College Football Coaching: Using Fib, Formations into the boundary.
Utilizing Formation into the Boundary.
This article will look at several programs and how they use formation into the boundary at the college level. It is a good formation winey you go 3x1 into the boundary. It forces defenses into a situation where they shift the underneath defenders, align their whole defense into the boundary. What happens to the 1 wr side to the field. Do teams give you the 1x1 matchup?
Formation is more used in the college game because in the NFL the hash marks are so tight. There is really no field adjustments that have to be made as a result. So, you have to go to the college game to see how it is more utilized. Another advantage in college is that you can line up with 2 wr on the same side with unbalanced formations. This is also another concept that nfl teams don’t have to address on defense as teams are not allowed to not have an eligible wr on the other side opposite unbalanced.
Western Kentucky Formation into the Boundary
Western Kentucky had a prolific offense in 2021. One of their strength was using formation passing strength into the boundary. They have an easy system which is as follows.
If they get single coverage or cover 3 they will throw the ball to #1 on the fade or if the CB is off they will throw the ball to #1 on an out cut.
Any cover 2/4 looks where there is help over #1, they will work the ball back to the boundary side which could be a twins or trips formation.
If the coverage is 3 they also can throw the ball into the boundary attacking the seem in a few ways which I will get into in this article.
There first 7 times agains Michigan State they were 7 for 7 for 176 yards, averaging 25 yards per play. That's pretty impressive. That's 100% completion rate.
Vs Michigan State
1st and 10 10 personnel
3x1 into the boundary Michigan State goes cover 3 into the boundary with the sam LB over
Route Concept: 4 verts
Result: Hit #2 wr for a 23 yard gain.
Nice design with trips into the boundary
good route concept
hits the open wr.
On the same drive they run the same formation.
1st and 10. 10 personnel
3x1 trips into the boundary Michigan State goes cover 3 again into the boundary, sam LB over
Route concept: Fake quick screen #3 vertical after he fakes blocking
Result: Hit #2 for a 22 yard gain.
#2 wr gets open in the seem.
1st and 10
11 personnel twins to the boundary and tight, flank to the field
coverage: They get cover 3 with a press CB and this gives them a favorable matchup on the outside to the field. The offense will take what the defense gives you.
They run a fade on the outside to #1 on the tight end side. The #1 wr has plenty of room to operate.
Result: 51 yard gain
2nd and 10
twins to the boundary , TE and flanker to the field
They get cover 3 with a soft corner.
Route Concept: #1 now runs a deep out cut based on the coverage.
Result: 12 yard gain
Again they get the favorable coverage to the field.
Nice design and they like the matchup.
1st and 10
Twins to the boundary and tight end flank to the field
Michigan State goes cover 1with the sam playing to the boundary and strong side safety coming down. No help over the top for the DB as he is in 1x1.
result: They complete the fade to #1 for a 34 yard game
They blitz the sam and play man free. The Mike not blitzing has the RB.
Good design.
2nd and 3
Now Michigan State decides to go cover 2
That tells the QB he can't work the 1 wr side and work the trips side. They get cover 2 and the #3 WR runs a nice shallow slant because the mike goes so deep. Looks like 4 verts but the WR breaks under the mike because of the deep drop.
Result: 18 yard gain
They take the #3 on the shallow concept.
Good design.
Nice play designs by Western Kentucky. They were successful for 7 of 7 in the first half. Excellent play design by the W Kentucky coaching staff. Some more clips will be on the way.
Here are the clips mentioned in this segment.