Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Dive out of Pro Far is a straight downhill run play designed to hit the interior gap before the defense can flow to it. The offensive line blocks a standard dive scheme, taking on the down linemen at the point of attack while the fullback leads through the hole to clear out the first linebacker. The HB takes the handoff and reads the initial gap, working through the A or B gap depending on flow, with the primary read being the frontside hole and a cutback lane if the backside defenders overpursue.
Defensive Reads
Pre snap, count the box and identify if the defense is in a run friendly front like a 4-3 or 46 look with linebackers stacked tight to the line. This play struggles against defenses that walk a safety down into the box, since that extra defender fills the cutback lane immediately. Watch linebacker depth: if they are sitting shallow and reading the mesh point, this dive gets stuffed quickly, especially against a Mike linebacker plugged in the A gap pre snap. User controlled defenders flowing hard downhill at the snap will blow this play up, so avoid calling it against aggressive user blitzers who key the backfield. This play beats light boxes and defenses playing pass shells with only five or six in the box, since the fullback lead block can seal off a single second level defender cleanly.
Usage Tips
Run this out of a run heavy personnel look so the defense has to respect base fronts and cannot sit in nickel or dime without risk. Check the box count pre snap. If the defense has six or fewer in the box this play is a green light. Use it on early downs, first and second and short yardage, to keep the defense honest and set up play action shots later in the drive. Pair this with FB Dive Weak to punish defenses that overshift to stop the primary dive direction. Once the defense starts crashing linebackers down hard to stop the dive, mix in Y Fost or Y Post off similar formation and personnel to hit the vacated middle of the field. Do not force this play into a stacked box against a defense showing run blitz pre snap, since there is no RPO or play action element to bail you out.
