The Super Buck Sweep Read ?!?! - Corliss X's Blog

Corliss X's Blog

The Super Buck Sweep Read ?!?!

Posted on July 18, 2013 at 10:12 PM.

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The Buck Sweep (Will feature many diagrams)

Today, my post will be primarily breaking down, sharing the, and my ideas on the Buck Sweep and Buck Sweep Read. These plays have been in college football for a while. But like a good OC does they make old concepts relevant and successful. I first saw this play used by Gus Malzhan when he was OC at Auburn. I then noticed Oregon used the same play maybe a few weeks later and much more in the 2011 season with a read. Now you see teams like Arizona in the 2012 New Mexico Bowl using an enhanced Buck Sweep READ. This goes towards my belief that every play, offense and formation must evolve as the game does.

What can the Buck Sweep do for me?

The Buck Sweep is a power play. It uses two pulling guards that block toward the play side while the other 3+ lineman block the back side and any crashing defenders. The running back gets the hand off follows the guards and eventually cuts up the field. It can be a long developing run but pay off for a 15+ yard gain. The play was original ran out of the old Wing-T or T-Wing offense; hence the name "Buck Sweep". The Buck Sweep can allow your offense to have a power play, it can give you a spread formation that'll be a different look against the defense, it'll stretch the defense and with the right blocking it can give you a chunk of yards.

Original Wing-T Formation - Buck Sweep

This play is from an undercenter formation obviously and doesn't stretch the defense nearly as good as the spread Buck Sweep. Now what is stretching the defense? Stretching the defense is going East and West with your run game. It makes the LB's tire out quick and leaves you on a different hash, which can set-up other good plays.

Auburn's Buck Sweep - The Cam Sweep

Gus Malzahn is one of the best OC's in the country and uses a lot of old concepts to find new ways to run his offense. Now the Wing-T isn't that old but Gus made it a powerful play in the 2010 Auburn Tiger's small, Up-tempo offensive playbook.

Shotgun - Wing Trips WK Offset - Buck Sweep

Shotgun - Wing Trips WK - Buck Sweep

This is the play I found with an eerie similar formation on NCAA Football 14. The play as you can see has the pulling guards, and RB running basically parallel to line of scrimmage or LOS and then running upfield when he sees "daylight". Daylight, used by Vince Lombardi himself, means to run until you see a hole or gap or open area to run through. Brilliant. This is also the formation I recommend to run this play out of. Because you'll beat them in the numbers (men on that side of the field < the men on your side) and probably get a decent TE block.

This is an example of Auburn running it back in 2010 against Arkansas:

The play is set and Auburn's center hikes the ball

The guards pull as the ball is handed off and show their vision and superb WR is blocking on the edge.

RB stays behind blockers and finds a crease, hole, or gap in the defense. He sees "Daylight".

He gets tackled but the play was greatly developed.

Before I'm finished with Gus Malzahn's offense here's a clip of him explaining the whole Buck Sweep: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=nCXR5cUDmrU

Oregon's Buck Sweep - The Read Option's Heavy Influence

Chip Kelly always finds a way to incorporate a Read into just about any basic run play out of the Spread. He even finds a way to do it with two pulling guards. Now Chip Kelly realizes he has a lean, fast, and good run blocking O-line. He knows his RB's can easily out run a defender and are great at finding "Daylight". This play just adds another level to Oregon's already POWERFUL offense. Chip Kelly was already running the Buck Sweep but wanted to add a read just to up the play's potential. He used the concept, learned it and evolved it.
Note: The Buck Sweep Read examples I'm showing of Oregon are a Mid-Line Buck Sweep Read Option (that's read the Nose Tackle instead of the DE); however, NCAA Football 14 only features the Buck Sweep Read which only reads the DE or LB. You'll get the idea.

Shotgun - Y Trips HB WK - Buck Sweep Read Option

Notice how the read or mesh point is on the outside? That signifies a read on the DE. I recommend using this play out the Y-Trips since the WR's are pulled back and can give the RB some better leverage when the blocking initiates. Oregon ran this play a lot against USC in the 2011 season. I'm going to breakdown the play and show you even an example where the QB keeps the ball on the read! Let's start:

Shotgun - Y Trips HB WK (Flipped)

^ The defense is in their basic 4-3 Man coverage with a tight LB group probably expecting an IZR or Inside Zone.

^ Ball is hiked. Guards pull as the ball is handed off to the RB and the Tackles, the TE and Center all block the Backside sealing off defenders.

Guards are still pulling around the TE and probably going to block the LB's running down to support. The QB is reading the Nose Tackle who crashes down on him or in this case the QB hands it off to the RB since he's in doubt. Rule: when in doubt, give to the RB.

Read is perfectly executed, Nose Tackle won't catch RB.

Blocks are GREAT. Defenders can't reach RB.

RB finds "Daylight" and the in zone is his.

Touchdown.

There are a few special things about this play. 1) Oregon ran this play 3+ times with the RB receiving the ball 2) Oregon keeps running this play 3) Defense finally breaks down even with a good Defensive set for this play 4) Oregon wins the numbers game 5) Oregon sets up plays with plays. Now there were a few times that the QB, Darron Thomas, kept the ball. Here's an example:

Shotgun - Ace Twins WK - Mid-Line Buck Sweep Read

Mid-Line Zone Read which I explained above!!

QB PULLS the ball since the Nose Tackle crashes or intent is to attack the RB.

To be continued: http://www.operationsports.com/Corli...k-sweep-read-/