6 Unique Formations From The GoGo Offense

Hey Coach,

Today we’re gonna do something a little different and feature a guest article from Coach Jake Franklin.

Jake has a great X (Twitter previously) account where he posts all kinds of interesting X’s and O’s content. Follow him at @JakeFranklinFB.

Today I’m sharing his blog post about the GoGo offense and some of the unique formations you can find from William & Mary.

Speaking of unique formations, be sure to grab your copy of 101 Plays from the Oklahoma Offense if you haven’t already.

Each play is time-stamped so you can find it on film, and it’s full of unusual and interesting plays and formations straight from the brilliant football mind of Lincoln Riley.

CLICK HERE to grab your copy if you haven’t already.

Now let’s get started…

Brennan Marion’s “GoGo” offense presents defenses with a lot of challenges.

For instance, the offense may have a split-back backfield but then have trips to the field as well. In order to be in trips while at the same time having two eligible players in the backfield means that one receiver will be “covered,” meaning that he cannot go downfield for a pass.

While this may sound like a disadvantage at first, there are a handful of benefits for running unbalanced formations. For one, defenses are not used to seeing such formations. Unbalanced formations can cause a lot of confusion and chaos on the defensive side of the ball, especially if an offense sugar huddles and lines up quickly.

Additionally, many defenses will still cover the ineligible receiver, leaving one less defender to fill a gap. There are also times a defense will bring their extra corner over to help defend the covered receiver. By doing this, they vacate the perimeter on the side of the ball the corner abandoned.

I found six plays that William & Mary used and was successful with. Every play is run out of an unbalanced formation, which again, means that there is one “covered” receiver.

Zone Read Triple Option

Illustration or diagram depicting the play with Zone Read Triple and stacked RBs. The QB reads the end man on the line of scrimmage (DE), who crashes down and pursues the RB, prompting the QB to keep it. The QB then reads the Outside LB, who decides to play the QB. The QB pitches it to the pitch man (RB), who takes it for a big gain.

Most teams that run Zone Read Triple with two RB’s will typically be split-back or have one RB in pistol with the other RB in a sidecar position. William and Mary likes to stack RB’s (both horizontally and vertically) together and “overload” them on either side of the QB.

On this specific play, the QB is reading the end man on the line of scrimmage, this being the DE. The DE crashes down and pursues the RB, telling the QB to keep it. The QB then reads the Outside LB. The LB decides to play the QB. The QB sees the LB commit to him, and pitches it to the pitch man (RB) and he takes it for a big gain.

Quads Unbalanced Zone Read Triple w/ Bubble

"Illustration or diagram depicting the play with William and Mary lining up in 'Quads' formation and running Zone Read Triple Option with the X receiver running a bubble. The H is ineligible due to the unbalanced formation, yet the defense covers him. The defense clovers and brings the boundary corner over to the field, creating a numbers advantage to the boundary. The QB reads the DE and then the Outside LB. Instead of pitching it to a RB, he has the option to sling the ball to the X on the bubble.

William and Mary line up in “Quads” to the field out of 10 personnel. The H is ineligible because this is an unbalanced formation, yet the defense covers him anyway. The defense “clovers” and brings the boundary corner over to the field. This creates a numbers advantage to the boundary. It is now five on five in the box.

This play is still Zone Read Triple Option, but instead of a RB in the backfield being the pitch man, he is substituted by the X running a bubble to the field. The QB’s reads remain the same. He reads the DE and then the Outside LB. The only thing that changes is that instead of having the option to pitch it to a RB, he now has the ability to sling the ball to the X on the bubble.

12 Personnel Quads Unbalanced Wing

Illustration or diagram depicting the play with William and Mary lining up in an unbalanced formation and running an Outside Zone variation. The WRs are all attached tightly to the line of scrimmage, creating eight gaps to the right side of the center. The defense only has six players accounting for them (six and a half if we count the nose). The Right Tackle down blocks on the three technique and the Right Guard pulls and looks for the most dangerous man, while everyone else blocks their gap. The RB walks in for the touchdown as the defense is still trying to figure out how to get lined up.

