How to Install 100+ Formations with ZERO Confusion
Mar 23, 2022
Formation Heavy Offenses vs Play Heavy Offenses
I have been hearing a lot of coaches chat about how they believe either having a ton of formations is better than having a ton of plays (schemes) and vice versa.
I call b.s. on both sides of this. Here are the top excuses I have heard on both sides…
- My kids cannot learn that many formations.
- My kids cannot learn that many plays.
And coaches will argue until they are blue in the face about one side or the other.
I have coached varsity football as a Position Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Head Coach for over 20 years. I have coached Division 1,3,4,5,6, and 7 teams in Ohio (There are 7 Divisions). I have taken over a program that lost 22 straight games. We went 9-1 the next season and made the playoffs for the first time in school history. I have coached with NFL, NCAA Division 1,2, and 3 Coaches. I have coached NFL, NCAA, HS, MS, and Youth Football Players. There is literally nothing I have not seen or coached in my career as a Football Coach.
I Tell You That To Tell You This…
STOP USING THE “MY KIDS CAN’T LEARN THAT MUCH” AS A COP OUT!
I can tell you with 100% certainty that your players can learn the system you want them to learn if your system is solid and you and your staff can teach. It is NOT the kids ability to learn.
Why be a Formation Heavy Football Team?
- Impossible for Defensive Coordinators to prepare for.
- Give you the ability to find and pick on the Defenses weakest link.
- Gives you the ability to make the defensive players wrong even when they are doing exactly what they were coached to do (There is nothing more frustrating than that to players and coaches).
- You can put your best players in the best situation to be successful.
Why be a Play (Scheme) Heavy Football Team?
- Impossible for Defensive Coordinators to prepare for.
- Give you the ability to find and pick on the Defenses weakest link.
- Gives you the ability to make the defensive players wrong even when they are doing exactly what they were coached to do (There is nothing more frustrating than that to players and coaches).
- You can put your best players in the best situation to be successful.
So… Both options provide the same advantages?
Yes! Either option is fine, but why not use both? Think about it. If they can learn a bunch of formations why can’t they also learn a bunch of plays and vice versa?
Here’s the bottom line. If you have a system that can account for every formation and all the plays you want to run systematically then it does not matter how many formations or plays you have.
Not all teams can run GAP Schemes, not all teams can run ZONE Schemes, not all QBs can handle the VEER, and so on. Every system has flaws.
HOWEVER, if you have a system that can incorporate any system into the language. Then you can adjust and adapt to the players you have.
For Example…
- Do you have a great Fullback? (Gap Scheme)
- Do you have a Mobile QB? (VEER, Zone Read, Single Wing)
- Do you have NEITHER of them? (Wing T)
- Do you have big, strong, and slow Offensive Linemen? (Gap System)
- Do you have smaller, more athletic Offensive Linemen? (Zone System)
- Do you have 4 great Wide Receivers and a slinger QB? (Air Raid System)
- Do you have great Tight Ends? (Pro I System)
As a Youth, Middle School, or High School Coach you do not have the same personnel every year. We cannot recruit like college and pro teams. We have to be able to adjust and adapt to our personnel we have for the season.
So you have to have a system that uses verbiage that can be adjusted to whatever system you have to run.
How Do You Build a System Like This?
If you want to learn how to put a system like this together. A system that has been proven and won titles at all levels. Then join us inside iCoach.Football and we will hand it to you. We will teach you every single detail on how to build your offensive system based around your personnel.
