Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
FB Dive Fake HB is a play-action run fake out of the I Form Pro 21 personnel that shows the fullback plunging straight downhill through the A gap while the offensive line fires out with base run blocking to sell the dive look. The diagram shows only the FB with a hard vertical push into the line, with no route concept behind it, indicating this is a fullback-carry inside run rather than a pass or RPO. Since there is no receiver progression shown, the primary read is simply the FB hitting the crease as it opens between the guard and center, keying on the frontside gap for the first sign of daylight.
Defensive Reads
Check the depth of the middle linebacker before the snap, a linebacker sitting shallow in the box signals the defense is prepared for exactly this FB dive look and will fill quickly. Watch for a defensive lineman crashing hard down the line pre-snap, since that indicates a gap-shooting front designed to blow up dive concepts before the fullback can build momentum. If the safeties are rotating down into the box on the snap, that is a run blitz key and this play will likely get stuffed at or before the line of scrimmage. Identify whether the defense is in a base 4-3 or 3-4 look with light second-level pursuit, since those shells are more vulnerable to the quick-hitting FB dive than heavier goal line fronts. Post-snap, track the near-side linebacker's first step, if he flows laterally expecting an HB run, the A gap will stay open for the fullback to exploit.
Usage Tips
Use this play in short yardage and goal line situations where defenses are stacking the box expecting a traditional HB run, since the FB dive punishes overpursuit from linebackers cheating toward the HB alignment.
Watch pre-snap for a light box count, if the defense shows six or fewer in the box this play hits fast before linebackers can flow and fill the A gap.
Pair this call with HB Blast and HB Iso earlier in a drive so linebackers key on the HB mesh point, then dial up FB Dive Fake HB to catch them flowing the wrong direction.
Snap the ball quickly after the pre-snap read to avoid giving user linebackers time to sit on the FB dive keys, since this concept lives and dies on tempo and surprise.
Avoid calling this against heavy blitz packages with a spy or extra defender crashing downhill immediately, since the FB has almost no time to make a defender miss in the hole.
