
Next, we go to the Split Backs Formation, where the backfield is split in half with a running back lined up on either side. The I Formation is much more than a brute force running formation, however, as having three eligible receivers on or near the line of scrimmage allows the offense to create some legitimate threats downfield for the pass. The offense can get the fullback to block on the middle linebacker in a hurry, and create a lot of space for the tailback to run between the tackles. The advantage of the I Formation is that since the backs are lined up right behind one another, it makes it very easy to run the ball right up the middle with a blocker in front of the ball carrier. Their head coach Tom Osborne ran a triple option offense and everyone, including the fullback, was a threat to carry the football. The fullback is usually much more of a blocker for the tailback, but some coaches like to see the fullback carry the ball quite a bit as well.įor example, one of the greatest college football teams of all time, the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers, won a national championship the I Formation as their primary formation. In this formation, you have the "tailback" (sometimes called the halfback) lined up the deepest in the backfield, and in front of him is the " fullback".
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This formation has been around for decades because of its simplicity, and all the ways it allows an offense to run the ball. The name for the I Formation is pretty straightforward- The running backs in the backfield are lined up behind the quarterback to look like the letter "I".

Some are used more than others today, but you can still see their influence after so many years.

In this first section we'll talk about some very basic formations in football. If you're using these terms with a football coach or an extremely knowledgeable fan, it's almost a certainty that they will at least know what you're talking about when you say "Twins Formation" for example, even if they don't call it that.įormation names are just a way to get offensive football players to line up in a certain way, so whatever your players can memorize best will work. In this article we're going to explain not only the basic formations that you'll see from so many offenses in football, but also some wrinkles and gadgets, as well as some unusual formations that you might only see on a Friday Night from a high school team.īefore we get started, it's important to remember one thing: The language of football doesn't always make sense.Ī lot of coaches use different words to describe the same thing, and so the names you're going to read about in this article are very generic, and not necessarily the name that a team will use for a formation in their offensive football playbooks.
