Below are my best 5 Power I Plays youth football that I like to run from my variation of the Power I formation I call Pie in my multi formation Power Wing Beast Offense playbook for pee wee football. The Power I Offense is a great youth football offensive package for any youth football team since its focuses on the run and has great play action passing opportunities.
My HS also ran the Power I so I am very familiar with the offensive formation. Although at the youth football level, I am not using the Power I offense formation’s option package. The Pie Power I formation is an excellent addition to the Beast formation or since it adds a tailback into the backfield for great outside run and counter capabilities. With many of the same inside power plays.
In my variation of the Power I Offense, I will move the two blocking backs around in the backfield and closer to the line of scrimmage on many plays to get better blocking angles and timing. At older levels I will run my Pie version and the traditional Power I Formations to confuse the defense. Experiment and see what works best for your team.
#1 Power I Plays Youth Football – Power Lead Dive
The Pie Power I Left 23 Power Lead Dive is the top Power I offense play in youth football in my opinion. I run this play with great success every season since I installed the formation in to my multi formation Power Wing Beast Offense playbook for pee wee football. The play is a quick hitting ISO power Lead play that just works, especially with big OLM. This play made the #10 spot on my Best Offensive Plays for Youth Football article several years ago.
I like to run the Power Lead play Power I formation plays youth football when I find the bubble in the opposing defense. When I get a open gap or gap and a half and a timid pee wee linebacker the power I power lead dive plays shine. Here is some game video of the Pie 23/25 power Lead Dive Plays.
The simplicity of the Power I Inside Power Dive and the effectiveness on weak / MPP middle defensive fronts are the reasons this play was #10 on my top youth football plays and #1 in my best power I plays youth football list. Hit the hole quick before the Defense can react.
#2 Power I Plays Youth Football – Power Counter
If you have a speedy tailback, tough or quick footed, Power I Plays Youth Football Power Counter is a top youth football misdirection play to run against overly aggressive pee wee football defenses. Set the opposing defense up with power leads and let them shift to defend then hit them with the counter play. This play was run against us many times several years ago and was a hard play to defend with their top TB in the league.
Basically the offensive running backs will fake an opposite dive or sweep play with jab steps. The Tailback #2 must really sell the fake. Remember one good fake is worth two great blocks. QB opens to the opposite side and tosses or hands the ball off to the TB. The Fullback #4 will kick out the DE / Contain Man and the WB #3 will lead through the hole or pick up first bad guy to show his face.
This Power I Offense misdirection can be very effective when set up. I like to use it when I need a first down or big gainer. The big play opportunity on this play is why its #2 in my best power I plays youth football list.
#3 Power I Plays Youth Football – Double TE Pass
The TE pop pass is one of my favorite youth football pass plays. I call the TE Pop Pass play Popeye. The Double TE Pass is even sweeter since both TEs are going out on fade routes or seams; whichever your young QB throws better. I like to run the double tight end pop pass from the Power I Offense since I have two RB blockers to fill for the TEs and a good fake sweep run from the #2 TB that can easily turn into a wide screen route. Plus many youth football defensive coordinators see the Power I as a short yardage formation and will not be ready for the pass.
This is one of my favorite youth football pass plays from just about any formation. Here’s some actual 12U game video footage of the Power I TE Double Pop Pass play. In this game footage you can see the defense come up for the Sweep play and leave the TEs wide open. See picture of the pass play below too.
The deceptive play action and maximum pass protection of the QB on this Tight End pass play is why its #3 in my best power I plays youth football list.
#4 Power I Plays Youth Football – WB Counter
The Power I Offense play WB Counter is another misdirection play from the Power I formation. When an opposing Defense is keying your hot shot tailback and following his every move then the WB counter is a great play to surprise them with for long yardage. This works especially well if your #3 Wingback is a good runner and has above average speed. If the FB makes a good kick out on the DE and the iLBs have bailed with the tailback this play will make a big statement to the Defense; Stay at Home!
You can run this play from an overloaded line or an even line. Many times in youth football the opposing defense will not see the adjustment on one or two plays a game. I’ve run it overloaded to the counter side a few times. Since this is a surprise misdirection play from a secondary ball carrier it is #4 in my best power I plays youth football list.
#5 Power I Plays Youth Football – Pie Wide Splits Power Dive
In this Power I Formation play we are running my version of the Power I; Pie. I like to move the blocking backs around and may even cheat over the TB behind the playside guard. This is the Pie 26 Sloppy Nasty which is a wide split at the tackle and a Nasty split by the playside tight end. In this Power I formation alignment I am trying to get the defensive lineman to widen with our Offensive lineman.
Many many times in youth football the opposing defense will widen out and not understand whats going on for a TD or two. Especially if you run this play toward your sideline. This alignment technique has become a standard in this power I formation for me since it is similar in a way to the Beast offense alignments.
You can also run this formation form a short shotgun which I call Cake and sometimes Fat, which it then turns into a ND Box type formation from early Single Wing Days.
This wide spacing power lead dive alignment can be run up and down the offensive line. I usually do not run in the A Gaps holes, since I will usually just run a Wedge in those areas. If a teams starts to stack LBs in the gaps we have play called to, we audible to run one hole wider or call a counter or on the next plays we will run Pie plays in stealth mode which moves Pie back into a traditional Power I formation alignment. The versatility of this plays is why its #5 in my best power I plays youth football list.
I hope you enjoyed this top play youth football article on Best Power I Plays Youth Football. For more go best youth football play / offense lists……
Check out my Best / Top / Favorite Youth Football plays article series.
- Best Offensive Plays in Youth Football
- 5 Best Single Wing Plays For Youth Football
- Proven Top 5 I Formation Plays for Youth Football
- The Base 8 – Best Beast Plays
- Top 5 Double Wing Plays for Youth Football
- Top 5 Trick Plays
Check out the thetop youth football offensive formations here.
Contact meanytime to chat coaching youth football, I would love to hear from you.
Remember to Play for Fun and Winning is Funner!
Coach Parker
Fort Worth, Texas / DFW
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