teaching sweep blocking scheme by jack gregory

8/3/2019 Teaching Sweep Blocking Scheme by Jack Gregory

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Teaching A Basic Sweep Blocking Scheme

Gregory Double Wing

By: Coach Jack Gregory

Normally the youth level defense is focused on defending the D gap (sweep), A gap (FB

dive), and not giving up the fast score. The biggest focus for the defense is often on the

D gap because the sweep is the one play that will net big yards and score with an athletic

back that can get outside. We as Double Wing coaches actually count on this and our

philosophy compliments this defensive thinking. This is because the DW concentrates on

the B and C gaps and exploiting those gaps due to the defenses desire to defend the A

and D gaps. If a defense scouts, has faced you in the past, or adapts to your attack you

need to have a way to attack the defense that closes down on the B and C gap and you

need to have plays and schemes in your series that can adapt to these changes. When

they do this they often isolate the D gap defenders and make it possible to attack the

outside. Normally in a youth defense there are three players supporting each side against

the D gap. (OLB, DE, and CB = outside triangle). Once you establish the B/C gap attack

the support dwindles and normally it leaves either the DE or the CB on the perimeter andeasily isolated.

Double Wing Point of Attacks

D gapSweep

Bootleg

C gapSP

Counter

Side

B gapTrap

Part

G/X

A gapWedge

A gapWedge

B gapTrap

Part

G/X

C gapSP

Counter

Side

D gapSweep

Bootleg

In my offense the main emphasis is on the Wedge, Power, and Counter schemes. By

their very nature they force the defense to move inward and stop the angle blocking of the

power and counter and the forward thrust of the Wedge. In doing that the defense has to

close down either in scheme or in action and leave the D gap vulnerable. I rarely ran

sweep or bootleg plays and when I did it was based on the defense closing down on thethree main schemes we utilize. With the advent of the Rocket series I have invested a

great amount of time on how to install a simple sweep teaching progression to younger

kids within my system. What I like about this progression is it allows me to teach a

simple sweep play using already taught schemes with a few minor adjustments. As they

become proficient with the series and plays we can teach an additional blocking scheme

(Reach) to increase the potency of the sweep play in all of the series.


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The Sweep Tag

The Sweep tag is used to tell the PSWB to reach the1st outside defender (EMLOS) and

any player pulling from the line or backfield goes under the reach and logs then next

defender inside or seals off inside out.

This is tag is used to easily convert our Super Power play into a Super Power Sweep play.

It has the PSWB reach the DE, the BB log the CB, the QB come under the BB and seal

inside, and the BSG and BST (if tagged to pull) to pull under the QB and seal off inside.

If there is any leakage along the sweep route the BSG and BST seal it off. So by simply

adding SWEEP to the end of the super power play we can use it has a sweep.

You can easily convert the CB Counter play to sweep as well by adding Sweep to it as

well. With it the BSG pulls and logs the first defender to show and the BST pulls under

and seals inside. The QB makes an outside handoff (stays closer to the LOS) and the CB

takes the outside handoff and goes outside. This is especially effective for a DE that

crashes under the LOS trying to catch the CB on the inside handoff.

Above is an example of Tight Rip Super Power Sweep Rt

The Wedge Sweep

In the Buck series that I used last year I used a Wedge Sweep with some very good

success due in part to the defenses being bent on stopping our wedge. So what we

decided to do was run a sweep off this simple action. The line blocking scheme is still

wedge which forces the defense to respond as if it is wedge. Especially if the BB fakes

Wedge as this forces the defense to close down and defeat the wedge. When they do they

naturally isolate the outside contain defender/s. When they do wedge sweep becomes a

very viable way to attack that defense. This concept was taken from the use of our sweep

tag.

When we call Wedge Sweep the PSWB reaches the first defender outside (EMLOS) as

the line blocks wedge. This forces the defense from the PSWB inward to collapse or

crash on the wedge to stop it. As they do the EMLOS becomes reachable as he closes


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down and when does the PSWB has a very easy reach block. If the defender is inside or

over him he simply reaches to his outside shoulder with head to outside. Normally if the

defender crashes or slides down you simply shove him down the LOS. As the runner

goes by he works up to the next level and seals off the first linebacker inside. If the is

lined up outside he slides and reaches the defender working up on his outside shoulder to

turn him outside. As the runner goes by he works up field and seals the first linebackerinside.

Example of a Tight Buck Rt Wedge Sweep Rt.

