Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Slam out of Singleback Doubles is a downhill dive run with the HB taking a quick handoff and slamming it directly into the interior gap behind the fullback dive blocking scheme. The diagram shows no route concepts, just the offensive line holding their gaps at the snap while the running back cuts hard off the line for a north south hit. This is a pure gap scheme run play designed to punish light boxes and overaggressive linebacker flow, with the primary read being the initial mesh point gap and then bouncing off the first sign of penetration.
Defensive Reads
Check the depth of the middle linebacker before the snap since a linebacker sitting shallow in the box telegraphs a run blitz that can blow this play up immediately. Watch for a defensive tackle shading the play side A gap pre-snap since that alignment clogs the exact lane this play is designed to hit. Post-snap, key the fill speed of the user controlled linebacker because a fast diagnosing user defender can meet the HB at the mesh point before he gets vertical. This play struggles against heavy fronts and gap blitz packages that stack extra defenders inside, but it beats light boxes and defenses spread out for pass coverage on early downs. If the defense shows Cover 3 or Cover 4 with safeties rotated deep, expect fewer defenders in the box and a favorable running lane.
Usage Tips
Call this on early downs when you see a light box with only six or fewer defenders near the line of scrimmage before the snap. Use it to punish defenses that are sending extra DBs into the slot for pass coverage since it attacks the middle where numbers are thin. Pair it in a sequence with HB Dive and HB Power O from the same personnel to keep linebacker flow guessing between gap runs. Mix in Inside Zone from this set afterward so the defense cannot key on a single hole and your user controlled linebacker has to respect multiple gaps. Avoid calling this into stacked fronts with extra linebackers or a defensive tackle shaded directly over the play side gap since there is no cutback design built in.
