I formation

He incorporated the option into his I formation scheme beginning in 1980, forming the base of the Nebraska offense for over twenty years, and won three national championships in the 1990s.

In the I formation, the tailback starts six to eight yards behind the scrimmage from an upright position, where he can survey the defense.

The formation gives the tailback more opportunities for finding weak points in the defense to run into.

The fullback typically fills a blocking, rather than rushing or receiving, role in the modern game.

With the fullback in the backfield as a blocker, runs can be made to either side of the line with his additional blocking support.

Despite the emphasis on the running game, the I formation remains an effective base for a passing attack.

The flexible nature of the formation also helps prevent defenses from focusing their attention on either the run or pass.

Many subtypes of the I formation exist, generally emphasizing the running or passing strengths of the base version.