Sweep
What it is
A perimeter run with pulling linemen leading the ball carrier around the edge.
Why it matters
The classic sweep sends one or both guards around the end ahead of the back, which turns a perimeter run into a gap scheme played outside the tackle. It arrives later than a toss and later than outside zone, and trades that time for two lead blockers at the point of attack — a good answer against a defense whose force player cannot be reached but can be kicked.
Both sides of it
Running it
Both guards pull; the first kicks out the force defender and the second turns up for the first wrong-coloured jersey inside. The tight end and tackle block down to seal the inside pursuit. The back is patient, running behind the pullers rather than beside them, and cuts off the second blocker's block.
Stopping it
Beat the pullers to the spot. The force player attacks the kickout upfield and outside rather than waiting for it, since a sweep that gets to full speed cannot be caught from behind. Backside linebackers scrape over the top; the alley safety fits outside-in. The interior line's job is to make the down blocks unpleasant enough that the seal never forms.
Also called
Programs call this sweep, power sweep, guard sweep or pull and lead. The Coach answers to any of them.
Related
This entry is authored, not generated. It is one of 205 in the index that the AI-ssistant Coach retrieves from, and that Film Study tags clips against.