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 and easily isolated. Double Wing Point of Attacks D gap Sweep Bootleg C gap SP Counter Side B gap Trap Part G/X A gap Wedge A gap Wedge B gap Trap Part G/X C gap SP Counter Side D gap Sweep 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 the three 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.

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

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 linebacker inside.

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 PSWB Reach off of Wedge Sweep.

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

Example of Tight Wedge Sweep Rt Fold with the Run Force off the LOS and closing down. 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 are concentrated 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.

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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 are running 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

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.