Using multiple formations can give you an immense advantage on offense. The goal on offense is to create leverage, numbers, green grass, and matchups. Every defense you face will have formations they don't align well to, or that you can find a favorable matchup. Most defenses are well versed at aligning to two back pro sets, doubles, and twins open. It helps to have a formation system that allows you to align in sets that defenses don't see as often.
When you align in multiple formations, you can create problems for the defense. They have to be able to identify your tight end or tight ends, your running backs, and your receivers. When those guys always line up in the same place, the defense can easily line up and make a strength call. When you change formations and move your personnel, the defense not only has to get lined up right, they have to get the strength call right and identify your personnel. They also have to make sure they have a force guy to each side, and be gap sound. If you have a dude, they have to have a plan for that guy.
Something very important that goes with this is being able to align in multiple formations from each personnel group. If you are in 11 personnel, you want to be able to align in more than just 11 personnel sets. We have always prided ourselves on being able to line up in everything from 3 backs to empty with each of our personnel groups. Having a simple system of communication makes it easy on your kids, but complex for the defense. Defensive coordinators often make calls based on which personnel group is in the game. We want to force them into bad calls, and make defensive coordinators more vanilla. Certain pressures they run can only be used against certain sets. We want to keep them guessing, and unsure of how we will line up.
The other aspect is that we are dealing with 16, 17, and 18 year-old young people. The more we can make them think, the slower and less confident they will play. We want to give them multiple factors to think about. We want them concerned with personnel, formations, and conflicting strength calls.
Four Advantages To Using Multiple Formations
1. Create plus one opportunities
In a plus one opportunity, we have one more gap than the defense has hats. We can force them to have to invert their secondary, or two gap a defender. We can also use formations to create a plus one on the perimeter. We can align in formations that force the defense to have to make choices. When we find a formation where we can have numbers and grass, we want to use that formation. Sometimes we will have numbers in the box to the tight end, sometimes we will have numbers away from the tight end. We also can use formations to have numbers on the perimeter. We want to have a plus one, and we are going to find formations to give us the best opportunity for that.
2. We can create conflicts within the strength call
Using nub sets, 2 TE sets, and sets with a sniffer can force the defense to have conflict within their strength call. Not everyone calls their strength the same way. When we scout an opponent, we want to know where they call the strength. Some teams call the strength to the most receivers. Other teams call the strength to the tight end. There are teams that have a run strength and a pass strength. Some defensive coordinators change the strength call based on 1 back or 2 backs in the backfield. By using multiple formations, particularly nub sets, we can create conflict for the defense calling the strength.
3. Leverage and Angles
We often find certain formations that give us the best leverage and angles for running certain plays. We define leverage as an advantage. That means we have an advantage at the point of attack over the defender assigned to that area. We use formations to create leverage opportunities, where we can have a better angle to run certain plays.
4. Create Matchup Problems
When you have a really good receiver, teams are going to find answers to take that receiver away. Using different formations where your best player moves around, forces defenses to have multiple answers. If they are going to bracket your best outside WR with the corner and safety, you want to be able to move your WR inside to a slot. You can find formations where teams are going to give you single coverage on your best wide out.
Formation Into The Boundary (FIB)
Before we look at formations, I want to talk to you about the importance of setting the formation into the boundary at times. There are teams that are going to make field/boundary calls. When you set the formation into the boundary, you are going to have a numeric advantage. This gives you an opportunity to create plays to stay on schedule, and to get back on schedule. Never be afraid to set your formation into the boundary against teams that are going to defend the field.
The other aspect of putting your formation into the field is how the defense will play coverage. They are going to play 3 receiver to the field different than they play three receivers into the boundary. They are more apt to rotate their coverage to favor three receivers to the field. When you put three receivers to the boundary, you are often going to have an uncovered receiver on the boundary side. As you go consider the importance of multiple formations, don't forget to look at setting your formations into the boundary during the course of your game planning.
Looking at Formations (3x1 Sets)
Let's look at a couple of formation examples and how they give you an advantage. I believe everyone should run a Trips Nub Set and a Trey Set. In a trips nub set, you have the tight end on the line with his hand down to one side, and three receivers to the side opposite the tight end. This forces the defense to have to line up to the tight end, while also accounting for three receivers away from the tight end. We find many teams have trouble aligning to Trips Nub.
Above is an example of a trips nub set. The defense must determine whether their strength call is to the TE, or to the multiple receivers. Often we can find ourselves with an advantage in the box, or on the perimeter.
The figure above shows a typical even front defensive alignment we saw. The defense was going to walk a linebacker down over the tight end and roll the corner back. They would roll a safety down over the #2 receiver, or between #2 and #3. This look gave us a 3 on 2 advantage to the trips, and a plus one in the box with our read game.
In the figure above, the defense is using a 3-4 structure. They walk a linebacker up on the tight end and roll the corner back. The defense is one gap short unless they 2 gap the nose or move the front. If they move the front they have to borrow a secondary or perimeter player to add to the box.
Trey Set
In a trey set, we are going to have our tight end aligned to one side of the formation with his hand down, and two receivers outside the tight end. The trey set forces the defense to make decisions on what they want to defend. They have to be gap sound in the box, and also have a free tackler to the trey side.
Above is an example of a trey set. The defense has to account for the extra gap the TE creates, and account for the 2 receivers to that side. This can create conflicts for the defense.
