp]

Originally Posted by illdefined

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.