Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
HB Slam out of Full House Base Pistol is a downhill dive run with the HB taking the handoff straight up the middle behind the fullback lead blocker. The offensive line blocks straight ahead in a gap scheme, with the center and guards climbing to the second level to wall off the interior linebackers while the fullback leads through the hole to smash the first defender that shows. This is a pure run play designed to attack light boxes, and the primary read progression is simply to identify the widest crease off the fullback's block, hitting the A or B gap based on which linebacker the fullback pins.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a stacked box with linebackers creeping to the line pre-snap, since that signals a run blitz designed to beat the fullback lead block before it develops. User controlled defenders sitting in the A or B gap at the snap will blow this play up immediately, so avoid calling it into obvious run downs where the defense expects heavy personnel. Cover 1 or Cover 3 with an extra run defender in the box shuts this down hard, since the fullback has no extra gap to work with against numbers. Check for a Mike linebacker keying the fullback's release, a smart defender will read the lead block and fill the exact gap the fullback is trying to open. Light boxes with two high safeties and passive linebacker depth are the green light look, since the fullback can climb to the second level unimpeded and create a clean crease.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs when you see six or fewer defenders in the box, since the fullback lead block loses value against stacked fronts.
Check safety depth before the snap: if both safeties are deep in a two high shell, the box is likely light and this dive hits fast.
Use the fullback as your primary blocking key post-snap and let the HB stick behind his hip instead of trying to bounce it outside.
Pair this with Wing HB Dive and HB Double Iso in the same set to keep the defense guessing between iso and lead blocking schemes on early downs.
Mix in PA Boot or Wing PA Cross off this same Pistol Full House Base look once the defense starts crashing hard on the dive, since the run action sells the same backfield picture.
