A-11 offense faces ban

[MN Gopher Fan]

I know there was a lot of talk on here about the A-11 offense and saw this today that they are facing a ban in the state of California...there goes some of your dreams.

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=911196

 

[mnboiler]

Thats crap. IF it is an legal offense they should let it be used. Banning it would only set a bad predent about new and inovatitve ideas being banned. It's part of the game. If other teams don't like it then learn to stop it and prove it isn't effective.

 

[re3886]

It is not a "legal" formation...

Dropping a player back to simulate a possible kick on every down, is an obvious attempt to skirt the rules. If this offense is so clean and above board, why do the wait until the last second to show who is eligible? Deception is fine, up to a point. Other rules have been put in place to stop loophole violations. No fake footballs on jerseys, first the Minnesota shift, then The Norte Dame shift were outlawed to keep from having entire backfields in motion at the snap. People who come up with these types of offenses, know they will be ruled, "legal" or "illegal" when they become popular. It's how the game stays relevant. At one time the forward pass was, first illegal, then slowed by heavy costs, (i.e. an incomplete pass was considered a fumble and could be advanced by the defense only, if the offense recovered, it was placed at the spot of the attempt and it would be the next down.) as it became more popular the rules came around to what they are today. This A-11 will either stand the test of time, or disappear like the Wishbone, relegated to the annals of history.

 

[MaxyJR1]

re3886 I agree. When this formation is used, the center/snapper is also protected which basically takes away any middle defensive rush. I would argue this is not football.

If legal, it will be out within a couple years. It's easy to defend. I think the reason for making it illegal is for the officials. There are enough things to worry about on each play without making sure the right people are down field on a pass.

 

[tpbeight]

Good riddance. An entire offense based on a loophole in the scrimmage kick rule? Ridiculous.

 

[harrys ghost]

I've always thought the jersey number determining eligibility was hokey. Actually, it wasn't all that long ago that that rule was added. As Jesse would say, "a crutch for the weak-minded".

 

[McGopherFan]

It's evolution of the game

The numbering rule came during the death of two-way football. The exception came to allow a person with "better hands" to be the long snapper, so that person would not have to report to the officials. Taking away that freeby would make the A-11 almost impossible to run within the play clock since they have to report on everyplay then call and run the play.

Also the "making a mockery of the game" rule may be invoked by an official, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Lining up for a kick but never actually kicking on that down it seems would qualify, as would baiting a player on the sidelines to induce a late hit, and running fakes through the center hole on kick formations. There is absolutely no reason that if deserved both flags cannot be thrown.

Abuse of special protections has to evolve with the rules, just as the need for them has evolved overtime.

In my opinion the solution is probably already there. Since the mockery rule is very discreationary, it might be better to have something a little more solid to stand on.

I've always thought the jersey number determining eligibility was hokey. Actually, it wasn't all that long ago that that rule was added. As Jesse would say, "a crutch for the weak-minded".