How do you make formations easy to learn

formation additives

all of these are essentially the same formation set
find some different words that compress and expand them

Don't know if this is what you are looking for but it depends on your philosophy and who you move. I have a few called formations and a few where I tell one player (my "A," but an "H" in many peoples' systems) where to go. This way I can line up in lots of formations - 2x2, I, offset I, Ace, trips, trey, etc - while not confusing the other guys. Here's my base "Pro" set.

-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----------------Q---------------Z
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Now below is "Pro-Wing"


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
---------A-------Q---------------Z
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Below is Pro-Near


-X---------T-G-C-G-T------Y
-----------------Q-----A---------Z
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Below is Pro East


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----------------Q---------------Z
---------------------A---------
-----------------R

Now Pro West


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----------------Q---------------Z
-------------A----------------
-----------------R

Now Pro I (Note this doesn't accurately show backfield spacing but you get the idea)


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----------------Q---------------Z
-----------------A------------
-----------------R

Now Pro Slot


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----A----------Q----------------Z
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Now Pro Acer


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-----------------Q--------------A----Z
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Now Pro Wide


-----X---------T-G-C-G-T-----Y
-A------------------Q-----------------Z
---------------------------------
---------------------R

And so on. You can do the same thing from say a different set. I call this Twins Tight


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-Y
------Z---------Q---------------
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Twins Tt Near


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-Y
------Z---------Q--------A------
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Twins Tt Wing


-X---------T-G-C-G-T-Y
----Z----A------Q---------------
-------------------------------
-----------------R

Twins Tt Wide


-----X---------T-G-C-G-T-Y
-A--------Z---------Q---------------
-------------------------------
---------------------R

Hope that makes sense. I think it's very multiple and variable. You can do a real easy diagram where you should the different sets for "A." If you don't have an A who can do all of these, you can substitute that player in and out. From there you can have a few simple sets that tell everyone what to do and don't have a call for A: "split" (splitbacks, or the base call from 2-back gun, i.e. Gun split), "Bunch" (basic bunch set right with the bunch 4 yards from the tackle), Gator (Base 5-wide set), etc.

Last, if we go in "Gun" the R back will just align wherever he needs to run the play, i.e. IZ, counter, or his protection responsibility. Like I said, if we are using 2-backs in gun we say "split" which tells R to line up to the QB's right and "A" to line up to his left.

Name them after hot chicks.


or movie titles

or cars

or cartoon characters

or animals


really doesnt matter...honestly.

I used to use R words for formations that were strong right and L words for formations that were strong left... I dont even give the double wing a name...its just what I want the kids to line up in every time unless I change it.

Excellent idea! Anything to make that connection in the brain of our players.

As for me, I use team names for my running plays, but more "traditional" terms for formations.


ACE
.....................X..T..G..C..G..T..Y
......H.........................Q.........................Z

.................................T


RACE
.....................X..T..G..C..G..T..Y
.................................Q....................H........Z

.................................T


LACE
.....................X..T..G..C..G..T..Y
...Z.....H.....................Q

.................................T


DOUBLES
......X..................T..G..C..G..T........................Y
................H................Q...................Z

..................................T


TIGHT DOUBLES
.................X......T..G..C..G..T......Y
.....................H..........Q.........Z

..................................T


RIGHT SLOT
......X..................T..G..C..G..T..Y
..............H..................Q........................Z

..................................T


RIGHT SLOT WING
......X..................T..G..C..G..T..Y
..............H..................Q.............Z

..................................T


RIGHT TRIPS
......X..................T..G..C..G..T..Y
............Z....H..............Q

..................................T


RIGHT TREY
......X..................T..G..C..G..T..Y
..................................Q...................H.......Z

..................................T

I use Coach Elrods system and with the formation names and a few tags I probably have used 40-50 different formations in the last 2 season using that system. Not that difficult and the kids picked it up rather quickly. Always that one or two rocket scientist that cant remember 1 or 2 but for the most part it has been pretty smooth.

Ends - if we don't call a formation - both ends split - If we call Right - TE is on the right
if we call Left - Te is on the left. if we call TIGHTS we have two TEs and if we call Both Right we have an unbalnced set with a tight end and spilt end right


Backs - If there is no call we are in a T, If we call BLue - backs are left(trips), BRown - backs are right. Green - RH goes to wing - Gold - LH goes to wing. Seldon move our Fullback but if we want the fullbck as a slot we call FRed for fullback right , and FLintstone for fullback left

YOu mix those all together and you have about thousand formation possibilities --

for ex. Right Blue - gives us a TE right , Se left, with both HBs left in a trips
Tights Green - gives us a two TE look with a wingback right
Gold - gives us a two SE look with a slot on the left

The players know their formation calls after the first ten minutes of the first practice.

