At the beginning of the 20th century, the
T-formation dominated American football. The legendary
Pop Warner made several modifications to the "T" -- including the
Double Wing formation.
By shifting the halfbacks up close to the line of scrimmage, and by setting them outnear the ends, Warner created an offensive formation that could be used for both running and passing the football. It was especially deceptive when a wingback was place in motion, running towards the fullback before the snap of the ball.
Once widespread, the Double Wing formation is rarely used in American football today at the professional or college levels - though it can still be found in high schools across the country.
Double Wing diagram:
E T G C G T E
WB QB WB
FB
E=End T=Tackle G=Guard C=Center WB=Wingback
QB=Quarterback FB=Fullback
While the above diagram is easier to read, the actual formation is much tighter, with smaller
splits (see below). This gives the offense the ability to run
wedge plays where the defense has difficulty determining who has the ball.
ETGCGTE
WB QB WB
FB