Football Formations Matter: Dictate The Box
Football has always been a game of numbers. There’s no doubt that talented players can, at times, make those numbers irrelevant. However; all experienced football coaches understand that there are advantages to be gained with football formations. The numbers may be the same but where they line up is different based on the formation.
Today we want to specifically look at how an offensive coordinator can attack a loaded defensive box with football formations. We understand that the run pass option is the most popular way that offenses are evening up the numbers for the offense these days.
There is nothing wrong with that approach. A well coached RPO quarterback can make a defense feel helpless if the correct decision is made on a pre or post snap read. The issue with the RPO approach is two fold. First, what if your quarterback is not that player you want deciding the play you run. At ehe end of the day, you are putting it all on your quarterback when you call an RPO.
Secondly, there are times in a football game when you do not want the ball thrown. Clock management is more than when to call timeout. There are times when keeping the clock running is every bit as important as getting the first down. This is when good offensive coordinators understand the value of football formations and their opponent is going to line up against them.
Football Formations Can Help You Get The Defense Lined Up The Way You Want. Click On This Football Play Diagram To See What We Would Call Here.
So let’s look at this play diagram below and create an offensive situation. It is late in the game and you need one more first down to put the game away. It’s 3rd down & 3 yards to go for a first down.
As you can see in this play diagram we are lined up in a formation that we call “Flank”. The defense has loaded the box with eight players, as you would expect.
Before you click on this Flank football formation to see what we would call, take a second to look at it. What would you call? Is there a football formation that you like better in this situation? It’s all hypothetical but still a fun thought process to go through in April.
