Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
HB Sweep out of Full House Normal Wide is a designed outside run play with lead blocking to the strong side edge. The diagram shows the fullback and offset back releasing outside to lead block, sealing the edge for the ballcarrier who takes the toss and follows the sweep path outside the tackle box. This is a pure run play, no play-action or route combos involved, built to attack overpursuing linebackers and outflank defenses that crash the interior. The primary read is a single progression: track your lead blockers outside and decide whether to bounce it wide or cut inside off their blocks based on how the edge defender reacts.
Defensive Reads
Check the defensive end and outside linebacker alignment pre-snap, wide alignment or heavy edge crash signals a blitz package that can blow up the sweep before it develops. Watch for a Mike linebacker sitting tight in the box, aggressive fast-flow linebackers get manipulated by this play into overrunning the lead blockers. Look for cornerback run support on the perimeter, a corner sitting soft off the line lets this play bounce outside for extra yardage, while an aggressive run-fit corner can force the back to cut it back inside. Beware user-controlled defenders spying the edge or crashing down hard off the snap, this is the primary counter that shuts down the sweep since it removes the leverage advantage of the lead blockers. This play struggles against stacked eight-man fronts and heavy edge blitzes, but it consistently gashes light boxes and defenses playing off coverage shells that commit extra defenders to pass drops.
Usage Tips
Use pre-snap motion or a hard count to bait linebackers into flowing early so you can read their gap discipline before the snap.
Identify whether the defense is running an odd or even front, this play hits hardest against fronts that get outflanked by extra lead blockers on the perimeter.
Hot route the backside receiver into a stalk block if the corner is showing aggressive run support to clean up any unblocked edge defender.
Pair this with HB Draw and Power O in the same set so defenses cannot key on outside flow alone, forcing linebackers to respect both inside and outside run threats.
Best called on early downs or short yardage when you need a high floor gain, and it works well as a change of pace after several passing plays out of Full House to keep the defense honest.