Are you planning on using different personnel groupings for these formations? That might help kids remember.


It seems to me the first 3 formations have the same personnel groupings....2 SE, 2 slots (wide or tight)


The next two have similar personnel.....2 TE, 2 WB/FL


And the last three.........1 SE, 1 TE, 2 slots/HB


I will put forth my suggestions, which come from common names I have heard these formations called (and a little imagination):

1. shoot
2. spread
3. Trips

4. Wing
5. Ace

6. Red (blue)
7. Buck
8. Over


With personnel groupings, you could have guys who only have to know certain things (like HEAVY personnel only has to know Wing and Ace)

Certainly, you will have guys that overlap personnel groupings.

In our system, everything has an opposite, and starts from our BASE set:

Base

X...................R..................U...C...Y.......................E.......................Z
..........A.............................................................................B..........
..........................................2.........................................................
...............................................1....................................................

"43" formation:

X....R....A....B...........................U...C...Y............................................
..........................................................................E................Z......
..............................................2....................................................
....................................................1..............................................

34:

.......................................U...C...Y................A......B.....E......Z.....
....X.........R...............................................................................
.................................................2.................................................
...........................................1..............................................


"241 Wide Stagger"

..............A.............R.................U...C...Y...E.................B..................
X..................................................................................................Z
......................................................1..............................................
............................................................2........................................

Note: "Wide" means X & Z are OFF the L.O.S.


"133"

x............................................U...C...Y................E...........B............Z
..............A.............R........................2.............................................
..................................................1..................................................

"331"

x.............A............R..............U...C...Y.............................................Z
..............................................2.......................E...............B..............
..................................................1...................................................


KB

I did this when I was a HC at MS, now I'm in HS and doing defense so I dont know if it is too simplistic for you all, but I went and dug it out so here it goes.

My Offensive formation is called by a Color followed by two letters, and then a one word call for any motion (if there is no motion we also have a call to keep the play calling tempo the same).
Color indicates our backfield alignment; we have six possible alignments, so our backs only need to know six formations (but its even easier than that; QB knows White/Black under center everything else is shotgun).
The two letters indicate the alignment for the receivers, we have 12 letters that we use (first letter is for left side of the alignment, second for the right side). All any of the receivers have to remember though is six letters (they don't need to know other players formations, just theres).
For example Black AX Zap:
Black: two backs I form
A(1st letter left side): Z Receiver left TE Left
X (2nd letter right side): X WR wide right
Zap (Motion) Z receiver motion across formation.

So all anyone had to know was 6 formations (although to be honest my 3's could either be RB or WR so they had to know 9) but I was afforded the luxury of running multiple formations and out flank them, yet maintain simplicity that the young ones could handle. All told We had 10 ace back formations, and four 2 back formations; you could run all of them to the left or right, under center or out of the gun. That was enough possibility for me.

I dunno if this helps any, it was basic enough that even the 6th graders never lined up wrong, although all the HS programs Ive been a part of seem a lot more complex than this so It may be a bit too basic.

Isn't it funny how the system each of use seems simple to us and other terminology doesn't. Probably ought to let the kids name all the stuff.

It's funny that you say that...but I know that it's true.

In 2006, we went away to camp with another local school (although not in our same division) and we would scrimmage them every day. One of the things we like to do in the scrimmages is to have a coach write on a white board what play has been called in the huddle and show that to the rest of the team that is standing by, so they know what play has been called and can watch their positions and learn.

Anyway, the other teams head coach was over on our side (our staffs have a good relationship, so we were very open with each other during the course of the camp). On the last day of the camp, the HC of the other team was saying, "coach, I've seen a lot of terminology systems in my time, but I was trying to figure out your plays by what was written on that whiteboard and I didn't have a CLUE what it was saying...!"

When I explained the system to him, he really liked it, but said that he felt it was very different than what he was used to.

I wish I could take credit for it all, but it is very similar to the system I actually played in when I was in HS. Then, I came back after coaching 3 years of youth and spent 3 years coaching for my former HC, so I used that same system there. Over the following 7 years, we continued to develop and refine that system to where I think it is something we can uniquely call our own...!

To me elrod is the easily ever

two tight slots/two split ends Cowboy
two wide slots/two split ends Doubles
two wings/two tight ends Stud
right slot/two twins right/one tight end left
two tight ends/two flankers titan
te wing right/se and tight slot left red/blue
te wing right/se left with back lined up 3 deep behind left tackle
tight slot left/tight end,se,flanker right