The Tailback Sweep Weak
ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF THE UNBALANCED SET IS THAT IT GIVES YOU A SHORT CORNER TO RUN TO. THIS PLAY IS RUN ENOUGH TIMES DURING THE GAME SO THAT THE DEFENSE DOES NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTREMELY OVERLOAD ON THE STRONG SIDE. IT IS A VERY QUICK DEVELOPING PLAY AND DIFFICULT FOR THE DEFENSE TO ADJUST TO ADEQUATELY.
THE FB PICKS UP IN SHORT MOTION (LIP) AND THE BALL IS SNAPPED WHEN HE IS CLEARING THE WG. IT IS THE JOB OF THE FB TO BLOCK THE FORCE MAN. IDEALLY WE WOULD LIKE THE FORCE MAN TO BE BLOCK TO THE INSIDE. THIS IS NOT AS HARD AS IT MAY SEEM GIVEN THE FACT THAT MOST SECONDARY PEOPLE TAKE THOSE THREE READ STEPS AWAY FROM THE LOS WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED. THE FB RUNS A PATH THAT WILL ALLOW HIM TO PUT HIS INSIDE SHOULDER ON THE OUTSIDE NUMBER OF THE DEFENDER. ONCE CONTACT IS MADE, HE SHOULD SWING HIS HIPS AROUND AND KEEP THE CB SCREENED OFF THE PLAY. IF THE CB ATTACKS THE LOS STRONGLY, THE JOB OF THE FB IS TO BLOCK THE CB TO THE OUTSIDE AND KEEP HIM SCREENED OUT. THE TB WOULD THEN READ THE FB'S BLOCK, CUT UP UNDERNEATH AND THEN BREAK AGAIN TO THE OUTSIDE ONCE HE HAS PAST THE BLOCK. OUR GENERAL RULE OF THUMB IS THAT IF THE FORCE MAN IS ON, NEAR, OR BEYOND THE LOS, WE WILL BLOCK HIM OUT; IF THE FORCE MAN IS OFF THE LOS, WE WILL ROLL HIM UP TO THE INSIDE AND RUN ON THE OUTSIDE.
THE QB TAKES THE SNAP, REVERSE PIVOTS, AND EXECUTES A TWO HANDED TOSS PITCH TO THE TB. HE THEN CONTINUES BEYOND THE BLOCK OF THE WB TO SCREEN DEFENSIVE FLOW FROM THE INSIDE. THERE ARE THOSE THAT WOULD QUESTION THE WISDOM OF LEAD BLOCKING BY THE QB. IT HAS BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT THE QB IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN LEADING AROUND THE CORNER ON THE SWEEP. THE BLOCK OF THE QB DOES NOT HAVE TO BE DEVASTATING. HE MERELY NEEDS TO POSITION HIMSELF BETWEEN THE DEFENDER AND THE BALL CARRIER AND KEEP THEM SCREENED TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE PLAY.
WE USED TO BLOCK DOWN AND PULL GUARDS ON THE SWEEP MUCH LIKE THE PACKERS. WE WERE VERY EFFECTIVE DOING THIS AND GAINED MANY YARDS. OVER THE YEARS, HOWEVER, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PRACTICE TIME TO GET EVERYONE IN POSITION IN FRONT OF THE BALL CARRIER PARTICULARLY THE PULLING GUARDS. THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO DRIFT TOO WIDE AND STRING OUT THE PLAY. THIS PLAYS RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE DEFENSE SLOWING THE PLAY DOWN. COMPACTING THE DEFENSE WITH THE BASE FORMATION, SEALING THEM OFF TO THE INSIDE, AND QUICKLY ATTACKING THE CORNER WITH JUST THE BACKS IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND TAKES DRAMATICALLY LESS PRACTICE TIME AND ORGANIZATION.
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