Much attention is paid to using multiple formations to stress a defense. Running the same play from multiple formations is a sound way to attack. However, further advantages can be realized in utilizing field space to dictate defensive structure and stress defender responsibilities.

To illustrate this point, let’s look at one formation that utilizes two tight ends, two receivers and a running back. The formation is diagrammed below.

 

 

Though two-by-two is nothing out of the ordinary in today’s spread offenses, the placement of personnel and the splits of the receivers on or near the line of scrimmage present some problems for a defense.

The standard answer for two-by-two usually is some form of cover two with the corner playing hard support and the safety playing half coverage. If you are more of a running team, the defense may roll a safety down to an eight man front and play the corners soft. Knowing that the defense will most likely respond in one way is an advantage, but let’s look beyond that.

To the field, we place two tight ends in a compressed alignment from the tackle. That puts them in a good position to hurt the defense with their blocking ability, and because the flank is shortened, we have the ability to attack the space and get the ball on the edge quickly. To accomplish this, we utilize our power read play, which gives us both an inside run with the quarterback power and a sweep out on the edge. Because the corner is playing deep third coverage, the tight ends can get the play started with a combo block up to the corner.

 

 

We further stress the defense with play action off of that exact look. Because of the tight end’s proximity to the linebacker, he is able to quickly get into the void and turn a seven yard pass into a big gain.

 

 

The defense will tend to respond by placing more defenders in the box. The linebacker in the boundary will try to play more inside while still being able to defend the slot receiver on pass because he is still close to the receiver as pointed out in the photo below

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We discovered we could further stress the defense by widening our standard alignment, which becomes the bottom of the numbers for the outside receiver and split the difference for the inside receiver. We take the outside receiver and put him two yards from the sideline, and the inside receiver went to the bottom of the numbers. Now the linebacker trying to play on the edge of the tackle box is too far away to stop a quick throw.

 

To attack this, we give the quarterback and receivers the ability to communicate and quickly get the ball out on the edge. We call a screen to the outside receiver and have a screen to the inside receiver prepared. Those are shown in the video below.

 

 

The example illustrates just one way to play with alignments and field space to create advantages for the offense. This is an area worth exploring in your existing formations and concepts.