4 wide receiver formations

The 4-3 defense is common among professional and even youth programs. The eighth defensive back in this case is usually a wide receiver from the offense. It's easy to install and allows teams to use different personnel at different positions. Or, if you need help develop fundamental offensive skills, don't miss our drill collections covering quarterbacks, offensive line, running backs and receivers. It's packed with 10 simple, fun and effective plays designed for youth and high school football. The Singleback Snugs Flip is the same as the Singleback Snugs with four receivers lined up compressed in a 22 alignment. able to carve up defenses like a surgeon. The TE2 lines up next to the LT. [6][7][8] Second, one of the running backs is stationed outside the end, as a wingback (hence the alternate longer name, "single wingback formation"). [31][32] It grew in importance as the 1940s progressed, as it was more effective versus the T than the other standard defense of the time, the 62. Also known simply as "Five-wide", a reference to the five wide receivers. There is also a variation of this defense called the 3-4 under defense. The Wing T has its roots in what Otto D. Unruh called the "T-Wing" formation and is known to have called the play as early as 1938 with the Bethel Threshers.[23]. Unlike other formations, the extra safety is not referred to as a quarterback or halfback (except in Canadian football), to avoid confusion with the offensive positions of the same names, but rather simply as a defensive back or a safety. Found in the Lions and Panthers playbook, the Singleback Tight Slots has the outside receivers lined up on the line of scrimmage, while the inside receivers line up off the line of scrimmage. will be open in about a half-second). Both of these formations were only shown with the receivers to the left and had Andrei Lintz at Y. The most common seven-man line defenses were the 7-2-2 defense and the 7-1-2-1 defense. The most common use of motion we saw from WSU toward the end of the season was an "F Move" (in both Blue and Green). This spread formation has the tight end flexed out in the right slot. The slot receiver is lined up off the line of scrimmage, along with the tight end. The tackle spread or "Emory and Henry" formation is an unusual American football formation that dates to the early 1950s, when the Wasps of Emory & Henry College under head coach Conley Snidow used it as part of their base offense. 3-Deep Quarter. This formation typically has no wide receivers, and often employs 3 tight ends and 2 running backs, or alternately 2 tight ends and 3 running backs. I formation, fullback offset strongside I Formation, fullback offset weakside The formation has also been used as a basis for trick plays such as a backwards pass to a player near the sideline followed by forward pass down the field. This formation is normally used for a pass play, but can also be good for running, as defenders must move at least one player out of the middle of the field (the "box", between the tackles on the offensive line) to cover the additional wide receiver or tight end. The Singleback Deuce is the Colts version of the Singleback Ace. For more plays like this, check our complete Spread Offense Playbook today! It is because of this that the secondary safety in a football defense is called a free safety rather than a weak safety. The key difference is how the receivers line up on the line of scrimmage. They never leave their side. The LB's have hook zones. Unlike most passing plays, the receiver is not open when he is The 6-2 defense consists of six defensive linemen, two linebackers, and three defensive backs (one safety, two corners). This formation, as you might expect, is a power run formation. The flanker and split end line up on the left side. Carroll, Bob, Gershman, Michael, Neft, David, and Thorn, John, "List of formations in American football", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "7 on the line 4 in the backfield" convention, How the Wildcat Reignited the 'fins, USA Today, December 12, 2008, Taking another pass with the Wildcat, ESPN, U-M's Shotgun Offense is Older than the Winged Helmets Themselves, Pro Football Formations 1: In the Beginning, "Red Hickey, 89; NFL Player, Coach Invented Shotgun Formation", "HISTORY WITH HAYES: Before college football coaching fame, Conley Snidow led Tazewell's hoops team to 1940 state title", "Bengals use 3-lineman formation against Seahawks", "Watch: Cincinnati Bengals line up in 'Star Wars' formation", "American Football Monthly - The Magazine For Football Coaches", "Stack 3-3 Zone Blitzes | Scholastic.com", "3-3-5 Defense: Entertainment and Football Definition", "Speed, position switches define TCU way", Article on the history of the Split T formation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_formations_in_American_football&oldid=1132996395, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from May 2012, All articles needing additional references, Articles with disputed statements from April 2012, Articles needing additional references from July 