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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
Reload HB Sweep is a pure run play out of Empty Base Flex in Shotgun that motions the back across the formation before the snap to create a sweep angle to the perimeter. The diagram shows the HB reloading via motion and receiving the toss, with the line firing out to seal the edge and lead the runner outside the tackle box. This is a numbers-driven perimeter run designed to attack light boxes and outrun overpursuing defenses rather than a man or zone beater in the pass game sense. The primary read progression starts with the pulling blockers and edge kickout, then bounces outside if the alley is sealed, or cuts upfield if the edge defender crashes too hard.
Defensive Reads
Key the play side linebacker and edge defender immediately after the motion, if they crash hard toward the sweep the cutback lane opens. User the strong side defensive end or outside linebacker manually to string the play out and force the back to commit to a lane before blockers get set. Watch for scrape exchange linebackers who replace the crashing edge defender, this is the primary counter to the sweep and kills the outside lane. Against man coverage looks, blitz off the edge before the sweep can develop since there is minimal pass protection built into this run design. Identify if the defense shifts the front toward the pre-snap motion, if they do not adjust the box count you have a numbers advantage to attack outside.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to bait linebackers into flowing hard and widen run fits before the snap even settles the box count.
Call this on early downs or short yardage when you have identified a light box count with six or fewer defenders in the run fit.
Watch corner and safety depth before the snap since teams that stay two high but crash a safety into the box are vulnerable to the sweep bouncing outside.
Pair this with RPO Q Stick Draw or QB Draw from the same set so the defense has to respect both the sweep action and the quick game, forcing linebackers to hesitate.
Avoid calling this into stacked fronts with extra defenders already outside the tackle box since the sweep has no lead blocker to handle a numbers disadvantage on the edge.
