Youth Football Split Backs Formation & More


By FirstDown PlayBook on Aug 9, 2023

The FirstDown PlayBook youth football Split Backs formation is a close kin to our Jumbo formation. The primary difference is that your Pop Warner backs are split instead of being stacked in an I backfield.

This small difference gives you advantages when running some plays, while it also gives up some of its effectiveness in others. The Split Backs formation gives you the ability to get out on the perimeter with either a sweep or an option attack.

Split Backs Gives You More Of A Perimeter Attack Than Jumbo Does

It is also not the power formation that the Jumbo formation is. You don’t have the ability to get downhill with an inside lead run game. If you have a fullback type then Jumbo might be your formation. That’s because this player is generally more comfortable being a lead blocker. They are not as comfortable with the ball in their hands.

6 Pop Warner Defenses Suggested By NFL Coaches

Split Backs is to be considered if you have two running backs with similar speed and talent. If you also have a quarterback that can get on the perimeter, this helps too. The Split Backs formation utilizes all of these things to your advantage.

Finally, these two formations are so similar in structure that you can marry the two without confusing your team and their assignments. Regardless of the defense you face this will be effective.

So what’s your backfield look like? Either way we have your back (pun intended) here at FirstDown PlayBook.

FirstDown PlayBook offers you 12 different formations just like this youth football Shoot formation. You should consider one or two of these for your Pop Warner offense. Tap on any one of the tiles below to visit the article describing that formation. Then get on over to FirstDown PlayBook to get busy coaching your Pop Warner team with the best football playbook available!

Marc Kenyon