Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
FB Dive Weak out of the Pro Far formation is a downhill run play that hands the ball to the fullback and sends him straight up through the weak side gap behind the line. The offensive line blocks straight ahead with a down block scheme designed to seal the interior gaps and create a direct crease for the fullback, while the HB and TE stay in as extra blockers to clog the point of attack. This is a pure run play with no play-action or RPO element, and the primary read is the fullback identifying the first open weak side gap and getting skinny through it before the second level linebackers can fill.
Defensive Reads
Watch pre-snap for the Mike linebacker's depth and alignment, since a shaded weak side look signals the defense may already be sitting on this run. Identify if the defense is running a base 4-3 or 3-4 front with two off ball linebackers, as this play struggles against gap sound fronts that stack the weak side A and B gaps. Key on user-controlled defenders flowing downhill immediately at the snap, since a disciplined Mike linebacker who reads run fast can blow this up before the fullback gets to the line. This run gets shut down by heavy run blitzes and crashing defensive tackles who penetrate the weak side gap before the fullback can build momentum. It beats light boxes and defenses in nickel or dime personnel that have removed extra run support, since the numbers advantage favors the offense up front.
Usage Tips
Call this out of run heavy personnel on early downs like first and ten or second and short to keep the defense honest and set up your play-action shots off the same look.
Check the defensive front pre-snap for light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the box, since FB Dive Weak hits fastest against those looks.
Pair this with HB Dive from the same Pro Far set so defenders cannot key on which back is getting the ball, forcing linebackers to hesitate on their run fits.
Use this as a tempo play to grind clock and stack short yardage conversions, then pivot to Omaha or Curls once the defense starts cheating extra defenders into the box.
Avoid calling this into stacked eight man fronts or heavy blitz packages since the fullback has no room to work with extra bodies crashing downhill immediately.
