Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Pin Pull Sweep out of Singleback Ace 12 personnel is a gap scheme run play built around pin and pull blocking, with the playside linemen pinning down on defenders inside while the backside guard and tackle pull around the edge to lead block. The diagram shows the HB taking a lateral path behind the pulling linemen toward the sideline, with no receiver routes drawn since both TEs and WRs are locked into blocking assignments at the snap. This is a power run play designed to beat overaggressive gap fills and light boxes, not a man or zone beater in the passing sense since it has no route concept to read. The primary read progression for the ball carrier is to press the sweep path, stay patient behind the pullers, and find the first crease created by the pin blocks before turning it upfield.
Defensive Reads
Watch for defensive ends and outside linebackers crashing hard inside at the snap, since that removes the puller's angle and blows up the sweep before it develops. Identify safeties creeping down into the box pre-snap, since an extra run defender flowing outside can beat the sweep to the edge before both pullers arrive. Look for scrape exchange linebackers who stay home on run fits instead of biting on flow, since disciplined LBs reading pin and pull can string the play out for a loss. Check corner alignment on the play side, since a corner willing to crash downhill in run support forces the ball carrier to cut back inside the pullers. Beat contain-conscious fronts that widen out of their gaps, since that opens the cutback lane behind the pin blocks for a big gain.
Usage Tips
Use Pin Pull Sweep when you see six or fewer defenders in the box, since extra pullers get swallowed up against stacked fronts.
Check for slanting defensive lines or blitz packages shifted to one side before the snap, since pin and pull schemes lose blocking angles against hard slants toward the play side.
Pair this with HB Counter Str or HB Off Tackle in the same personnel package so the defense cannot key on lateral flow after seeing the sweep action a few times.
Run this on early downs, first and second and short to medium yardage, to keep defenses honest and set up PA Boot Roll or PA Sprint HB Flat out of the same look.
Use manual control on the lead puller to seal the edge defender if the CPU blocker whiffs, since the pullers create the entire crease for this play.
