If you want to stress defenses without adding plays,
use formations.
Formations change math.
Plays just execute it.
How Formations Create Advantage
Formations:
Force defensive adjustments
Expose alignment issues
Create leverage without changing assignments
This is a major advantage of systems like the Gun T, where formations are built around the same core rules.
👉 https://fbcoachsimpson.com/gun-t-system
Teaching Formations the Right Way
The key isn’t volume — it’s tagging and consistency.
Good systems:
Keep blocking rules the same
Move people, not responsibilities
Let players recognize space
What Coaches Are Learning
When formations are taught well:
Kids play faster
Defenses tip coverage
Play callers gain flexibility
This is something that’s much easier to explain and demo in person, which is why we emphasize it at clinics.
👉 https://fbcoachsimpson.com/guntclinic
Final Thought
Formations don’t replace fundamentals.
They reveal them.