There were not too many positives to take away from the game against Oregon last weekend, but one of them had to be the improved running game against a stout defense. While the offensive line did do a slightly better job of opening holes for both Keola Antolin and Kadeem Carey to run through, a new formation paved the way for quite a few yards.
It's called the 'full-house' formation, and the Wildcats appear to be leaning towards using it more this season. Here's how it looks:
Quarterback Nick Foles lines up in the shotgun, flanked by fullback Taimi Tutogi and tight end Drew Robinson. A tailback lines up behind Foles, as in the Pistol formation. Tutogi often went in motion behind Foles to get a running start toward the line of scrimmage as he and Robinson tried to open holes.
Arizona put two receivers out wide, looking for single coverage somewhere if defenses committed a safety to stopping the run. If not, then Arizona has seven blockers for seven defenders - and the tailback has to make a play.
It may not be the most original idea, but after struggling to consistently run the football effectively in their first three games, UA should be open to just about anything that may work. If it means having three players in the backfield along with Nick Foles, go for it. The team may just find some continued success from the change in formation.
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