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Youth football offensive formations tend to be mainly comprised of the Wing T, I, Wishbone, Double Wing, Single Wing, Pro and Spread with a few others mixed in. What you decide to run will most likely depend on your age and talent level. Each one has its pluses and minuses but are good solid systems. Most are running attack oriented with play action or quick passes. Passing at this level should be kept to a minimum and within the limits of what you can do consistently. There are extensive articles written about each formation so I will only briefly cover them.
A good offensive formation should highlight your teams strengths and give you the advantage over the defenses you will face as far as alignment. By this I mean putting your players in a position to execute your plays with a high degree of success. Blocking angles, spreading or constricting the defense, running or passing lanes and match-ups are the factors looked for. This will only get you so far though. It is play selection and good coaching that make it work. When looking at each formation for offense you must also look closely at the football plays and decide if you can run them or not. You will only need a few so don't get caught up in those extensive football playbooks because that simply is not realistic. I will give you my opinion on each scheme.
The Wing T : A misdirection oriented offense which takes advantage of blocking angles and good fakes. One of the better offenses for the youth level if the coach takes time to learn it. You can fit most talent levels into this and be fine. There are a huge amount of plays and series for this but stick to the basics.
Double Wing : Based on the Wing T, this system tightens up line splits and moves the fullback up close. It features two wing backs and two tight ends. Primarily a run attack featuring motion, misdirection and power. Has almost unlimited expansion potential but is best with the basics. Very good youth offense. Not really dependent on high talent level.
I Formation : I am not a big fan of this one because it relies too much on talent. If you have good skill players then you may want to look into this. A balanced look with both power and option potential.
Wishbone Formation : Old school but still just as solid today. A basic running attack featuring power, misdirection, triple option and play action passing. I have not run this for awhile but still recommend it for the youth level.
Single Wing : Misdirection. I am not a fan of this offensive formation. Yes, it can confuse the defense with its constant ball fakes but can easily be stopped (in my experience). Too many opportunities to make mistakes. I am sure to be disagreed with on this one.
Pro Formation : Split backs with wing or flanker. Not one of my favorite youth offenses but I do still see it sometimes.
Spread Formation : Not a great youth level offense unless you have the talent to pull it off. Although it is not a pass only attack, you do need kids who can catch and a quarterback who can throw or the passing threat is not there. Used primarily at this level to run dives or quarterback sneaks. It does not work because you only spread out defensive players who do not play on the LOS anyway.
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