The Tailback Sweep Strong
Sweep 48 Ram
THE TAILBACK SWEEP IS A MOST EFFECTIVE PLAY WHEN THE DEFENSE CROWDS THE LOS TRYING TO STOP THE FB, ESPECIALLY WHEN PLAYING THE DE TO THE SE SIDE OF THE FORMATION INSIDE. WHEN THE DE MOVES INSIDE, THE SE HAS AN EXCELLENT ANGLE TO SEAL HIM TO THE INSIDE. IT IS A VERY GOOD PLAY TO SNAP THE BALL ON THE "FIRST SOUND" AND RUN QUICKLY WHILE THE DEFENSE IS LINING UP.
THE KEYS TO THE PLAY ARE:
1. THE BLOCK OF THE SE ON THE DE. THE SE MUST HIT AND DRIVE THE DE TO THE INSIDE. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A SPECTACULAR BLOCK (HOWEVER, OFTEN IT IS). BECAUSE THE TB IS PLAYING AT A DEPTH OF 7 YARDS AND SHOULD HAVE SOME SPEED, THE SE JUST HAS TO MAKE CONTACT AND PUSH THE DE TO THE INSIDE.
2. THE FB MUST SPRINT TO BLOCK THE MAN IN THE FORCE AREA. THE FASTEST WAY TO GET TO THE CORNER IS WITH A CROSSOVER FIRST STEP. PLANT ON THE SECOND STEP AND SPRINT TO THE FORCE MAN. THE RULES FOR BLOCKING THE "FORCE MAN" ARE:
A. IF THE FORCE MAN IS ON THE LOS OR IN OUR BACKFIELD, BLOCK THE FORCE MAN OUT. DRIVE HIM TO THE SIDELINE. ON A PLAY GOING TO THE RIGHT, THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE FB WOULD USE A RIGHT SHOULDER BLOCK.
B. IF THE FORCE MAN IS PLAYING SOFT AND NOT COMING UP STRONG, THE FB WILL TURN UP FIELD AND USE A "RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK" ON THE FORCE MAN. ON A PLAY GOING RIGHT THIS WOULD MEAN THE FB WOULD PLACE HIS LEFT SHOULDER ON THE OUTSIDE NUMBER OF THE FORCE MAN, GET HIS HIPS AROUND, AND SEAL THE FORCE MAN TO THE INSIDE.
3. THE TB'S FIRST STEP IS A CROSSOVER STEP. THIS STEP SHOULD NOT BE A BIG ONE. THE SECOND STEP SHOULD BE DIRECTLY TO THE SIDELINE. EYES SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE QB AT ALL TIMES LOOKING THE FOOTBALL INTO THE FINGERTIPS. AFTER RECEIVING THE BALL, FOCUS ON THE BLOCK OF THE FB. READ THE BLOCK OF THE FB AND ACCELERATE OFF HIS BLOCK. THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PATH SHOULD BE RUN AT ABOUT 75% SPEED. ONCE YOU DETERMINE THE BLOCK OF THE FB, ACCELERATE TO FULL CONTROLLED SPEED OFF HIS BLOCK. YOU AR TO RUN THE BALL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DEFENSE. CUTBACKS ARE NOT IN ORDER ON THIS PLAY (UNLESS YOU ARE 15-20 YARDS DOWNFIELD). THE MAN YOU HAVE TO BEAT IS THE SS (FORCE MAN). THE REMAINDER OF THE DEFENDERS ARE BEING SEALED OFF. ONCE YOU ARE BY THE BLOCK OF THE FB ON THE FORCE, GET TO THE OUTSIDE AND SPRINT FOR POSITIVE YARDAGE. YOUR GENERAL RULE OF THUMB HERE IS AS SOON AS YOU CAN GAIN 4+ YARDS, CUT UP FIELD AND GET THAT 4+ YARD GAIN.
4. THE QB REVERSE PIVOTS AND PITCHES THE BALL TO THE TB. IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET THE BALL OUT IN FRONT OF THE TB SO HE CATCHES IT IN STRIDE. AFTER THE PITCH, CONTINUE TO RUN WITH THE PULLING GUARDS AND BLOCK THE FIRST ODD COLOR JERSEY SEEN. GET IN SOMEONE'S WAY AND DISRUPT THEIR PURSUIT TO THE TB.
5. THE GUARDS ARE TO PULL AROUND THE SEAL BLOCK OF THE SE, GET UP FIELD AND BLOCK. AGAINST A COVER 2 SECONDARY, THE LEAD GUARD WOULD FOCUS ON THE DEEP DEFENDER. USE A RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK TO SEAL HIM TO THE INSIDE.
EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD EXECUTE A CUT-OFF BLOCK ON THEIR ASSIGNED DEFENDER. THEY SHOULD THEN GET CROSS FIELD TO BLOCK OTHER DEFENDERS.
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