Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 1 playbook
Breakdown
HB Sweep Wk is a weakside outside run out of Shotgun Split Slot Open with 20 personnel. The diagram shows the offensive line pulling and stepping laterally to seal the edge while the HB takes a wide handoff path from the backfield, bending it toward the sideline behind the pulling linemen. This is a designed run play with no play-action or route concepts attached, and the primary read is the edge: get on the hip of the lead blocker and read whether the alley defender is squeezed inside or sitting outside to decide whether to bounce it out or cut upfield.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth and flow pre-snap, since sweep concepts get gashed against slow-flowing linebackers who cannot beat blockers to the edge. Identify if the defense is in a run-fit alignment with the strong safety cheating down, which signals they are keying the sweep and will fill the alley fast. User the play side outside linebacker or safety and spy the pulling lineman to blow up the lead block before it develops. This run gets shut down by teams that set the edge with a contain defender and keep linebackers square to string the play out toward the sideline. It struggles against fast flow defenses and any scheme with a designated edge setter who refuses to get pulled inside by the blocking wall.
Usage Tips
Check the defensive front pre-snap and look for light box counts before calling this play, since sweep concepts need numbers advantage on the edge to hit. Use motion or a quick pre-snap look to identify if the defense is showing run blitz or an overloaded weakside, and check to a different run direction if the backside is stacked. Hot route the slot receiver into a quick stalk block if the defense shows man coverage with a corner sitting close to the line. Pair this with HB Off Tackle and Inside Zone Split in your play sequencing so the defense cannot key sweep action every snap, then mix in Power Read to punish overaggressive edge defenders who crash too hard. Best used on early downs or short yardage situations where you want to test lateral pursuit speed and outrun slower linebackers to the edge.
