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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
FB Dive HB Motion is a run play out of the Split Backs Slot formation with 21 personnel, featuring the halfback motioning across the backfield before the snap while the fullback takes the direct handoff up the middle. The offensive line blocks a standard interior gap scheme, with the fullback reading the down blocks and hitting the first crease between the guards. This is a straightforward run concept, not a play-action or RPO, designed to attack light boxes and exploit overpursuit from linebackers flowing with the HB motion.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check linebacker depth and whether they shift with the HB motion, if they stay put you have a clean crease to the middle Watch the defensive tackles alignment, a 1-technique or 2i shaded away from the play call usually signals an open dive lane Post-snap, key the middle linebacker's first step, if he flows hard toward the motion man's original side, cut the dive away from that flow This play struggles against a stacked run defense with an extra defender in the box (8 in the box looks) since there is no lead blocker to clear the fullback's path Man coverage on the perimeter with linebackers reading run fits tight to the line will shut down the dive quickly, so avoid this against goal line or heavy run-stopping personnel packages
Usage Tips
Use the HB motion to bait linebackers into flowing laterally before the snap, then hit the fullback dive into the vacated middle gap
Call this on early downs (1st and 10 or 2nd and short) when the defense shows a base 4-3 or 3-4 with linebackers stacked tight to the line
Watch for defenses that key on HB motion by sliding the entire front, if they crash hard to the motion side, cut the dive to the opposite gap using the left stick
Pair this with FB Belly and HB Inside later in the series so defenders cannot sit on the same gap read, keeping linebackers honest between the fullback dive and outside runs
Avoid calling this against heavy blitz looks with linebackers already crowding the line presnap since the dive lacks a lead blocker to handle extra rushers
