A-11 Offense in Illinois

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Sorry, I wasn't up to date. Did they add the last bit to keep teams from taking advantage of the roughing the snapper provision?

No. That statement has been in the rules for years. It simply helps define a scrimmage kick formation. If there's a player in place to take a direct snap, then it's not a SKF and the numbering exception is not allowed.

2-14-2
A scrimmage-kick formation is a formation with at least one player 7 yards or more behind the neutral zone and in position to receive the long snap. No player may be in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from between the snapper s legs.

[Mike L]

If one cannot see there is a difference between
"The receiver of the snap must be 7 yds back"
and
"There must be a player 7 yds back in position to receive the snap"
then there is not much hope in trying to correctly figure out the rule.

[stevegarbs]

The A-11 is going to be run by at least one Chicago suburban team this year.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by ajmc

The NFHS rule simply states a scrimmage kick formation requires "At least one player 7 yards or more behind the neutral zone and in position to receive the long snap." It does not require that the ball be snapped to that player.

The language attributed to the IHSA is, ""The receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage", which represents a completely different requirement, in that a deep (7 yards back) player must actually receive the snap.

If the IHSA language added the word "potential" as in "The potential receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage," that would bring both statements into alignment, wouldn't it?

I would parse that as "If you have a guy at least 7 yards back and he's in position to receive that snap, whether or not he actually receives it, it's a scrimmage kick formation, so on you get."

But we have the state's rules interpreter at our local meeting tonight, so I'll ask him.

[Adam]

Okay, I've got a question from a purely layman's perspective. What sorts of coaches are trying this offense? It strikes me as a gimmick offense, so I have to wonder if successful coaches plan on ignoring this latest fad.

[OverAndBack]

Just a guess, but either somebody who's trying to take a moribund program and put some life into it, or somebody whose offensive lineman average about 110 pounds.

I would think it would take a lot to get an established, blood n guts coach to abandon what he's been doing for years to try this. It would almost have to be someone young and innovative.

Hell, it only takes one - the guy who's coaching one of the two teams in the game you happen to be officiating that night.