Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Base out of Shotgun Trey Open is a straightforward dive run with the HB taking the handoff and reading the interior blocking up front. The diagram shows all five offensive linemen sliding to create a run lane while the three Trey side receivers and the backside X simply run off the corners to hold coverage deep, with no route options attached. This is a pure downhill run play designed to attack a gap with the offensive line, not a play-action or RPO look, and the primary read is the HB reading his blocks from backside to frontside as the hole develops.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is stacked in the box with linebackers creeping to the line, since this signals a run blitz that can beat HB Base before the blocks develop. Watch safety depth. If both safeties are sitting at 8 to 10 yards in a two-high shell, the box is lighter and this dive should have room to hit for solid yardage. Post-snap, key the defensive tackles and any user-controlled defender shooting a gap immediately, since a well-timed nano blitz up the middle can blow this play up for a loss. If linebackers are reading run keys and flowing hard to the play side, look for the HB to cut back against the grain since blockers are creating a natural rebound lane. Against a 46 or heavy run-blitz front, this play struggles, so recognize that alignment pre-snap and be ready to hot route or check to a pass concept in the Trey Open set instead.
Usage Tips
Use HB Base on early downs when you want to establish tempo and force the defense to respect the run before dialing up play-action shots from this same Trey Open look.
Check the box count pre-snap. If the defense has six or more in the box against your five blockers, consider audibling to a passing concept like Curls or Y Stick HB Angle instead.
Pair this play with Inside Zone and HB Draw from the same set so the defense cannot key on a single blocking scheme, keeping linebackers honest and slower to fill gaps.
Against defenses that crash hard on the dive read, user your HB to bounce outside off the edge blocks rather than forcing it back inside into a stacked front.
Run this on shorter yardage downs (2nd and short, 3rd and short) since the play is designed to get a hard-nosed gain rather than break a home run, then set up Salem or PA Read once the run has softened the second level.
