Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
FB Belly is a power run concept out of the Split Backs 20 personnel look, designed to hand the ball to the fullback on a misdirection dive to the strong side. The offensive line pulls to create a lead blocker through the off tackle hole, with the fullback taking the handoff and following the guard's pull path for a power run look while the tailback fakes the opposite direction to sell misdirection. This is a run play with no route concept to read, so the primary progression is presnap: identify the box count and run the ball wherever the fullback's blocking angle opens up based on second level flow.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth before the snap, if the mike and will are sitting shallow and square to the line they are reading run fits and will be susceptible to the misdirection fake. Look for safeties creeping down into the box, this signals run blitz or a stacked front that can beat the power blocking scheme before the fullback gets to the hole. This play beats base 4-3 and 3-4 fronts that flow hard to the initial backfield action, but it struggles against gap-sound defensive fronts with disciplined linebackers who stay home. User-controlled defenders flowing downhill too early into the misdirection fake open up the cutback lane, so if the defense overpursues, expect a bigger gain than blocked. Watch for a linebacker spying the fullback or a defensive lineman crashing down the line unblocked, since that is the primary key that this run has been diagnosed and should be checked at the line.
Usage Tips
Check the defensive box count before the snap, if there are six or fewer defenders in the box this play has a numbers advantage for the fullback. Use this play on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage when defenses are more likely to sit in base run fits rather than nickel or dime packages. Pair FB Belly with Off Tackle in the same set to keep linebackers guessing between the misdirection dive and a more direct strong side run, since both plays start with similar backfield action. Mix in Portland X-Option or PA Slide off this same formation to punish linebackers who key too hard on the fullback dive action and start cheating downhill. Avoid calling this against heavy blitz looks with safeties stacked in the box, since the misdirection timing needs the linebackers to take a beat to diagnose the play.
