Systems do vary from coach to coach and place to place, but I admit I have never seen the "Y" designation as the slot man.X and Y are historically the EMOL (end man on line) or ends. They are either tight or split. Z man is usually the "third" receiver lines up "off the line". If he is between the wide out and the OT, then he is in the slot. The slot hails back to the old slotback position but you have to get in the way-way-back machine for that. LOL.
Let's see if I can get this to work in text:
A simple old school formation
X-T-G-C-G-T-Y
---------------------Z
here, the X and Y are both TEs. Z man is lined up in the wing back position. This is pretty old school smash mouth stuff. As passing began to take shape, the X would get split out into a single TE set. Still classic old school using 2 back sets (I don't show backs).
X---------------------T-G-C-G-T-Y
----------------------------------------Z
As passing formations evolved we get to more modern looks:
X---------------------T-G-C-G-T------------------Y
---------------------------------------------Z
X---------------------T-G-C-G-T-----------Y
------------Z
In these cases, Z is lined up in the slot, or the area between the wide out and OT. Still 2 back formations with me not showing the backs and still pretty classic stuff. It is rare to see a 2 back set anymore. This might be more familiar:
X----------------------T-G-C-G-T-U
--------------------------------------------------------Z-----------Y
-------------------------------1
-------------------------------2
In this case, I change the EMOL on the right from "Y" to "U" to represent the TE and include QB (1) and TB (2). Changing the R-TE to "U" is trivial but I have seen it in a lot of playbooks. I have seen just as many playbooks leave it as "Y" and give the other receiver an "H" or a "3" or some other designation. This Ace back or single back set with three wideouts and a TE is what most folks recognize today.
The most important thing when looking at a formation really is the EMOL. You must have 7 men on the line and the TGCGT is pretty darn standard core 5. The EMOL is the only eligible receivers of the "on the line" personnel. The off the line personnel (QB, RB, H, Z etc) can be in any set (shotgun, pistol, wingbone, four horsemen, etc). This rule also explains the Tackle Eligible play we see at the goal line. The reason the OT reports in is because he will be the EMOL in the formation but is not wearing a receiver eligible number. Something like:
----------T-G-C-G-T-T-Y
----------------1------------Z
----------------3
----------------2
Note, the LT is not "covered" making him the EMOL. That means he is an eligible receiver by formation but not by jersey number. Remember the crap Patsies did a couple years ago? They cheesed this by putting in an eligible receiver by jersey but lined him up in a non-eligible position on the line. This confused the defensive coverage. It was legal in the rules at the time, but a pure turd move. That said, these guys have been playing forever and should know the formation, not the numbers.
And since I am having fun right now, let us go a bit further. There is no rule against how wide splits between players can be. You can legally have:
X-------------------T----------------GCG-------------------------T--------------------Y
---------Z----------------------------------------------------------------------2
----------------------------3-----------1
although I have no idea why you would want to. The "T's" are not pass eligible so they can not release up field unless it is a run. But it does sometimes lead to exotic stuff (usually at lower levels) like the swinging gate or lonesome polecat:
X-T-G-G-T-Y-----------------------------------------C
2--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3
------4--------------------------------------------------1
I have never seen the "Y" designation used for the slot position, but I have certainly not see every system out there. I remember the first time I saw JoPa's offensive unit numbering. Blew my mind. In the end, it is just a designation or label in a play book so you could call a "Y" man "Q" if you really wanted. It would confuse the hell out of your players, but you could do it. LOL.
anyway, sorry for the long post and thanks for the article. Just hope I added something useful - Not meaning to steal your thunder.
