Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Dive out of Strong I H Slot with 21 personnel sends the halfback straight downhill through the A gap behind the fullback lead block, with the offensive line blocking down and the FB kicking out or leading through the hole shown by the red run path. The two outside WRs are shown running straight vertical releases up the numbers, essentially decoys to hold the corners and safeties rather than actual routes in the concept. This is a pure inside run play designed to attack a soft interior front, and the primary read is the play side A gap first, bouncing to the backside A gap if the defensive tackle or nose crashes down hard.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a stacked or bear front with the nose tackle and both defensive tackles shaded into the A and B gaps, which clogs the dive lane immediately. Key the middle linebacker depth before the snap, if he is sitting tight to the line at four yards or less he is likely reading run and can beat the fullback to the hole. User the middle linebacker or a safety down in the box to spy the dive lane, since AI defenders often overpursue the fullback lead block and leave a cutback lane late. Cover 0 or Cover 1 with a robber near the line of scrimmage shuts this down fast because there is no extra blocker to handle an unblocked run blitzer off the edge or through a gap. If you see the defense showing an overload blitz to the play side A gap, get out of this play at the line since the fullback lead alone cannot account for a numbers disadvantage.
Usage Tips
Check the box count before the snap and only call this against light boxes of six or fewer defenders since it has no answer built in against extra run defenders.
Look for linebackers cheating toward the strength of the formation, since the fullback lead block is designed to seal the play side and a shaded front can blow this up immediately.
Use this play on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage to keep the defense honest and set up play action shots later in the drive.
Pair this with PA Post Shot and PA FB Flat from the same set since both use the identical Strong I H Slot alignment and fullback action, forcing linebackers to respect the dive fake before hitting them over the top.
Mix in Power O and Counter Weak from this set to vary the blocking scheme while keeping the same personnel and formation look, making it harder for defenders to key run direction pre-snap.
