Just what we needed: A new offense that makes the run-n-shoot look conservative. Meet the A-11; brainchild of Piedmont High, Calif., mad scientist/head coach Kurt Bryan, which is beginning to create a buzz at the prep level. Basically it's organized football's version of "Everyone just go long." Hilarity, and occasional winning, ensues.
The A-11's base formation features a center, two tight ends, two quarterbacks and six split ends - three on each side of the center. All players wear numbers that make them eligible pass receivers (1-49 and 80-99) as long as they're positioned at the end of the line or in the backfield. What makes the offense legal is putting at least one of the quarterbacks 7 yards or more behind the line of scrimmage. As long as no one is in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from the center, the alignment qualifies as a scrimmage-kick formation and normal numbering rules (a minimum of five players wearing numbers 50 through 79 on the line of scrimmage) don't apply.
Below are some highlights of the offense in action. Piedmont went 7-2 with it last season, including seven straight wins (before losing in the playoffs). My initial concern with this is if you don't have two decent quarterbacks, you're screwed; and most high school teams have a tough enough time finding one. But on the positive side, if this ever made it to the NFL, it would put all the 360-pound lard loads out of business. And that's a good thing, right? At any rate, the AFL should be adopting it any day now. Click to view Here's a site devoted to the A-11. And since the Highlanders play not far from me, I'll get out there soon and get a full report. Just think; this could finally be the answer to the Bears' quarterback dilemma. A-11 Offense [A11offense.com]