Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
HB Sweep from the I Form Wing set is an outside run play that pulls linemen to seal the edge while the HB takes a lateral path toward the sideline before turning upfield. The diagram shows the fullback and offensive line working horizontal blocking angles to the play side, clearing a lane for the running back to bounce outside the tackle box. This is a pure run play designed to attack the perimeter, and the primary read progression starts with the edge defender or DE (kick out or seal block), then the play side linebacker flow, and finally the alley defender or safety filling from depth.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a fast flowing SAM or OLB who can beat the pulling blockers to the edge and string the play out before the RB turns the corner. Cover 3 and Cover 1 with an aggressive force defender crashing down hard shut this play down quickly since they outnumber the edge blockers. Look for a defensive end who consistently sets the edge and refuses to get reached, that is the primary key that this play will not have room to bounce outside. User controlled defenders spying the pulling guard or fullback lead can jump the lane, so watch for a user flashing down into the alley pre-snap. Zone defenses with light boxes and safeties rotated away from the play side struggle to fill the alley fast enough, making this an ideal counter to defenses playing off to stop the pass.
Usage Tips
Run this play against defenses showing light boxes with six or fewer defenders in the box since the edge blocking needs numbers advantage to work.
Check the play side cornerback and force defender before the snap, if he is sitting outside with no support behind him this play will get stuffed for a loss.
Use motion or hard counts to bait linebackers into flowing hard toward the strong side, then check to HB Sweep if they overcommit.
Pair this play with HB Counter Wk and HB Power O in your play-calling sequence so defenders cannot key on the pulling linemen direction snap after snap.
Save this for early down situations, first or second and short to medium, because a blown edge containment leads to explosive gains but a good edge defender can blow it up for a loss.
