Quote from Veteran Official that's seen the most A-11 Games in the Nation

[KurtBryan]

Dear Officials:

Today, the new article came out about the A-11 Offense from American Football Monthly, you can read the whole thing on their web site. But it is interesting when they interviewed Sam Moriana, a 50-year Veteran Official, and the one Ref in the nation who has seen more A-11 games than any other Official. There are lots of similar quotes from Refs like this one, but this is very interesting....

Thanks, KB


Myths vs. Facts - The A-11 Offense a Year Later
by: Mike Kuchar
Senior Writer, American Football Monthly
© January 2009


The A-11 offense is impossible to be refereed due to determining pre-snap who is eligible and who is ineligible.

Sam Moriana, 50-year veteran of officiating, (CA)

“Any good high school official who is competent would have no problem officiating a game showcasing the A-11 scheme. They just need to be alert as to who is eligible on each play. They just have to be on their toes. It doesn’t take extra work, just intelligence. There may be flags thrown on each play, but once the ball doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage (let’s say on a screen play for instance) we just pick up the laundry. It’s really no big deal. We have had no complaints from any officials whatsoever that have refereed their games. The biggest pressure really is on the wing men – the head linesman and the line judge – because they are the ones who determine who is eligible. Piedmont doesn’t jockey back-and-forth. They let their position players be known which makes it easier on us. They declare it. They stay in the SKF (Scrimmage Kick Formation) with two deep backs all the time at least seven yards behind the LOS so they can still deploy five potential receivers. I think it’s only a matter of time before college rules committees take a look at this formation and allow it for downs other than fourth in the college game and make it an every-down possibility.”