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2009, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 19:15. [15] Harper's Weekly in 1915 calls it "the most valuable formation known to football. The offense was an immediate success, and Texas won the national championship in 1969 running a wishbone / option system. Still, this list of formations covers enough of the basics that almost every formation can be considered a variant of the ones listed below. In obvious onside kick formations, more players are moved to the front of the formation, usually top wide receivers and other players who are good at recovering and catching loose balls; this formation is known as the "hands team". Diagram and description of the Maryland I at. (This is shown in the images above) Essentially a covered receiver is an eligible receiver on the line of scrimmage who is not on the outside of the formation. [13][14] In times when punting on second and third down was fairly common, teams would line up in the short punt formation and offer the dual threat of punt or pass. [42] A later evolution of the original 5-2 is the Oklahoma 52, which ultimately became the professional 3-4 when the defensive ends of the original 5-2 were substituted over time for the outside linebackers of the 34. Prior to the snap, only the lone lineman assumed a three-point stance near the offensive center while the 6 linebackers "roved" up and down the line of scrimmage, attempting to confuse the quarterback as to whether they would rush the passer, drop into coverage, or play the run. Outside . Despite having two tight ends, this is a balanced formation that can be found in several playbooks. ARTICLE 4. The Singleback Flex has the slot and tight end lined up on the line of scrimmage, while the flanker and split end line up off the line of scrimmage. The left slot also lines up on the line of scrimmage. You've got the two wide outs called "X" (left side) and "Z" (right side). The formation was originally designed as a brute-force running formation, since it had 7 players to one side of the center and only 2 on the other. Others attribute the origins to Hugh Wyatt, a Double Wing coach (See Double Wing discussion below). But whether it's being run out of a Singleback formation, the Shotgun, or the new in between variant - the Pistol - it remains an effective offensive philosophy. The first digit identifies the number of running backs (RB) and the second the number of tight ends (TE). Defense consisting of seven (quarter) or eight (half dollar) defensive backs. Against 3-4 wide receiver formations, the Whip will step out and match up over the slot receiver to the wide side of the field. The 353 refers to a defense that has three down linemen (the "3" level), three linebackers and two corners (the "5" level), one free safety and 2 strong safeties (the "3" level). In the original 43, defensive tackles would line up opposite the offensive guards, and defensive ends on the outside shoulders of the offensive tackles. In 2011, the NFL instituted a rule requiring players other than the kicker to line up no more than 5 yards from the ball before the kick. [36][32][37][38] As the T formation grew popular in the 1940s, this formation was replaced in the NFL with the 5-3 and the 5-2 defenses. This formation, as you might expect, is a power run formation. The TE2 lines up next to the LT. A few common Singleback Flex plays that most teams have are the Curls Flats, Flanker Drive, HB Dive, Inside Cross, PA Deep In, Slants, TE Post, and Y Shallow Cross. They replace a defensive tackle with a corner. His Oklahoma City program presented the new offensive formation to great fanfare before losing to the Southwestern Moundbuilders by a score of 70.[22]. These two changes made the backs' formation resemble a square (hence the "box") and made the formation less predictable, allowing offenses to run more easily to the "weak" side. By 1950, five man lines were standard in the NFL, either the 5-3 or the 5-2 Eagle. Therefore 10 personnel has 1 RB and 0 TE. Kickoff formations are usually in a straight line, with ten players (nine if a placeholder is used on the kickoff) lined up across the field several yards behind the ball. In this formation, the linemen often line up directly in front of the offensive line, while the linebackers "shoot the gaps". If receivers are trained to take two steps and break on a route, two steps from on the line and two steps from off the line is the difference of a few yards. One unique factor about this formation, depending on the exact alignment, is that the center can be an eligible receiver if he is the farthest outside on the line of scrimmage. The Singleback Double Pats was designed specifically for the Patriots personnel. It also allows for ten offensive players to block, unlike in a conventional running play, in which the quarterback is usually not involved after delivering the ball to a running back. X's O's Football is not affiliated or associated with EA Sports, the NFL, or their license. Though it The modifier "Rip" will move Y off the ball and Z on, giving us a mirrored formation. Aside, you always have to create playbooks, because of all the trash. The flanker lines up