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Gaining Leverage - Using unbalanced sets and formations can give your offense an advantage.

by: Alvin Parker
Offensive Coordinator, Elizabeth City State University
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In this high tech game of offensive football, every coach is looking to gain advantages. We have incorporated different unbalanced sets as a part of our offensive scheme. Our players understand what we are trying to accomplish with these sets and, more importantly, they understand the do’s and don’ts in these formations. Ultimately, with these formations, we look to surprise the defense and create a small amount of confusion. We also look to out-leverage the defense and bring more players to a side of a formation than the defense can handle.

When using these sets your players must understand that there will be someone who is normally an eligible receiver that may no longer be eligible because of the formation. In our unbalanced sets at ECSU, we like to continue to use our normal personnel groupings, but we will often add extra offensive linemen to achieve our down and distance goals. 

The best part about these formations is that you can still run your traditional plays and maintain the rules that those plays encompass. This holds true no matter what offense you run. Many of these formations create a surprise element and can slow down aggressive defenses. What we typically notice is that a defense will check out of the initial play call and play something safer against these formations.

When we practice, we have a group of plays that we will run out of any formation and these plays are practiced out of our normal sets and also our unbalanced sets. We script practice and while it’s hard to know the defensive adjustment to these formations, we go over every possible scenario the can be presented to us.

These formations allow ways to get to the edge in the run game and also gives you great advantages in the perimeter screen game. As the playcaller, you have the ability to take full advantage of where the numbers allow; that is, to the strong or weak side of these formations.

Some key fundamentals and quick reminders for unbalanced sets:

•  Always make sure 7 players are on the line of scrimmage.

•  Know who is an eligible WR and who is not.

•  Understand that the fundamentals of the play will not change.

•  Count numbers (defenders) to see where you can gain leverage.

•  Use normal personnel groups, but also remember extra offensive linemen can be used.

•  You don’t always have to call the play to the strength of the formation.

We go into every game with a few unbalanced formations. This allows  us to give the defense a new and unusual look and forces the defense to adjust on the fly. Like anything else, it takes reps and practice to make it efficient. Ask yourself if  it is easier to add a new play or is it easier to add a new formation?


Diagrams 1-5 show different unbalanced formations to gain leverage.


Diagram 1: Formation 1 - 21 personnel with all receivers eligible. Can also be run with TE to the strong side but TE will not be eligible.


Diagram 2: Formation 2 - 11 personnel with all receivers eligible except the TE.


Diagram 3: Formation 3 - 21 personnel with all receivers eligible.


Diagram 4: Formation 4 - 10 personnel. If RB stays in the backfield, Y receiver is not eligible. If RB shifts out, all receivers are eligible.


Diagram 5: Formation 5 - 22 personnel with all receivers eligible. This formation uses  an extra offensive tackle.


About the Author: Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Alvin Parker starts his 10th season this fall on the staff of Elizabeth City State University. He coached previously at Virginia Union for five seasons as both offensive coordinator and running backs coach. Parker received a Bachelor’s Degree while at Virginia Union and earned four varsity letters. He also received a Master’s Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.


Find more articles like this:

Flexible Formations – April, 2011
How to Slow Down the ‘Tempo’ Wing-T – December, 2009
The Spin Offense: The Weakside Attack – October, 2007







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