THE WIDE BUNCH FORMATION!!

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Blitz
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CFL OFFENCES HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY BLAND

In previous posts on the Annus Stukus thread I?ve mentioned how CFL scoring and offensive production is down, how CFL defenses have become the area of innovation in the CFL, and strongly suggested that more innovative strategies need to be created to make CFL offence more exciting and also more effective.

CFL offences have become increasingly bland, often using basically two running plays (the outside zone run, outside zone run) to both sides of the line in an ace back set along with five receiver sets that line up three receivers to the wide side. The slots backs line up deep and try to time hitting the line of scrimmage at the snap count. On occasion we?ve seen the six receiver set, including four lined up to the wide side on occasion?but the formation is being used less because defenses blitzed quarterbacks or dropped nine into coverage. The bunch formation was integrated into the CFL game when Wally Buono was in Calgary. It?s now a part of a number of CFL team?s offences.

THE STANDARD CFL BUNCH FORMATION

The bunch formation, lines up three receivers in a ?bunch? just outside of the offensive tackle. For the running game it provides extra blocking close to the line of scrimmage, enables the offence to block the run differently, creates better blocking angles, and provides a greater opportunity for the ?ace? running back to get to the ?edge?. In the passing game, the ?cluster? of receivers creates match up opportunities, while at the same time, it can cause confusion in pass coverage. Most CFL teams do not attempt to play man defense against the bunch because it can result in a broken coverage, or being ?rubbed off? as receivers cross, or it opens up the outside of the field too much, amongst other challenges. Instead the defense is forced to 'zone' it.

DEFENCES HAVE TO 'ZONE' THE BUNCH FORMATION


However ?zoning? it still creates headaches because receivers are able to get into open zone areas and seams quickly, since they are lined up closer to the quarterback than usual. The quarterback will read the coverage and quickly make his throw. However the bunch formation also has its limitations. It doesn?t stretch the field or the defense, so the inside zone seams open quickly but then are compacted. CFL teams like our Leos usually combine the bunch formation with the spread offence. I?ve always believed that CFL teams could combine the advantages of the bunch formation and the spread formation with a new formation called the ?Wide Bunch?

THE WIDE BUNCH FORMATION

A wide bunch formation could cause all kinds of headaches for a defense..especially if the defense lined up in a five defensive back or even in a six defensive back two linebacker set. Lining up three receivers in a bunch formation to the wide side of the field, about 15-18 yards outside the tackle creates major headaches. In a five defensive back set it means that the free safety would have to cover one of the three receivers if they went man to man. That completely pulls the free safety out of the middle of the field and forces him to line up all the way over to the wide side of the field. Playing man is the worst coverage for the defense because of the confusion in assignments and ?rub? possibilities of the bunch formation.

If the defense decides to play zone?with the safety in the middle?the offence will have already overloaded the wide size of the field with three receivers being covered by two defensive backs and the quarterback can hit the open receiver. Linebacker help will be too slow getting there. If the defense plays man to man you've also got man on the weakside of the field with no safety help. It's also very weak against the run if the tailback can get past the linebackers he is on his way to ?paydirt?. If the defense plays zone, you want your two weak side receivers stacked (one behind each other) or two man ?bunched? (in other words lined up close to each other) and also lined up as wide as possible on the short side of the field to further stretch the defense.

A SECOND VARIATION

A second variation of the wide bunch formation would be to use a four receiver bunch formation to the wide side of the field with a single receiver on the weak side. All receivers are lined up wide again in this formation. The four receivers could be lined up in a double stack or three receivers in a bunch with a fourth slightly inside. If you line up Geroy Simon on the weak side and they give him single coverage, he will beat his man. If they double cover him, then the offence will have four receivers flooding the wide side against two defensive backs and the safety who will slide over and out of the middle. One of those receivers has to be open against a zone defense. If the defense attempts to go ?man? then they are in big potential trouble again, dealing with even more confusion, rub routes, quick crosses, and potential missed assignments. Using Geroy on the wide side at times, rather than the weakside, would create extra attention on him by the defense, opening up the other wide receivers even more.

ADVANTAGES OF THE WIDE BUNCH

The wide bunch formation offers a number of advantages, from the ability to really stretch a defense wide, to force them into a zone defense that can quickly be flooded to open up a receiver, to forcing linebackers to widen out...... opening up the inside running attack and providing the potential for very long inside runs once the tailback is past the line of scrimmage.

THE HITCH PASS FROM THE WIDE BUNCH

The hitch pass is often difficult to execute successfully in the CFL these days. Defenses know how to attack it, it?s often difficult to block with an offensive tackle sprinting out wide to try to block a quick defensive back, and often the play is ?batted down? by a defensive end who has been taught to get his hands up as soon as the quarterback looks to make that quick throw.

