Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Blunt Dive out of Strong I, H Close Off is a dive concept designed to attack the interior of the defense between the guards. The fullback leads through the hole to seal off the first wall of defenders while the offensive line blocks down, and the tailback follows the fullback's path on a north-south track with a slight cutback angle shown in the diagram. This is a run play, not a play-action or RPO look, and the primary read is the fullback's block: find the crease he opens and hit it decisively rather than dancing behind the line.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify the middle linebacker's depth: if he is stacked tight to the line expecting run, this play has less room to operate and you should consider TE Option instead. Watch for a crashing edge defender or nano blitz timed to the snap count, since fast interior pressure from the defensive tackles can blow up the dive before the fullback can seal his block. Post-snap, key the fullback's block target: user-controlled linebackers who flow hard downhill and shed the fullback quickly will limit this run to minimal gains. Against zone-heavy fronts with linebackers reading gaps, this play can still find creases because the blocking scheme is built for gap integrity rather than beating coverage. If the defense shows a heavy box with safeties creeping into run support pre-snap, this dive concept is more likely to get stuffed at the line, so switch to an outside run or play-action look from the same set.
Usage Tips
Use this against defenses that show light boxes or single high safety looks since the extra gap integrity from the fullback lead block wins on numbers, not deception.
Check the defensive front pre-snap: if you see six or more in the box or a stacked nickel blitz look, consider audibling to HB Stretch instead since Blunt Dive struggles when the interior gaps are clogged.
Pair this play with PA Slide and WR Go's in the same set to keep linebackers honest, since selling the dive action early in a series sets up explosive play-action shots off the same personnel and formation later.
Hit the hole fast and trust the fullback's block instead of hesitating, since this is a one-cut, downhill run and dancing behind the line kills the play's leverage advantage.
Best called on short yardage or early down situations (first and ten, second and short) where defenses are not yet anticipating a north-south power run from 21 personnel.