Fold Tag

One adjustment that I use with the Wedge Sweep is the Fold tag. It simply tells the PSTE

to drop under the PSWBs reach block and take the next defender outside. I use this

against a corner back that is playing run force and is floating near the LOS wide and is

giving our motion WB a problem. We tell the PSTE to drop go under the PSWB and if

the run force is sitting out wide waiting for the sweep to kick him out wide. If the run

force is off the LOS and wide and is coming inside then to log him in by working towards

his outside shoulder and turning his body outside.

Example of normal PSWBReach off of Wedge Sweep.

Tight Wedge Sweep Rt Fold with the run force onthe LOS trying to force the runner inside.


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Reach Blocking Scheme

My main emphasis is on Severe Angle Blocking and Wedge Blocking as that is the meat

of our blocking system. These two schemes allow us to attack defense fronts and

dominate the LOS with an aggressive attacking line. Since both schemes areconcentrated on the C gaps inward this places a lot of pressure on the defense to close

down on the offensive line.

In doing so they make themselves easy targets for being reached. That was the main

reason for us using the Sweep Tag and the Wedge Sweep Scheme as it only requires us to

teach one player how to reach. This is based on only having to face one defender outside

(due to the closing down) and at most two defenders and then using a Fold Tag to defeat

that outside run force (second defender).

So many defenses in youth football are bent on not allowing the sweep. Often this allows

us the ability to just keep attacking between the C gaps but sometime, due to scheme or

personal, we are limited in those areas and have to start attacking outside the C gaps. If

the defense is set to stop that then you have to have a scheme that can account for that

and our reach scheme is designed to defeat a defense that is bent on stopping the outside

run but still trying to defend the wedge and SAB.

Example of Tight Wedge Sweep Rt Fold with

the Run Force off the LOS and closing down.

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Reach Scheme

PSWB Reaches first defender outside. Working to get head and inside shoulder to

defenders outside shoulder and turn him outside.

PSTE Reaches second defender outside as above.

PST Reaches third defender outside as above.PSG Reaches 4th

defender outside as above.

Center Man On Slide If a NT is present he blocks man on. If no NT he slides play

side and seals off play side A gap.

BSG to BSTE Release and seal off backside from LB to Secondary.

(the lineman releases if no pursuit present he continues up field and seals the first

defender coming play side.)

Special Line Call HELP/GOTCHA This is the same call for SAB and this helps to

work against the defense that might be keying on our line call to tell where we arerunning our plays. Where HELP/GOTCHA in SAB is on the play side to Post & Track

and a tough interior defensive lineman the H/G call in reach is on the backside. So if the

defense is trying to key our line calls we can use it against them. By going to a Reach

play as the defense will more than likely shift/close down to that side thinking we are

going to run an SAB scheme to that side and then we reach to the opposite side setting up

the defense and making them easier to reach.

In this case the center or BSG can call Help in doing so he tells the next back side man to

not release and seal but slide down inside. So if you have a stud interior lineman causing

problems you can have the center or BSG call HELP and the next man outside

confirms the call with a GOTCHA.

So How Can I Use This?

Now that you have the above info you now can implement some form of a sweep

effectively with your team no matter what age level or skill level. You simply apply the

tag first whether it be with SAB or Wedge (Sweep). This allows you to create an

effective sweep play and still stream line teaching.

SP Series

Rip Super Power Sweep Rt

Rip Super Wedge Sweep Rt (BB, QB log inside)

Rip Super Reach Rt

Buck Series

Buck Wedge Sweep Rt

Buck Power Sweep Rt

Buck Reach Rt


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Rocket Series

Rocket Wedge Sweep Rt

Rocket Reach Rt

Conclusion

Teaching your offense a sweep can benefit you in a lot of ways. Since defenses will

inevitably try to close down on your wedge and SAB schemes you must have an effective

way to attack those defenses. Using the sweep tag and the reach scheme allow you to do

this by first implementing a very simple tag that allows you to sweep against one or two

outside defenders. After the offense masters the basic concepts of SAB, Wedge, and the

general offense you can that start teaching the reach scheme which allows you to handle

up to three defenders outside. The ability to use wedge and SAB with the reach scheme

will make this offensive system a much more high-powered system. It will force the

defense into a scheme quandary as you attack them with angle and wedge blocking and

then as they close down to defeat those schemes attack them with a blocking scheme

(reach) that takes advantage of the closing down.

Coach Gregory

Copyright 2004, Jack Gregory.

teaching sweep blocking scheme by jack gregory

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