out wide to the left. The left slot and flanker line up on the line of scrimmage, while the right slot and split end line up off the line of scrimmage. It is often referred to as the "bastard child of the I and the Wing-T". The 335 removes a lineman to the nickelback. The traditional saying is "7 on the line, 4 in the backfield" but this is something of a misnomer, as "backfield" usually refers to the area directly behind the offensive line. Certain college programs, such as the University of Hawaii and Texas Tech still use it as their primary formation. Historically, this was the first major defense with 4 defensive backs, and was used to combat the passing attacks of the time. 38 refers to the positions of the defensive players on the line of scrimmage. The Singleback Ace Pair lines the two tight ends up on the same side of the field. In addition, although 4 Wide is best used as a passing formation, it This restriction isn't without a purpose, as the numbering system serves to define who is allowed to be in what position on the field. . In colleges, this defensive front has remained viable for a much longer period of time, because colleges, historically, have run a lot more than the NFL. The two most important . Designed specifically for the Eagles personnel, the Singleback Eagle Slot looks like the Singleback Doubles. The Singleback Dice is the Colts version of the Singleback Doubles. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). This causes the defensive line to also spread out, creating gaps the offense can exploit.[3]. The slot moves to the inside, where he lines up next to right tackle in a two-point stance. defensive backfield. The two flankers start sharp left, then turn back to the right, forcing At least five linemen must wear jerseys numbered 50 through 79, (Exception: When the snap is from a scrimmage kick formation, par. The following is a list of common and historically significant formations in American football. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Most recently the 6-1 Defense saw an appearance in Super Bowl LIII, where the New England Patriots used it to pressure the high-powering Los Angeles Rams. The TE2 can be motioned to the same side as the TE1 and TE3. A good portion of the pass plays are especially drawn up for the Colts offense. It utilizes four wide receivers and no tight ends. To see if your playbook has a 4 WR sets, when your playbook comes up, choose the screen that says personnel, in there if your playbook has a 4 WR set it will show that package and what plays it has. The other 3 backs lined up on the same side of the QB in various arrangements. The rest of the offense is far away near the sideline. The Singleback Big Twin WR looks like the Singleback Ace as far as how the tight ends line up. [24] Instead of the conventional grouping of all five ineligible offensive linemen in the middle of the formation, the Emory and Henry spreads the tackles out to the edge of the field along with two receivers or slotbacks, creating two groupings of three players near each sideline. The fullback replaces the number two tight end and lines up at the wing position on the left. You can find a handful of 4-wide in the "EMPTY" sets, under create a playbook. [9] The formation was successful, so many NFL and college teams began to incorporate it into their playbooks, often giving it team-specific names such as the "Wildhog" used by the Arkansas Razorbacks, among many other variations. It was created by Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur, and evolved from Buddy Ryan's 46 defense. A formation similar to the Flexbone, though much older, is known as the "Delaware Wing-T" was created by longtime University of Delaware coach and NCAA Rules Committee chairman David M. Nelson, and perfected by his successor Tubby Raymond. This set is similar to the Singleback Bunch, but with one difference. The wishbone is a common formation for the triple option offense in which the quarterback decides after the snap whether to hand the ball to the fullback for a run up the middle, pitch the ball to a running back on the outside, or keep the ball and run it himself. That said, it was regarded as a good formation for trap plays. Found in the Colts playbook, the Singleback Trips has the slot and flanker lined up off the line of scrimmage. The TE1 lines up on the line of scrimmage, while the TE2 lines up off the line of scrimmage. The split end and right slot receivers are lined up off the line of scrimmage. He may come in motion for running plays. The Singleback Deuce Slot replaces the third wide receiver with the TE1 in the slot. This formation is any defense consisting of six defensive backs. due to the quick throws used, though different plays may favor each flanker uses no extra blockers, it works great against blitzes because of its lightning In most cases, it is exclusively a running formation, designed to score by brute force. This defense was the philosophical equivalent of the "Notre Dame Box" offense devised by Knute Rockne in the 1930s, in that it used an unbalanced field and complex pre-snap motion to confuse the opposing offense. It is generally a balanced formation, and there are backs on both sides of the tailback, offering better pass protection. 