Above is an even front against a trey set. This is the look we saw most often against our trey formations. In this alignment, the defense has no definitive force player away from the tight end. To the Trey side, the defense is a gap short. They are asking the invert to be a dual responsibility player. He has a pass responsibility, and a gap responsibility. This can be difficult for defenses to adjust to. The main adjustment we see is the defense to roll down to play cover 3.
The picture above shows the defense rolled down to play cover 3. This gives them a way to defend the tight end side run. But the roll down makes it more difficult to play pass coverage. We still feel like we have numbers for the run game as we can get a hat for a hat. We also get a matchup on the backside. When you put your best receiver to the single, the defense has to decide how they will align to the trey set, and make sure your best receiver is accounted for.
Ace
Two tight end sets are difficult for teams to line up to. Most defenses have a strong side and a weak side. When you align with two tight ends, you not only create an extra gap, but you force the weak side of the defense to have to play strong side techniques. Typically the weakside outside backer is not as good at playing a tight end as the strong side inside backer.
Above is an example of a base two TE set. This forces an extra gap for defenses to defend to each side of the formation. It also forced defenders who typically played away from the tight end to now have to know TE side rules.
The picture above shows the typical look we get from a 3-4 defense when we align in an Ace set. The defense has to have the safeties get very involved in the run game. The Ace set gives you the ability to create an extra gap for the defense, and can give you expanded running lanes inside.
Wing Sets
Whenever you install a wing set, you now give your defense another letter gap they have to account for. They now have an A gap, B Gap, C Gap, D Gap, and an E Gap. This often forces them to use a corner as a force player. If they don't use the corner as a force player, they are having to build in additional rules for their defense.
One important note is that you don't have to be a Wing-T or Slot-T offense to install a wing set. You also don't necessarily have to personnel your wing. You can slide a receiver in to be the wing. This opens up several possibilities for different concepts you can run. When your wing is a TE, the wing set will be different than when the wing is a receiver or running back. This poses problems for the defense as they have to prepare for multiple personnel groups when you use a wing.
The figure above shows a wing set from 11 personnel against an under front defense. They defense has to roll their secondary weak to be able to have a force guy. The corner now has to cloud to the wing side. We now have forced their corner to play the E gap.
You can also get into a Trey Wing Set. Now you put your wing and a receiver on the same side.
This forces the defense to make choices. They have to be able to have enough defenders to account for 5 gaps strong, and cover your pass game. Often you can create a 1-on-1 matchup to your single. You also can force teams to vacate an invert weak. This means the defensive end or inside linebacker becomes the force guy. If the defense aligns in a 2 high look, you are going to have one more hat than they have to the TE/Wing side.
Empty Formations
Another way you can stress defenses is to get into an empty set. If you have a mobile quarterback, this can put a lot of pressure on the defense. Defenses typically only have 2 calls against an empty set. Most defenses either drop 8 or bring 6. They usually don't have a variety of calls for facing empty. You can get a very predictable look.
Using empty sets with a TE can give you an advantage in the box. If the defense loads the box, they are short in coverage.
In the picture above, the offense is in a trey wing empty set. This forces the defense to make some decisions on how they align to make sure they are gap sound, while having enough defenders to cover 5 potential receivers.
A formation that really causes the defense problems is going trips nub empty with a wing. You put 3 receivers to one side and a TE wing opposite the 3 receivers. Defenses have to align to the wing, especially if your QB has some running ability. Because you can motion and run jet sweep and some misdirection off jet, you can get defenses having to communicate and adjust quickly. I love the set above to throw the football to the trips side. Often you end up with a zone look to trips, giving you an opportunity for high percentage throws. If the defense plays man, you can find a matchup.
Using formations can put the defense in a situation where they misalign. We can cause problems because they have to be able to communicate the front and the coverage. When using multiple formations, you can often get a defense in a situation where they are -1 in the box, or -1 in coverage. You can create matchups, and give yourself opportunities for big plays.
Unbalanced Sets/Formation of the Week
Adding unbalanced sets creates issues for defenses. They have to have rules in place to defend your formations, and with unbalanced sets you gain huge advantages. I like to have a new formation each week that is some sort of unbalanced set. This is something the defense hasn't seen before on film. We used to call this our formation of the week. We might run one or two things from it, but we were going to show it early and put it on film.
Above is an example of an unbalanced set with the formation into the boundary. When you go tackle over, defenses often have to make a special strength call. They have to have a call to identify that the TE is not on the strong side of the formation. They also have to identify who is eligible. I love this set because we have all of our two back run game, and we almost guarantee we are going to get a safety spun down, giving us man coverage on the outside. If your QB is a runner, this formation becomes even more dangerous.
Using Reports
After each game run a self-scout report and look at what formations you ran, and the concepts you ran from those formations. Self-Scouting lets you see tendencies for both run/pass, down and distance scenarios, and where you attacked from each formation. Your opponent is going to look at these reports to prepare. If there is something you ran from a certain formation, you may have set up a complementary play. You might have been in a wing set and ran buck sweep to the wing three times. Now you have set up a reverse off buck sweep action, or something working opposite the buck. Formation reports are an important part of your self-scout.
Final Thoughts
Having multiple formations can cause issues for the defense. With that said, you have to be careful not to put too much into your game plan. You don't have to run every formation each game. Depending on your opponent and matchups, you may use certain formations one week and not use them the next. The cool part is that your opponent still sees these formations on film, and while you may have only run them two weeks ago and not last week, they still have to prepare. Make sure you maximize your formation efficiency, without overloading your own players.
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Additional Resources
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