Creating Space for your Playmakers with the Ubbie Package
The Ubbie Package is a simple way to give your playmakers space on the outside while also giving the defense a difficult formation to line up against. Through the use of Jet Sweep, a Jail Screen, and Counter this formation can attack the whole width of the field and exploit a weak point however the defense decides to line them up.
Creating Space for your Playmakers with the Ubbie Package
The Ubbie Formation is run from the 31 personnel set. This means there are 3 wide receivers, one running back and one tight end or H-back. Many offenses base out of this formation so it’s easy to quickly line up in this formation and force the defense to adjust. The key component of the alignment is to have the H-back and running back aligned to the side away from the receiver. All three receivers will be aligned on one side with the outside two receivers being on the line of scrimmage. This makes one of the receivers ineligible because he is covered by the outside receiver.
Jet Sweep
The primary play out of this package is the Jet Sweep. On Jet Sweep the line will be blocking Counter Away from the Jet Sweep. The effect is that the play-side Defensive End will step down with the down block and give the runner enough space to get to the outside. In addition, the play-side linebacker should read the pull of the Guard and move away from the Jet Sweep. The H-Back will arc outside of the End and look to block any linebacker scrapping over the top and then climb to the Safety. The Running Back will lead up on the most dangerous player in the flats.
(See Also) The Jet Sweep Play in Youth Football
Counter
By using a false pull from the play-side Guard it makes it very easy to see when the linebackers are not reading their key. As a rule if any linebacker is able to make the tackle for less than three yards it is time to run the Counter Play. The line will still block the Counter play but now the Quarterback will fake the handoff to the Jet Sweep and hand it off to the Running Back coming under. The key element on selling the Power play is for the H Back and the Running Back to take one step to the Jet Sweep fake to make it look like they are going out to block for the Jet Sweep. This step is enough for the front-side line to form a wall and get the linebacker blocked.
Jail Screen
What makes the Ubbie formation deadly is the ability to attack away from the Jet Sweep if the defense over adjusts. Many times defenses will roll a Safety down to combat the Jet Sweep. This leaves one defender to cover the two receivers. In the mind of the defense this is fine because one of the receivers is ineligible. If the Quarterback ever sees that there is only one defender over the receivers he can throw the Jail route.
