Flexbone and Triple Option Basic Formational Utilization

Don’t use formations simply to use them. Each formation as part of the entire Flexbone Offense serves a purpose. They aren’t just window dressing for the same plays as they might be in other offenses. Here is a simply method you can use to put your team in the right formation.

1. Find the Free Safety.  Is he inside the tackle box or outside the tackle box?
2. Find the number of linebackers inside the tackle box.
3. See if the defense has an odd or even number of defensive linemen.
4. Align in a balanced offensive set (ex. Spread or Double Flex) and see if the defense aligns in a balanced defensive alignment.

• If the defense does not balance, attack where the defense has fewer numbers.
• If the defense aligns balanced, attack where they have the angles on blocks, especially on the playside linebacker.
• If the defense aligns balanced and there are no angles, look for personnel mismatches.

Align in an unbalanced set (Heavy, Trips, Over, Green, Brown) and see where the free safety is aligned.

• If the free safety is in the box and nobody from the defense goes over to the unbalanced side, attack where the defense has fewer numbers.
• If the defense takes somebody over, attack the side from where the defender was taken.

To attack the triple stack (3-3-5/3-5-3/5-3) from a balanced set identify where the linebackers are “in” or “out.”

• If “in” go back from where the linebackers are kicked, or away from the secondary roll.  Then, get into Heavy, Trips, Over, Green, Brown to make the defense declare their linebackers or coverage.