We Can’t Run the Outside Sweep
So after your first tackle youth football scrimmages or games you realize you can’t run the outside sweep play. That happens many times in youth football. The team with speed can run the sweep and stop the sweep. If your team is a slower team in your league then you probably aren’t going to be a good sweeping offensive team. You could try to adjust your formation and put trips out wide and block down but most times, their speed will still get your slow running back. If this is the case, you need to find another key play to gain yardage.
If you have a slower than average team then you need to think inside TE’s plays with overloaded lines and or misdirection plays like those used in a traditional single wing, double wing, wish bone or T formations. The first thing I would do is overload one side of your offensive line. Put more numbers of players at the point of attack, and make sure these are your best blockers. You only need 2 hard running backs so a lead blocker and a ball carrier. Run a tight gut play with misdirection, an off tackle play, misdirection gut counter, QB bootleg reverse and a TE quick pass. But, don’t bet on the sweep if you have slow running backs. In this situation I run my variation of the single wing that some call the Beast by moving all the backs just behind the o-line to the side I am running to.
Don’t worry if you can’t sweep. A coaching friend of mine had a slow team in the Spring. They beat us the first game and made it to the playoffs running tight single wing running plays with good blocking. We won the Super Bowl in the Spring with Speed, but his team gave everyone fits trying to stop his big Power running back up the middle and off tackle with an overloaded line.
Remember to adjust your offense to your players. I to have a offensive system I like to run but if your players can’t run your offensive system then be flexible and adjust to meet the skills of your players.
Play for Fun and Winning is Funner.
Thanks,
Coach Parker
Fort Worth, Texas / Keller