William and Mary run this play on the opponents two yard line. They once again line up in Quads out of 10 personnel, but the WR’s are all attached tightly to the line of scrimmage. This formation creates eight gaps to the right side of the center, and the defense only has six players accounting for them (six and a half if we count the nose). Unbalanced formations can stir up confusion in the defense and can many times create more gaps than they can defend.

This variation of Outside Zone has the Right Tackle down blocking on the three technique and the Right Guard pulling and looking for the most dangerous man. Everyone else is blocking their gap. When the ball was snapped on this play, the defense was still trying to figure out how to get lined up. The RB was able to walk in for the touchdown.

Unbalanced Trips Counter Read

Illustration or diagram depicting the formation with two RBs and three WRs, which requires an ineligible receiver due to being unbalanced. The play called is Counter Read. At the snap, the QB reads the DE while the RB runs lateral towards the field. If the DE charges the QB, he hands it to the RB who then has three blockers to the field. If the DE widens, the QB keeps it and follows his pullers. The Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle down block, while the Left Guard and Left Tackle pull and block their assignments. The Fullback works up to the corner.

Here is another formation that you cannot be in without having an ineligible receiver. There are two RB’s in the backfield with three WR’s to the field. There is no other way to line up this way without being “unbalanced.”

The play that is called is Counter Read. At the snap, the RB runs lateral towards the field and the QB takes one slide step with him while reading the DE. If the DE charges the QB, he will hand it to the RB who will then have three blockers to the field. If the DE widens, the QB will keep it and follow his pullers. The Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle down block while the Left Guard and Left Tackle pull and block their assignments (Playside DE and Playside LB). The Fullback works up to the corner.

Unbalanced Playaction Shot Play

Illustration or diagram depicting the unbalanced formation out of 21 personnel. The Y, who is the ineligible receiver, stays inside to block, and the two RBs are both to the left of the QB in William & Mary’s signature 'stacked backfield' look. On this play, the O-Line pass protects as if they’re running Inside Zone to the right. The FB protects the edge to the field, and the RB fakes the mesh with the QB before setting up to protect. The Play-Action causes the LBs and FS to come downhill, leaving two WRs one-on-one to the field side. The H wins his match-up and scores on the post.

Here is another unbalanced formation out of 21 personnel. The Y, who is the ineligible receiver, stays inside to block. Also, the two RB’s are both to the left of the QB in William & Mary’s signature “stacked backfield” look.

On this play, the O-Line pass protects like they’re running Inside Zone to the right. The FB protects the edge to the field and the RB fakes the mesh with the QB and then sets up to protect. The Play-Action causes the LB’s and FS to come downhill, leaving two WR’s one on one to the field side. The H wins his match-up and scores on the post.

Unbalanced H-Back Boot Slide

Illustration or diagram depicting the play with the defense lining up heavily to the H-Back, leaving the unbalanced side lighter and more vulnerable. The RBs line up side by side behind the QB. At the snap, the QB stretches the ball out to the RB and fakes Outside Zone to the left along with the O-Line. The majority of the defense flows with the play-action. After the fake, the QB boots back out to the unbalanced side where the Y and Z are blocking for the H on the Flat Route. The LB runs hard with the H, helping the QB decide to run it in himself through a gap vacated by the pursuing LB.

The defense lines up heavily to the H-Back, leaving the unbalanced side lighter and more vulnerable. The RB’s line up side by side once again, but this time they are behind the QB instead of beside him.

At the snap, the QB stretches the ball out to the RB and fakes Outside Zone to the left along with the O-Line. The majority of the defense flows with the play-action. After the brief fake, the QB boots back out to the unbalanced side where the Y and Z are blocking for the H on the Flat Route. The LB runs hard with the H, helping the QB decide to run it in himself through a giant gap that was vacated by the LB who pursued the Flat.

Hope you enjoyed this post from Jake Franklin.

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6 Unique Formations from the GoGo Offense