A-11 Offense Ruled Illegal

[RiverRatRay]

Tobias might be able to answer this better than me but I think Lexington Christian ran it against Raceland in the playoffs and the Refs on the field were having a little difficulty trying to determine who the eligible receivers were. In fact I think they threw flags on ineligible receivers down field a couple times.

My opinion on this formation is that it should be legal in all states or not legal in any of the states. Make it legal for all or throw it out. I've seen this spread formation run may times even in the 50's.

[jiveturkey]

This gimmick is based on trying to confuse the defense based on who may or may not be eligible, that is not football. It is illegal and is a travesty of the game. Officials will not call it that way, they have to be directed by state and national associations first.

http://www.nfhs.org/web/2004/01/the_coa ... thics.aspx

The coach shall master the contest rules and shall teach them to his or her team members. The coach shall not seek an advantage by circumvention of the spirit or letter of the rules.

Kids sometimes get confused as to who is eligible against an unbalanced line. Should ban that too? This is bullcrap. The A11 forces defensive coordinators to shake off the dust and think outside the box. Some guys dont want to have to do that. They like playing in grandpas 50 defense.

[jiveturkey]

So you are all for getting rid of the 50-79 numbers and the big boys that wear those numbers?

So you are saying that small schools with skinny kids should go ahead and make 5 of them wear linemen numbers just for the sake of having them. Not everyone has a huge group of wide bodies to play line. the A11 is an answer for schools in that situation...

[jiveturkey]

Bottom line" Coaches always say you have to play the hand you are dealt. If my hand is full of skill kids and no linemen, I should have the option of using the A11.

[redrocket]

Jersey numbers is the key. I wouldn't want to be the guy dressed in black and white trying to keep track of who is eligible and who isn't.

[jeepchopper]

When you say that small schools with skinny kids should have to wear big boy jerseys, show me the any school in the whole country especially with the obesity rate as high as it is to say you cant find at least 5 big boys to put on the line cmon. Every school has that.

[jeepchopper]

So you are all for getting rid of the 50-79 numbers and the big boys that wear those numbers?

So you are saying that small schools with skinny kids should go ahead and make 5 of them wear linemen numbers just for the sake of having them. Not everyone has a huge group of wide bodies to play line. the A11 is an answer for schools in that situation...

Read my quote at the bottom

[jiveturkey]

When you say that small schools with skinny kids should have to wear big boy jerseys, show me the any school in the whole country especially with the obesity rate as high as it is to say you cant find at least 5 big boys to put on the line cmon. Every school has that.

You are so out of touch with reality. Obese kids dont play much of anything except Xbox. Are you implying we should all go out and recruit fat kids just so we can find 5 linemen? There are many teams in Single A ball who have rosters filled with players all under 200 lbs.

[jeepchopper]

When you say that small schools with skinny kids should have to wear big boy jerseys, show me the any school in the whole country especially with the obesity rate as high as it is to say you cant find at least 5 big boys to put on the line cmon. Every school has that.

You are so out of touch with reality. Obese kids dont play much of anything except Xbox. Are you implying we should all go out and recruit fat kids just so we can find 5 linemen? There are many teams in Single A ball who have rosters filled with players all under 200 lbs.

You said though its hard to find 5 big boys I was just saying its not. And I have seen some great lineman under 200 pounds at any level and I've seen some schools with big boys running. You can always put kids together. Also there are sckiiny athletic people who play alot of video games as well

[jiveturkey]

Ultimately, the great thing about SEOPS is differing opinions and the chance to debate them. I appreciate your point of view although I dont agree. Think of this quote:

"Necessity is the mother of invention."

Someone somewhere needed this offense in order to compete against physically superior opponents and for once a working scheme was built. There once was a time in football that allowed for great creativity. I am afraid we are legislating out those opportunities. Being a former linemen, I like the physical part of the game and understand the desire of some to maintain it. Being a coach at schools that occasionally field undersized teams with few members makes me think having the opportunity to use this strategy would be fun too.

