HB Dive

Watch for a stacked box with the middle linebacker sitting tight to the line, since that alignment signals an aggressive downhill defense ready to fill the A gap immediately. Check safety depth before the snap: single high shells with the free safety cheating toward the box can jump this run and blow it up for a minimal gain or loss. Look for user controlled defenders flashing down into the box post snap, especially a spy linebacker or a safety who abandons his zone drop to attack the mesh point. Nano blitz packages that send extra rushers up the middle will beat this play quickly, so avoid calling HB Dive against known interior blitz tendencies. Cover 2 or Cover 3 shells with light boxes and linebackers playing pass first are the most vulnerable to this run since they lack numbers at the point of attack.