12 Personnel: 1 running back, 2 tight ends, 2 wide receivers. Punting formations use a five-man offensive line, three "upbacks" (sometimes also referred to as "personal protectors") approximately 3 yards behind the line to act as an additional line of defense, two wide receivers known as "gunners" either to stop the punt returner or to down the ball, and the punter, 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage to receive the long snap. The original 6-1 was invented by Steve Owen in 1950 as a counter to the powerful passing attack of Paul Brown's Cleveland Browns. Two tight ends line up on the line of scrimmage, while the split end and flanker line up off the line of scrimmage. A wide receiver ( WR ), also referred to as a wideout, historically known as a split end ( SE) or flanker ( FL ), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A combination of the 44, 62, and the 46, it is designed to stop the run and to confuse offenses. You can line up 4 eligible receivers on one side at once, usually in formations known as "quads" or "diamond", but only one receiver can be on the line. Jerry Valloton also marketed the offense well when he wrote the first book on the offense. Because it is generally more difficult to establish a rushing attack using only the shotgun, most NFL teams save the shotgun for obvious passing situations such as 3rd and long or when they are losing and must try to score quickly. The "eagle" in the formation's name comes from the late 1940s-early 1950s Philadelphia Eagles coached by Greasy Neale. Also known as the "ace" or "singleback" formation, the single set back formation consists of one running back lined up about five yards behind the quarterback. The split end and flanker line up opposite each other out wide. Pistol was used sparingly in the beginning of the season and appeared less frequently as the season progressed. Another variation of the "balanced T" formation is the so-called "unbalanced T" formation. The split ends are Football rules shape what offensive formations are possible during game play. The Singleback Y-Trips has tight end lining up on the line of scrimmage, while the slot and flanker line up off the line of scrimmage and on the same side. Despite having two tight ends, this is a balanced formation that can be found in several playbooks. There are many variations of the single wing with really the only common threads being that, first, rather than lining up "under center", the quarterback (actually called a tailback back in the day) is lined up a few yards behind with running backs generally on one side of him. When we say wing, we mean off the line of scrimmage. Please be more specific. [49][50][51] A variation is the 245, which is primarily run by teams that run the 34 defense. The wishbone has very rarely been used in professional football, as it was developed after passing quarterbacks became the norm. The most common play out of the formation is a quick pass to a receiver on the outside which functions much like a wide receiver screen or, if defenders crowd the line of scrimmage, a quickly thrown streak route with the receiver attempting to run past them. In football, the formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the field. It is essentially a shotgun variation, with the quarterback lined up closer than in standard shotgun (normally 3 to 4 yards behind center), and a running back lined up behind, rather than next to, the QB (normally at 3 to 4 yards behind quarterback). Notice that the 4th back required by the rules is the set-back wide receiver at the right (called the flanker). However, the Wing Back may also line up diagonally from the Tight End. A nice little passing play that is especially effective against man coverage. Some variations use an extra strong safety instead of an extra cornerback. Sure, but depending on how, only a certain number of them can be eligible. also features fast developing, straight ahead running plays to provide This creates a line that is weighted toward the right of the center. Here are three diagrams of I-Formation, strong side right (that is, with the tight end lining up to the right, typical for a right-handed quarterback). It is occasionally referred to as the prevent defense because of its use in preventing desperation plays. In this formation, the normal tight-end is almost exclusively a blocker, while the H-back is primarily a pass receiver. The same goes for the running game - with the defense spread out all over the line of scrimmage, it is much more difficult for them to stack the box and prepare for the run. There are several plays in this formation that you wont find in other playbooks. a. Interestingly enough, the rules of football mandate what number a player can wear. Inside Receiver. The Pistol can also feature the option play. It can be run with two tight ends, one tight end and one wide receiver, or two wide receivers. In this set, the third safety would be referred to as a "weak safety" (WS) and allows two position safeties at the mid-level with a third safety deep.