ESPN Magazine A-11 Article

[3SPORT]

This weeks ESPN Magazine has an article calling the A-11 an Offensive revolution.

Here is the link:
An offensive revolution is coming to the NFL. Can anyone stop it? - ESPN The Magazine

[OverAndBack]

I saw that it was in there and had a photo of our favorite coach. I haven't read the article yet, though.

[bisonlj]

The article is somewhat misleading. It makes it sound like the innovation is that all 11 players can go downfield. It doesn't mention that after the pre-snap shifts, the same number of players can do downfield (5) It will just be hard to determine who those 5 eligible receivers are until the last second. It wouldn't surprise me to see some related innovation in the NFL but this will not happen. I'd be surprised if the high school rules are corrected to close this loophole to what it was intended for - SCRIMMAGE KICKS!

[JRutledge]

There is a reason we do not look to sports writers to understand basic rules.

Peace

[TXMike]

I hope every NFHS official sends a note to the national body expressing your opinion of this and of what the NFHS should do. Give them sample language if you wish. Once again, it is left to the officials to protect the integrity of the game.

[newmdref]

I read this article a few days ago and saw it as an example of coaching ingenuity but "Offensive Revolution".....Not. Hey, I get it, if I was the coach of, what appears to be, a lilly white (and I am white), undersized, man handled HS football team that was taken to the wood shed just about every game I would be searching for some way to neutralize my opponents as well especially since I lacked the ability to go head to head with them and be successful. The scrimmage kick formation or any variant of it as a base offense in college or the NFL will never happen and it should be stopped at the HS level. Players play football and people watch football in person or on TV because its a battle not a track meet or a magic show. I grew up in Baltimore and still live in the area. I am obviously a Ravens fan and I don't think we scored a touch down in the 12 years prior to this year, lol. Hell we won a Super Bowl with a defense, a kicker and an offense who's sole purpose was to give the defense time to rest. You can't swing dead cat around here without hitting something purple with Ravens on it, proof enough thats its not all about scoring, offense and trickery unless you have 40 players under 5'10" and 160lbs.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There is a reason we do not look to sports writers to understand basic rules.

Peace

"Normally used for punts, the rule stated that as long as the player receiving the snap was seven yards behind center, any teammate wearing the jersey of an eligible receiver (between Nos. 1 and 49 or 80 and 89) was permitted to go downfield."

[JRutledge]

The writer in the article suggested that Bill Walsh created an offense that took advantage of a rule. All Bill Walsh did was create an offense that allowed players to do things they did not traditionally do. Actually they were running similar offenses with John Unitas in the 50s and 60s, Walsh just had success with the concept and created more plays with a specific concept. He did not take advantage of a rule to run that offense. And the article was a little misleading by suggesting that all players could go out for a pass. That is also not true; only 5 players can go out for a pass. There are just 11 eligible numbers but most are illegal by position. This was never stated clearly in the article.

You have to read the entire thing, not pull out one or two lines.

Peace

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by LDUB

"Normally used for punts, the rule stated that as long as the player receiving the snap was seven yards behind center, any teammate wearing the jersey of an eligible receiver (between Nos. 1 and 49 or 80 and 89) was permitted to go downfield."

Yeah, they got that one wrong.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by bisonlj

The article is somewhat misleading. It makes it sound like the innovation is that all 11 players can go downfield. It doesn't mention that after the pre-snap shifts, the same number of players can do downfield (5) It will just be hard to determine who those 5 eligible receivers are until the last second. It wouldn't surprise me to see some related innovation in the NFL but this will not happen. I'd be surprised if the high school rules are corrected to close this loophole to what it was intended for - SCRIMMAGE KICKS!

Pretty sure you mean:

I'd be surprised if the high school rules are NOT corrected to close this loophole

[Tim C]

I think I am going to vomit.

Has Kurt finished his 15 minutes of fame yet?

[daggo66]

What a foolish article. It mentions that the A-11 is not legal in the NFL and probably never will be. Why give it such prominence in the article. I also question the numbers that "hundreds" of high schools are using it. It mentions the inovation of having 2 QBs. Where the heck has this guy been? The Dolphins used 2 QBs back in the 70's. I can't remember his name but they had a receiver who had been a QB in college and used to run an option with him throwing the ball. My take on this is that sales are low and Kurt is trying to make a few bucks for Christmass so he managed to work his con game on a writer for ESPN.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by daggo66

The Dolphins used 2 QBs back in the 70's. I can't remember his name but they had a receiver who had been a QB in college and used to run an option with him throwing the ball.

Jim Jensen? Was a QB at Boston U? Played for the Dolphins from 1981-1992 and threw exactly 7 passes in his NFL career.

Of course, the "other" quarterback for all but two of those years was that Marino guy.

[daggo66]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Jim Jensen? Was a QB at Boston U? Played for the Dolphins from 1981-1992 and threw exactly 7 passes in his NFL career.

Of course, the "other" quarterback for all but two of those years was that Marino guy.

That's the guy! Thanks. Naturally they didn't have to go to it often with all of their other weapons. I just wanted to point out that it wasn't a new concept.

[newmdref]

TimC and Overandback you guys seem to know these coaches or perhaps officiated their games. Whats your feedback on the article & the A-11?