[JohnKnight]

Horse-collar Tackle To Be Penalized in High School Football

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Colgate
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 13, 2009) — The horse-collar tackle has been added to the list of illegal personal contact fouls in high school football.
This addition to Rule 9-4-3 was one of 10 rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 24-25 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Effective with the 2009 season, it will be illegal to grab the inside back or side collar of the runner’s shoulder pads or jersey and subsequently pull the runner to the ground. The penalty will be 15 yards from the succeeding spot.
Julian Tackett, assistant commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and chair of the NFHS Football Rules Committee, said the committee felt the need to continue to address risk minimization issues for the runner.

“Risk minimization continues to be one of the most important fundamentals to the rules-writing process of the NFHS,” Tackett said. “Though this play does not happen often, we must ensure that our coaches and officials understand the importance of penalizing this act.”
Another risk-minimization change in Rule 9-4-3 will make it illegal to grasp an opponent’s chin strap, in addition to the opponent’s face mask or edge of a helmet opening.

The committee made a significant change in Rule 9-8-3 in an effort to reduce the risk of injury along the sidelines. A maximum of three coaches may be in the restricted area to communicate with players during dead-ball situations. Before the ball becomes live, however, the coaches must retreat into the team box.

Bob Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Football Rules Committee, said this rule change results in a 2-yard belt that is clear of team personnel and helps eliminate sideline congestion while helping to minimize the risk for participating players, coaches and officials during live-ball situations.
“There no longer will be an allowance for three coaches to remain in an area adjacent to the sideline when the ball is live,” Colgate said. “The results of a three-year experiment were favorable, which led to the committee’s support for this rule change in 2009.”

A change in Rule 9-8-1g clarifies that the mandatory three-minute warm-up period begins immediately following the conclusion of the halftime intermission. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be assessed to the head coach if the team is not back on the field prior to the start of the warm-up period.

Changes in Rules 7-2-5 and 2-14-2 clarify the numbering-exception rule from when it was originally approved in 1982.

“The definition of a scrimmage-kick formation was clarified to differentiate formations that have been used traditionally for attempting a field goal or kick try from those used for a punt,” Colgate said. “In addition, the circumstances under which the numbering exception can be utilized have been changed to clarify what can be done on first, second, third and fourth downs.”

Two changes were made in Rule 1 – The Game, Field, Players and Equipment. The committee clarified Rule 1-3-1c regarding the stripes on the football. The change states that the stripes located on the football must be adjacent to and perpendicular to the seam upon which the laces are stitched. In Rule 1-2-3b, a note was added stating that all required field markings must be clearly visible. Further, when other markings such as logos are placed on the field, the required markings shall remain visible.

Other changes approved by the Football Rules Committee:

• Rule 3-3-4b5 – If a penalty resulting in a safety occurs on the last timed down of a period, the period is not extended. The teams will change goals to start the next period.
• Rules 8-2-2, 8-2-3, 8-2-4 (new), 10-5-1f – Three rules were revised and a new article was created regarding penalty enforcement for dead-ball, non-player or unsportsmanlike fouls that occur during or after a touchdown-scoring play. The revisions now allow the offended team, in most situations, the option of enforcing the penalty on the subsequent kickoff. Fouls committed after the initial ready-for-play signal following the touchdown are not affected by this change.
• Rule 9-7-2 Exception: A foul will now occur for illegal batting by the kicking team if it bats a scrimmage kick that has not yet been grounded unless it is batted by the kicking team toward its own goal line.

“Though many of the changes in the rules were subtle clarifications, each of this year’s changes ensures that the sound traditions of the game are protected and that student-athlete safety remains our top priority,” Tackett said.
In addition, the committee identified six points of emphasis for the 2009 season: Illegal Personal Contact, Blocking and Illegal Blocks, Helmet and Face Mask, Uniforms, Sportsmanship and NFHS Guidelines on Handling Contests During Lightning Disturbances.

