In this scenario how much truly useful information could actually be passed along? I just don't see it. Without being able to visually see formations, player assignments, etc., I just don't see how somebody could pass this through 3-4 people and actually have it be truly useful.

Huh? Are you trying to say that while watching film you can't visually see formations?

Part 2, anyone watching film with anyone is going to go over their assignment and those around them. Otherwise watching film with your "mentor" would be absolutely worthless. So here we are in a Cover 2 where we are showing a cover 3 to start out with and I am responsible for covering this part of the field. Or whenever we see 4 WR to one side Hill has us automatically switch to a Cover 4 and zone it up and we blitz the weakside linebacker. There couldn't be anything as valuable as film study in terms of deciphering a defense. The person would tell you not only what they did (which can be seen by the opposing team on fllm) but the why behind it (much more valuable). You would need to tell a mentor that information if you wanted them to help you. Otherwise they couldn't.

Also, if you are watching film you most definitely are looking at defensive audibles. If we get this look we are going to audible to this defense. Look here on the film Taggart puts his hands up and yells stormy which means we are shifting to Cover 3 Cloud. You can see I moved from where I was at in Cover 2 now to 3 Cloud. How would you have disguised that change? Etc.

Who are the 3-4 people you are talking about. It is one player to another who then gave the information to his brother. At most that is two. I am guessing you haven't watched a lot of film then. If you ever get a chance listen to Peyton Manning break down film. It will be eye opening to you. Something as simple as one guys stance can be a giveaway for the entire defense.

In terms of how would they know each other? Dallin was likely one of the people recruiting Wakely to come to Utah St. A future NFL guy recruiting someone from the same position who was a Senior. He could have been his host etc.