No one really knows where the I formation began. Some say that it was started around 1900 at Northwestern. Some say that Bob Zuppke started using it around 1914. However, the man credited with the modern iteration and its ensuing popularity is Tom Nugent who started it around 1950 while he was at Virginia Military Institute. No matter where it started, the I formation is one of the most classic and well known formations in football. It can be used to be a spread variant, it can be a power running offense, or you can run the option. In 8-man, the I formation is one of the least changed offenses from 11-man. You keep the exact same backfield, which is important to the offense's stability. It remains a good pass attack and great run offense option. The basics of the offense are easy to teach and to learn. Of the variations, I will discuss the run heavy and option variants first. Run Heavy This variant has a few formations that you can easily run, since you will not really be emphasizing the option or deep passing all that much. "Base" This formation is very easy to run either way and throw. Overall, it's very balanced and good for any style of players. "Monster Tight/Wide" This is an offset formation that is very good for quick teams. As you can see, it is very similar to the Flexbone that I spoke of earlier. The concepts can be quite similar. This is also quite good to pass out of if you wish to split the Tight End out. It is also quite easy to run to either side. You lose a little bit of your inside running ability, but you gain the edge a bit quicker. "Tights" This particular formation is very common, since it gives you a powerful running game on either side and is balanced. If you have quick Ends, it can also be a very viable passing option. This means that you can very easily do both out of this formation if you have the right personnel. The only problem with this particular formation is that you get the whole defense in tight with you. "Hybrid" The Hybrid formation is quite similar to the base 11-man variant, since it gives you a tight end. With this in mind, you should be able to run away from the tight end with options and inside runs, and to the tight ends on sweeps and stretch plays.
Personnel In the I-Formation, personnel is quite key. In the run heavy and option variants, it is very important in the backfield and the line. Your players must have the right mindset as much as they have the right physical attributes. They must be willing to grind the ball out, not be the center of attention, and smash the other team for 4 quarters. QB- Must be willing to run, tough, and able to read the option. He doesn't have to have the best arm on the team, but he must be accurate. Most passing will be done short, so being able to throw 45 yards is not really necessary. It's a bonus, sure, but not necessary. TB- Must be athletic, must be able to take lots of hits, and must be able to catch the ball. He doesn't have to be the biggest or fastest, but he must be willing to get crushed consistently and run hard all the time. He can't just be bouncing the ball outside all the time. FB- The biggest and meanest guy in the backfield, he doesn't have to be fast, but he does have to block and make 3 yards every time he touches the ball. Can't be a one-hit-wonder when blocking. Must be unselfish. OL- Need the same traits as the FB. Must be able to sustain and drive run blocking and give the QB 2 seconds when throwing. Don't have to be the biggest, but have to be the toughest and meanest. WR/TE - Don't have to be the fastest guys you have. They must be able to catch the ball though. Their main skill must be catching, not speed. They must also be able to block. There is no real size requirement to play here, however, if you don't have any size at WR, you may consider subbing in a backup lineman to play TE. Bread-and-Butter Plays There are a few plays that you must be able to run all the time out of this offense. You must have a good TB Lead Dive play, or you will not have them respecting the inside of your offense. You must also have a good FB Dive, especially for short yardage plays. If you wish to be an option offense, you must have both a Lead Option and a Triple Option. If your tailback is quick, a Sweep is nice to have. Your passing game must be mostly curls and slants. You are really trying to shorten the game in this offense. Conclusion In conclusion, this is a great offense for any team. You should be able to shorten the game and keep the score down. It doesn't require superstars, and is super simple. In the next offense post, I will do Pt. 2, which will be the passing, or spread, offense. In the future, I will post on individual plays in this offense as well. Comments are closed.
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