In terms of the number of participants, football is the most popular high school sport for boys. According to the 2007-08 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, 1,108,286 boys played 11-player football with another 27,075 involved in six-, eight- and nine-player football. In addition, 1,225 girls played high school football in 2007-08.
# # #

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches nearly 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including almost 7½ million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

[jeepchopper]

IT'S official
Sad news to end the week: Everyone's favorite crazy gimmick offense, the "All-11," was effectively declared illegal today by the far-reaching National Federation of State High School Associations, which closed the "scrimmage kick" loophole the A-11 exploited for its existence. A moment, please, for innovation.

The goal of the A-11 is maximum unpredictability, achieved by putting 11 players wearing eligible receiving numbers on the field at once -- only legal with one player at least seven yards behind the line of scrimmage and no one under center, as on a punt or field goal -- then shifting them on or off the line of scrimmage at the last second. The result is an essentially random offense with endless combinations of possible receivers, leaving the defense with no idea which five or six players are eligible to go downfield for a pass until a moment before the ball is snapped and no time to react.

Unfortunately, it's equally confusing to officials, and that was deemed just plain "unsportsmanlike":

The NFHS changed the rule and said that on first, second and third down, there must be four players on the line with numbers 50-79. The snapper may have a number 1-49 or 80-89, but he is ineligible.
In essence, there can only be potentially six eligible receivers per down instead of 11 under the A-11.

"It was unethical for them to use a loophole in the rules to run this offense," said Mike Webb, the supervisor of football officials for the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission who is on the NFHS football rules committee. "This takes away the deception."

And what is wrong, I ask you, with deception? This is America! darn regulators ...

At any rate, proponents of the A-11 (headed by nutty Californians, natch) vow to keep the dream alive in 2009, possibly under a special subdivision devoted to A-11 teams. In the meantime, you can pay your proper respects at the A-11 Web site, where you'll find highlight videos, the A-11 installation and advanced concepts manuals, articles in the national media, links to the four members of the A-11 Football Network and, of course, the A-11 YouTube channel.

Enjoy it, because it will be years before anyone thinks up something this defiantly, aggressively weird (and obviously doomed) again.

[OZZIEOHIO]

I dont agree with them. Its 11 guys on the field, A coach should be allowed top run any set he wants aslong as he has 7 on the lione.. SO does that mean all the trick plays where the line goes to one side and the center, runnning back, and QB stay on the ball are illegal also???

[wrestler87]

It's fine not to have all 11 be eligible. 6 is enough to confuse the other team. Just modify the formation to look like a spread, but unbalance the line and have 2 qb's or backs in the backfield. A few times per game, a "2nd" qb could even be spread for flea flickers, and linemen playing a FB every now and then etc. There's a way around everything if enough people put their minds to it. I like to see the occasional chess match. Too bad.

[wrestler87]

I didn't think about it before, but if deception is illegal, why are "fake" fumbles and play-action passes or double handoffs occuring? Where is the line drawn if all of your men are where they are supposed to be on each individual play? The referees can easily keep track. If the number is legit, the receiver is legit. It doesn't take rocket science. The defensive players on the field have the same amount of time to get back to get where #86 goes as #86 has to get there. Look at it as 'Man-to-Man'.

[boilermaker]

I say line up and play traditional American Football .
If you dont like it ,play european football

[WitnessProtection]

European-style footballers have been using the "A-11" for decades!!!!
All 11 players get the ball at one time or another. All 11 players have a chance to score ... even the goalkeeper in some cases!!!!!
Ole, ole, ole, ole! Ole! Ole!

[madpolecat]

O-LE!

[bleed_blue]

It's the same thing as a spread offense. I was watcing the team that came up with it on youtube and they spread out 6 wideouts but only 5 would actually go down field the other would stay in and block. instead of having 5 lineman to block. You only have 3 lineman a back and a receiver blocking.

[6x10]

What will Bob Lutz do if this becomes illegal