Your state office and the A-11 offense???
 

How many of your state offices have told you how to handle the A-11 offense?

Please list your state, what they said about it, and how you are supposed to handle it.

In Iowa, I heard nothing about it, but will be calling our state rep soon about it.

Illinois:

"There has been some discussion on the A-11 this year in Illinois. First, by rule, the A-11 offense when run properly is a legal formation by rule. It does not meet the requirement of deception as by rule a team that is in scrimmage kick formation does not have to meet the numbering requirement. This rule does not state that it can only be used on fourth down or that a team must attempt a scrimmage kick."

Followed by some requirements that we should check.

Nebraska
 

We have heard nothing so far. We have an on-the-field clinic this weekend, I hope to hear more about it at the clinic.

As I have mentioend in the thread I started, MD has stated that there is nothing illegal about it according to NFHS and will follow what the NFHS says.

Nj
 

No comment from the state.

Oregon-Legal
 

The word in the last meeting is Legal

Wyoming.....illegal
 

using 9-9-5 making a travesty of the game. I also understand that this decision was reached after our state association had some discussion with Montana, and I believe that it is illegal in Montana as well...

I'm okay with it being legal - I'm just worried about what we, as officials, are supposed to be on the lookout for in case the other team says some part of what they're doing is legal.

In other words, what do I as a linesman or as a back judge have to make sure of so that I can say definitively, "Yep, that's within the rules because...."?

Michigan
 

No mention of it at state meetings.

Our SI has suggested that the wings help the umpire with ineligibles downfield since they conceivably could be spread outside his line of sight.

Illinois
 

Boys Football

A-11 Offense

There has been some discussion on the A-11 this year in Illinois. First, by rule, the A-11 offense when run properly is a legal formation by rule. It does not meet the requirement of deception as by rule a team that is in scrimmage kick formation does not have to meet the numbering requirement. This rule does not state that it can only be used on fourth down or that a team must attempt a scrimmage kick.

Therefore, here are a few requirements that must be met to insure that this formation is a legal formation prior to the snap of the ball.

1. If the A-11 formation is legal, then it implies that the center must be given extra protection. The receiver of the snap is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage. Otherwise you will have an illegal formation since they did not meet the requirement of a scrimmage kick formation which allows for the numbering exception.
2. The ball will leave the free-blocking-zone immediately. Thus, there will be limited opportunity for legal blocking below the waist, clips, or blocks in the back. The interior blocking on any designed running play from an A-11 formation will need to be watched very carefully. This is no change from officiating a shotgun formation when the QB is at least 7 yards off the line of scrimmage.
3. BJ’s may need to switch to a zone type of coverage with the wings. Good signals from each wing official will be critical in determining which receivers are eligible and which ones are ineligible or covered up.
4. Note “how the offense breaks the huddle (if, indeed, they even had one).
In order to allow some sort of “shifting” a legal way around the wording in 7-5-2b (exception) must be met. In their offensive scheme, when the team breaks the huddle only the snapper and possible 2 linemen next to the snapper might take an initial position on the L.O.S. The remaining players spread out over the field and as mentioned before, they remain in the backfield in some sort of continuous motion – never “setting”. Legally, they can and do continue to move forward and backward while remaining Off the L.O.S., but never committing to being on the L.O.S. Then on Cue from the Quarterback, the appropriate & designated players on that play will eventually commit to being on the L.O.S. by either stepping forward or remaining in the backfield. (This is why signals from the wing officials will be critical). The players who step forward onto the L.O.S. get set for at least one second and the snap is made. Of course the entire A-11 unit must be set for at least one second prior to the snap, unless there is one player who happens to be in motion.
They still must meet the requirement of being set for one second prior to going in motion.
Officials:

Pregame meeting
• Make sure you ask all coaches if they have any unusual plays or formations.
• A-11 can be ran from any down as long as they meet the formation requirements. By rule, they do not have to kick from a scrimmage kick formation.
• Make sure that you have reviewed the A-11 prior to each game just in case a team runs the formation most of the game or for one or two plays during the game.
Note:
• Count players every play
• Recognize eligible receivers by number and position.
• Consider developing a crew signal for the A-11 offense
• Wing officials must make sure they designate on the line or off the line of scrimmage for the offensive player closet to them.
• Free blocking zone is limited immediately once the ball leaves the zone.
• Clearly make sure that the receiver of the ball is at least 7 yards behind the spot. This will be a task of the referee.
• Must identify 5 interior linemen and once they are set on the line of scrimmage they will always be ineligible, even if they shift into an eligible position. Note: 4 backs are clearly in the backfield at least 1 yard off the line of scrimmage.
• Review shifts and motion prior to the start of the game.

Just a couple points for the "IL directive".
The actual receiver of the snap does not have to be 7 yds behind the line. Per rule, you only have to have someone in position to receive the snap that is 7 yds back. That is 2 entirely different things.
Your set "rule" is ambiguous. It seems to state that it is ok for everyone to move into position and set and still have one man in motion. If that is what it is saying, you have just ok'd an illegal shift. They all must come set for the 1 second, then someone can go in motion. Maybe that's what you meant to say.

Illegal in NC. Ruled as an unfair act.

Louisiana

Was told in our rules clinic, it is only legal for 4th down, and NFHS is thinking about making a rule next year to outlaw it.

For Pennsylvania, I can tell you this... I just attended our officials' convention and the subject of the A-11 offense came up. The executive director of the PIAA, Brad Cashman, brought it up and said many of the same things that the first responder here from Illinois wrote. While the A-11 is legal according to the post made by bo from Illinois, Mr. Cashman seemed to think that this would be something discussed at the National Federation level in the very near future and that a rules revision could occur, but not before the end of this year.

Arizona's position is that it's legal, but they want us to "make them be perfect."

They also want us to alert them if we see a school doing it so they can collect information.

7-2-5 (b) ECEPTION: "A player in the game under this exception (the numbering exception) must assume an initial position on his line of scrimmage between the ends and he remains an ineligible forward-pass receiver during that down unless the pass is touched by B."

Would that preclude that? Wouldn't at least five A players have to "assume an initial position" on their line of scrimmage, between the ends and wouldn't they then remain ineligible for the down (unless B touches the pass)?


At our local meeting last night, they said that at least five guys have to take an initial LOS position.

Great, legitimate points. Sounds like the proper interpretation and the needed rules support that would make the A-11 illegal.

The 7.5.2 Exception was intended to allow players with eligible numbers to assume positions normally limited to ineligible numbered positions. It's reasonable to understand the language of the rule to suggest that these players, wearing numbers that don't match with their positions (lineman numbered 50-79) need to establish their role so as not to be confused with properly numbered interior lineman.

The Exception further requires that once these players assume those interior lineman positions, they are prohibited for becoming eleigible as a result of any shifting or changing formations. I'm sure some could (and likely would) argue what, "assume an initial position on his line of scrimmage between the ends" actually means, but it is certainly reasonable to interpret this as meaning, just what it says, that those players in the game by virtue of the 7.5.2 Exception must declare themselves as interior lineman by assuming an initial position on the line of scrimmage, between the ends.

If they have failed to do so, they are not complying with the basic requirements of the 7.5.2 exception rendering the formation illegal.

It seems this whole offensive strategy rides the line between legal and illegal, in any number of ways, and requires a level of precision execution that many teams will have great diffculty in complying with.