Disguise Formations By Using Multiple Personnel Groups

How to Be Unpredictable and Disguise Formations by Using Multiple Personnel Groups

Ralph Friedgen Offensive Coordinator Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, Ga.

Bill O’Brien Runningbacks Coach

Eddie Wilson Tight Ends Coach

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t’s a privilege for our offensive staff to speak before the members of the AFCA. Today we will discuss how we use multiple personnel groups to disguise formations. We have the ability to use many different formations with the same offensive people on the field. This is possible by having certain players learn two positions. Our offensive staff these past three years — Stan Hixon, Doug Marrone, Bill O’Brien and Eddie Wilson — have done an outstanding job of teaching our players their assignments, techniques and responsibilities in order to give us this flexibility in our offense. I will show you the organization and implementation of this system and Bill O’Brien and Eddie Wilson will talk about how they teach these young players multiple positions and how we practice it. At Georgia Tech we use multiple formations, shifting and motions with a variety of personnel groups, it is very hard for the defense to predict what formation we will be in prior to breaking the huddle. We divide our personnel into three packages and organize this by the number of wide receivers in the game. Each eligible receiver has a name or an identity — X, Y, Z, R and H — are used in each of our formations. Prior to the huddle call, the skill players must know what position they are playing. This allows them to know where to align in each formation. The players know to shift or motion because each position has its own set of movements. By knowing who they are before the huddle call allows them to know where to align and to move. We may have the same players on the field but playing different positions because of the name of the personnel group. Our two wide receiver package consists of these personnel groups:

Diagram 1B: Split Lou

Diagram 2A: Deuce Right

Diagram 2B: Deuce Lou

Diagram 3A: Full 89

Diagram 1A: Right

Diagram 3B: Bone Rock

1. Regular: Two wide receivers, two backs, one tight end (Diagrams 1A-1B). 2. Ace: Two wide receivers, one back, two tight ends (Diagrams 2A-2B). 3. Full-89: One wide receiver, three backs, one tight end (Diagrams 3A-3B). In Regular and Ace personnel groups, the player that must learn two positions is the “H” position, this is our fullback or second tight

end. Having a fullback that has this versatility enables you to disguise whether you are in a two-back or one-back formation. The Full-89 personnel group requires you to have a wide receiver that can play in the backfield. Having both a fullback that can play tight end and a wide receiver that can play runningback allows you to be in one-back, two-back or three-back formations with the same players on the field.

• Proceedings • 77th AFCA Convention • 2000 •

Our three wide receiver packages consist of these personnel groups 1. Queens: Three WR, two backs (Diagram 4). 2. Posse: Three WR, one back, one tight end (Diagrams 5A-5B). 3. Full: Two WR, three backs (Diagram 6). The three wide receiver package might be

Diagram 4: Razar

Diagram 5A: Double Left

our most versatile because we can run with both option and power out of Queens and Full and still throw the ball out of our Posse formations. We use a lot of audible with this package. To run this package, you must have a fullback/tight end player and a wide receiver/runningback player. Two years ago we had these two types of players plus our runningback could also play fullback. This allowed us to align in any formation we had with the same players on the field. Our four wide receiver package consists of these personnel groups. 1. Jacks: Four wide receivers, one back (Diagrams 7A-7B). 2. Queens 3: Four wide receivers, one fullback (Diagrams 8A-8B). The four wide receiver package works very well with our option and passing attacks. The

Diagram 7A: Spread Right

Diagram 5B: Train Right Diagram 7B: Dog Right

Diagram 6A: Bone Right Diagram 8A: Razar

ability to run and throw out of all these formations creates a lot of problems defensively. Bill O’Brien will talk about how we teach and practice our WR/RB and RB/FB positions.

Bill O’Brien, Runningbacks Learning the WR/RB Position A. Wide receiver is the main position, learn that position first. B. Slot receiver works best passing game almost the same from Queens, Posse and Jacks. C. Routes from the backfield usually have free release. If he has the ability to protect may involve in protection. D. Running game limited each week to four or five plays. E. Tremendous carryover in option game in all formations. Practice A. Works with wide receivers. B. Work on option drill a minimum of five minutes daily. C. Inside Run Period last four to five plays our WR/RB plays. D. Team will mix in repetitions. Learning the RB/FB Position A. Only teach one or two players both positions running back main position. B. Must be interchangeable with RB. C. Protection and routes the same. D. Play polish and foot work different. Practice A. Work RB at FB when FB/TE is working with TEs. B. Kicking period work as FB. C. Team period mix in to get reps at FB.

Eddie Wilson, Tight Ends

Diagram 6B: Bone Rock Diagram 8B:

Learning the FB/TE Position A. Must first learn fullback position B. Tremendous carry over for assignments in Regular and Ace. C. Passing game protections must learn both one and two back protections. D. Routes must learn to run from the backfield and from the line of scrimmage. E. Releases from the backfield and the line of scrimmage. Practice A. Must practice run and pass blocking on the line with tight ends. B. Inside Run Period mix personnel groups that work on run blocks from both positions. C. Posse TE gets reps in passing game.

• Proceedings • 77th AFCA Convention • 2000 •