Imagine a wide bunch formation with two Leos receivers (say Paris Jackson, Simmons) lined up on the wide side with Jason Clermont lined up as the trail receiver behind them. On the weakside you have Geroy Simon and Josh Boden lined up as wide as possible, in a stack or almost side by side. The defense is now in a bind. If they don?t bring the free safety over, you throw the hitch to Clermont. With only two defensive backs over there and three receivers they?re in hell, especially with Clermont, who is one tough guy to bring down and he?ll be running vertically. You can leave the strongside offensive tackle in to block the defensive end, and then have him slide off that block to go downfield to block some more. If the defense slides the safety over, then you can fake the hitch and go deep to Simon on a post (no safety help) or a post corner (his best pattern) if the defensive halfback is paranoid about having no safety help and overplays the inside.

LOOK OUT-ITS GEROY

Of course the defense can choose to be go with an extra defensive back. That will give them safety help on the play but now they?re overplaying the pass, vulnerable to the running attack and you can audible to a running play. Variations of the formation could be to put Clermont as the ?up? receiver in the bunch with Simmons and have Simon lined up as the trailing receiver. If they don?t bring the safety over you now have Clermont blocking on a small defensive back with the speedy Simon taking the hitch screen and no coverage on him. By placing Simon in the three man wide bunch to the wide side of the field you will be sure to draw the safety over. You can then have a speedy receiver like Simmons having single coverage weakside.

THE FOUR RECEIVER WIDE BUNCH

A second way to attack the defense is with a four receiver bunch to the wide side of the field and line up a single receiver to the weakside. In the four receiver bunch set, lined up wide, you still have all kinds of opportunities to flood zones. If the defense brings the free safety over, which they would have to do, the offence will still have one receiver who is uncovered. If they try to man the play (which they likely wouldn?t) they will have the usual big challenges with assignments from the bunch formation. If they rotate their pass defense to the wide side too much it will give Simon single coverage on the weakside. Even if the halfback slides into the free safety position he is vulnerable to a post corner from Simon. The cornerback would also give Simon extra room, a real advantage in situations where a first down is needed. Of course the defense can bring in extra defensive backs, with all the problems of having these defensive backs being spread out, linebackers struggling to get out there to help, and the inside running attack becoming a potent weapon.

YOU CAN RUN EXCELLENT PATTERNS FROM THE WIDE BUNCH

Having three or even four receivers in a wide bunch formation does not cause problems for pass patterns. For example, one player can run a fly while the trail receiver runs a stop, the third receiver can ?sit down? in a seam inside, while the fourth can come back inside on an ?in? pattern. There are so many patterns that compliment each other that could be run from a wide bunch formation.

THE WIDE BUNCH COMPLIMENTS OTHER FORNATIONS

The wide bunch formation would compliment the inside bunch formation and the spread offence in the passing attack. It?s a different look! The inside bunch opens up quick passes and poses coverage headaches while also providing opportunities for more room for patterns to be run towards the sidelines. The wide bunch spreads the defense out more than any other formation. It opens up patterns in the flat, deep, and the inside. It really creates serious challenges for the defense that are now put in a serious dilemma. It?s not something they are used to covering! It forces them to things they won?t want to do. It opens up the hitch pattern in the best way possible?and it creates new opportunities for big runs from the inside running game.

INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO OPENING UP CFL OFFENCES

Innovation is the key to opening up CFL offences. All fans are watching these days are the inside and outside zone run and the spread formation most of the time. Reverses, screens, quick traps, counters, sweeps, and special plays are almost a thing of the past. On a rare occasion we see four receivers to one side but they?re all staggered across the wide side, making it easier to defense.

Perhaps the best lesson I ever learned in football was not to give the opposition what they?ve been practicing all week to defend. On defense you try to take away what they like to do and force them to do something different that they like to do less of or practice less often. On offence, if you have superior personnel you can go to your strengths more often but teams at the professional level have the time to review game video. They can also analyze tendencies in great detail with the advantage of computer power and software programs designed to break opposition teams down in a variety of ways.

ADDING CREATIVY

The wide bunch formation will not solve all the problems of CFL offences. It?s only a formation from which a number of plays can be executed. It?s only an attempt at some additional creativity. Lionut wrote that minor football teams don?t have the time to work on special plays and plays that they won?t be calling often in a game situation. That?s a very pragmatic approach.

However, at the professional level, teams have the ability to put in new plays and new formations each week. Sometimes, that additional formation, that extra wrinkle, that one special play or a new play that is unexpected can make the difference between winning and losing. I wrote this from scratch but the bunch formation has been around for a while and is now common football knowledge. There really isn't much new under the sun in terms of football strategy. However, adding new wrinkles or creating variations of plays from days of old are one way to begin looking at offensive innovation from a new set of eyes. I'm sure there are Lionbackers who have better ideas. The key point is that it's the innovators in football who win more in the long run unless they have superior personell each season.

WRAP

This past season, in one game, the Leos had lined up exclusively the entire first half in the ace backfield with five receivers. In the first play of the second half they lined up with six receivers. The opposition didn?t expect it and didn?t have the right personnel out there. In the confusion the defense covered Geroy Simon with a linebacker and a few seconds later it was ?see you later baby? as Geroy waltzed into the end zone for six points. An unexpected formation and play made all the difference. We need to see more of it in the CFL next season.
Last edited by Blitz on Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
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tedbear
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Thanks Blitz

I found that really interesting and it helped me understand a few of the formations. keep up your insight it is really appreciated.
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