Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
Wing HB Dive is a downhill run play out of the Pistol Full House Base formation with 21 personnel on the field. The diagram shows the QB handing off to the HB, who takes a direct dive path straight through the A gap behind the interior line, with no route concepts drawn since this is a pure run play designed to attack the middle of the defense before the front can react. The offensive line blocks straight ahead, aiming to create movement and a crease at the point of attack, and the primary read progression for the ball carrier is to identify the first open gap and get vertical immediately, cutting off the blocks of the center and guards rather than bouncing outside.
Defensive Reads
Watch for stacked fronts with both linebackers sitting tight to the line, since this alignment is designed to blow up the dive before it develops. A Mike linebacker creeping into the A gap presnap is a clear tell that the defense expects the dive and will fill quickly, so consider audibling. Nano blitz packages that send interior pressure right at the snap will beat this play almost every time since there is no play-action or RPO element to slow the rush. If the safeties are stacked deep and the box is light with only five or six defenders, this play has room to hit for solid yardage before the second level closes. User-controlled defenders spying the A gap or crashing down hard off the edge can diagnose the dive quickly, so save this call for situations where the defense has shown zone or has not sold out to stop the run.
Usage Tips
Call this play on early downs like first and second down when you want to stay ahead of the chains and keep the defense honest against your play-action shots from this same set.
Check the box count before the snap and only run Wing HB Dive into light boxes with six or fewer defenders, since this dive has no cutback design and gets stuffed against stacked fronts.
Pair this play with Wing PA Cross or PA Boot from the same Full House Base set so the defense has to respect the dive action, opening up play-action rollouts once you have established the run.
Use quick presnap motion or an audible check if you see the defense loading the box with a linebacker creeping to the A gap, since this play has almost no answer for interior blitzes.
Mix in HB Slam and Counter Lead from this set to vary your gap attack points and keep second level defenders from keying the dive too aggressively.
