Re: Once you understand that , we can move on to 10P and 11P***

jscott224 said:

I played WR in high school eons ago. Back then we had Flankers, Split Ends and Tight Ends. Everyone still refers to TE so I get that. But the rest of these newer terms I do not understand. Can someone explain to me each different receiver by nomenclature and duties? I’ve heard boundary and field – I assume that means weak side (short side) and strong side (wide side) of the field. Slot – is that the flanker, in old man terms? And I hear all this “in the 9 spot” or “in the 7 spot” or whatever jargon. I’m lost. TIA

So in Clemson's terminology...

9-man equals boundary receiver, like Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, etc.
5-man equals slot receiver, like Hunter Renfrow, Jaron Brown.
2-man equals field receiver, like Sammy Watkins, Amari Rodgers last year.

Justyn Ross is switching from backing up Higgins on the boundary (9) to playing the field (2) WR spot, with Diondre Overton a favorite to start at slot (5) now. Amari Rodgers is going to play slot (5) when healthy enough as well.

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OK - History from an old TE, HB, SE, Flanker

Aug 6, 2019, 5:38 PM

Don't be embarrassed - it's confusing if you haven't followed the change in offensive formations since the '50s and how the ends, backs and receivers are used. The terminology has changed along with the formations.

* TE and SE
I (and maybe you) originally played HB (half-back) in a full-house T-formation with a QB, FB and 2-HBs. Sometimes the end lined up close to the OT and was called a TE (still is). Sometimes he was moved a few feet outside the tackle, but still on the LOS..... he was then called a Split End or SE or X.

A team sometimes (often) used 2 ends - sometimes one TE and one SE (X) or 2 TEs or 2 SEs (Xs). Usually the TE was/is positioned on the QBs blind side for better pass protection and for double-team and cross-blocks blocks on the edge, but sometimes a slight split is used, depending on how the defense aligns the DE and OLB. The Split Ends (Xs) were usually a passing threat to try and get outside the LBs - or as a decoy to pull the OLB and/or safety further away from the point-of-attack. Sometimes 2 TEs are used on the same side of center and the newest offensive ideas are experimenting with using 3 TEs.

*Flanker
A flanker is a HB in the old T-formation who is set out to the slot, but behind the LOS - he's still a back - not an end. Some offenses refer to this position as a Z-back or 6-back. In today's spread formation like Clemson runs, the TE is similar, but we call him a 3-back or H-Back. He could also be called a slot-back, but for some reason the terminology changed with spread offenses to incorporate a bigger TE type body. The main difference is that he's not split out as far as a flanker and at times is directly behind the OT. He's behind the LOS and can be used to provide pass protection to either side of the QB, or he can chip block the DE and scoot to the flat as a receiver, or he can go across the middle, drag, cross, hook, stick in the horizontal seam or fly in the vertical seam. We used Jordan Leggett across the middle a lot in the horizontal seam. Last year, we mainly used Garrett Williams as a blocker on run plays and even though he was called a TE, we pulled him from the H-back position into the hole to seal. Since our TE is often lined up behind the LOS, he becomes a half-back and limits the number of WRs, true TEs or SEs we can use. If we go empty backfield or don't use the TE (H-back), we can have 4-WRs.

*Wide Receivers
#9 - Boundary Receiver - this depends on which hash the ball is on. The boundary is to the QB's right if the ball is on the right hash and the 9-man would go to that side.

#2 - Field Receiver - same as above, except to the long side of the field. If the ball is on the right hash, the field is to the QB's left.

#5 - Slot Receiver - sometimes called a Y-back. He can line up between the WR or SE and the linemen, either on or off the LOS, depending on the formation and where the other WRs are lined up. He is usually off the LOS to avoid being jammed by a defender. So, to answer your question, yes - in our old man terms, yesterday's t-formation flanker could be today's slot receiver if he lines up off the LOS - or he could be yesterday's slot-back when he lines up in the 3-back/H-back position.

Your understanding of strong side/weak side is mostly correct. The strong side usually has a TE, if there is one. If one side of the line has more personnel that the other, then that over-balanced side is the strong side. If there is no TE or 2 TEs, the strong side is to the QB's right side if he's right handed, left if he's left-handed.

After my HB/Flanker days, I played S/S TE in a single-wing offense, where there was little in the way of spread offensive positions via SEs. The TE was used primarily as a blocker and sometimes as a receiver.

Simple, ain't it? I find myself often searching for info on some of today's terminology.

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Please explain WR jargon to me

Re: Please explain WR jargon to me

Once you understand that , we can move on to 10P and 11P***