Playbooks

HB Sweep

Singleback·Wing Pair·13

Quick Reference

FormationSingleback

In 2 playbooks

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Breakdown

HB Sweep from Singleback Wing Pair is an outside zone style run play design that stretches the ball to the edge behind a pulling guard and the wing tight end. The offensive line reach blocks to seal the backside while the frontside wing and tackle lead the ball carrier around the corner, so this is a run play built to get the HB into space rather than a pass concept. The primary read is the frontside edge and pulling blocker, since the HB needs to press the line of scrimmage, let the sweep blocks develop, and choose between bouncing outside or cutting up through the alley based on how the defensive end and flowing linebackers react.

Defensive Reads

Check the safety alignment before the snap, since two high shells with safeties outside the tackles usually signal extra run support to the sweep side. Watch linebacker depth and width at the snap, if they flow hard and fast to the call side without hesitation this play is vulnerable to a quick edge blitz or contain defender crashing down. Identify the defensive end technique pre snap, a wide nine or crashing end can blow up the pulling blocker before the sweep develops, so be ready to cut it back inside. Look for a user controlled defender flying downhill from depth, that lurk threat is the biggest counter to this play since he can beat the puller to the point of attack. This concept struggles against gap sound 4-3 fronts with disciplined edge setters, but it consistently gashes teams that overload the box with blitzers who vacate outside contain.

Usage Tips

Use pre snap motion or a hard flick to bait linebackers into flowing hard before the snap so you can read their leverage before the ball is even snapped.

Attack defenses that show a light box with only six or fewer defenders in the box, since the pulling wing and tackle create a clean numbers advantage on the perimeter.

Pair HB Sweep with HB Counter Wk and Power O in your play calling sequence so the defense has to respect misdirection to both sides and cannot key on one gap.

On third and short or first and ten, call this after a few inside zone or dive runs to punish linebackers who start cheating up too aggressively.

User the frontside wing blocker if you are worried about a user controlled linebacker shooting the alley, and manually seal him off the edge to spring the cutback.

Other Plays in Wing Pair