Joe Daniel Football

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Buck Sweep Play | FBCP S08E09

I love the Wing-T Offense and the Buck Sweep. Years ago, I took an entire year to deep dive study the Wing-T Offense even though I never expected to run it.

12 years later, I still don’t run it. The Pistol Power Offense, a one-back attack, became my offense of choice. But that time studying the Wing-T was critical in my development as a coach.

This episode of The Football Coaching Podcast takes a deep dive look at the Buck Sweep play. It is the key play in the Buck Series, the most common series seen from Wing-T attacks at the high school level.

Complimented by the Buck Trap and Waggle Pass, the Buck Sweep is a great edge rushing attack. It uses gap blocking and a kick-out on the force player to attack the alley.

Buck Sweep Rules

The rules for the Buck Sweep vary from team to team. I studied Denny Creehan’s Wing-T From A to Z books to learn the offense. Then I adapted to what I heard from a dozen other sources.

buck sweep play

Here are the assignments as I understand it:

  • Play Side Tackle: Gap-Down-Backer
  • Play Side Guard: Pull and kick the force defender
  • Center: Reach-On-Away
  • Back Side Guard: Pull to block the play side Linebacker
  • Back Side Tackle: Cutoff block
  • Tight End: Gap-Down-Backer
  • Play Side Wingback: Block the first man inside (communicate with PST)
  • Back Side Wingback: Run through the heels of the Fullback, take the handoff and cut behind the guards
  • Fullback: Fake trap away and fill for BSG
  • Quarterback: Reverse pivot, give to the back, boot away to fake Waggle
  • Split Receiver: Cut off block or run a route to hold the corner.

I’m not a Wing-T expert, as you’ll hear in the episode of the podcast above. If you want to run the offense you need to seek an expert out.

How To Stop the Buck Sweep

I have a preference for stopping the Wing-T Offense. But there is no secret solution. There’s no magic bullet for stopping any good offensive system.

No one likes that answer. So here’s the other answer.

4-3 Defense Under Front with Quarters Coverage. Given the chance to run anything, as if I’m playing Madden instead of coaching teenage kids? That’s the answer.

But I would absolutely never install that look just because it’s Wing-T week. Remember that. Run what you run. Have an identity.

The Under Front is great against the Buck Sweep. You create difficult 1-on-1 blocks for the play side wingback and the tight end. The 5-Tech defensive end and the 9-tech Sam Linebacker walk up right at the point of attack.

Listen to the episode to hear how you can adjust other defensive fronts. You can get the Under Front look with a 33 Stack Defense, 3-4 Defense or 4-2-5 Defense. You just need good game planning.

Where to Go From Here

If you have not listened to my episode on the Origins of the Wing-T Offense, start there. It is a great in-depth look on how the Single Wing and T Formation combined to create this offense.

When you want to stop the Buck Sweep and the Wing-T Offense, start your trial access to JDFB Coaching Systems. Learn how you can stop the Buck Sweep using any defensive attack. Click this link to start your trial subscription right now.

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