Football Glossary

Thanks to Tubby Raymond and the University of Delaware, the Buck Sweep is known as the signature play of the Wing-T. The scheme has stood the test of time and continues to cause trouble for defense decades after its invention. If you’re a fan of the Wing-T, the Spread, or anything in between, every offense has a place for the Buck Sweep. What is the Buck Sweep? The Buck Sweep is a misdirection off-tackle run with two pullers as lead blockers, used primarily as a part of the Wing-T Offense. Despite connotations with the term “sweep” it is not just a...

Great defenses pride themselves on stopping the run. Offenses know this, which is why trick plays like the flea flicker are so effective. A well-timed flea flicker play call can turn the defense's aggression against them and create a huge play. In this article we'll talk about the flea flicker, how it works, and show some examples of the different ways to run it, straight from the football trick plays playbook. What is a Flea Flicker Play? The flea flicker is a trick play designed to look like a run, where the ball is given back to the quarterback after he...

Quarters coverage and its variations are scattered all across football. Combining the ability for safeties to provide support on the back end, as well as in the run game is a big reason for the heavy usage of the coverage.  Defensive coordinators possess the ability to easily tailor the coverage against a variety of threats an offense can present, allowing the defense to focus on alignment and assignment to play fast throughout the course of a game.  As you may guess, offenses adapt and revolve just as defenses do, with plenty of answers and ideas centered around beating the coverage...

Looking for a downloadable Take A Knee Chart? Get your free copy of the “Take A Knee Chart” below in PDF AND Google Sheets Format. What is a Take a Knee Chart? A take a knee chart in football is used by football coaches to determine when they can have the offense take a knee, an almost risk-free play that is designed to run time off the clock at the end of the game.  This strategy is used when the offense is ahead at the end of a game and wants to preserve their lead until the clock runs out. ...

The cover 3 defense still has a prominent role in creating advantages for defenses looking to put a stop to big plays downfield, while also having a strong presence in stopping the run.  Pass-heavy attacks at both the college and professional levels have seen a rise in 2-high, split-field coverages in response from defenses over recent years. Still, Cover 3 remains a big part of defenses at every level. Reads for offenses in the passing game depend heavily on safety structure, and the use of cover 3 allows defenses to disguise their alignment pre-snap, forcing QBs to remain mentally sharp,...