A-11. Yeah, It's That Ingenious

Football is changing. It has been doing so since the incorporation of the forward pass took the sport by force at the beginning of the twentieth century. The A-11 offense represents the latest installment in the eternal pigskin struggle.

Concocted by two high school football coaches as an effort to level the playing field for their smaller team, the A-11 offense is based around a modified punt formation, two shotgun quarterbacks, and the philosophy that if all eleven players on the field are eligible receivers, someone has got to be open. Apart from a center to snap the ball, the system essentially does away with an offensive line, trading it for more receivers. But with multiple quarterbacks and pre-snap trickery, it also negates the effectiveness of a pass rush.

Defenses and opposing head coaches are furious and equally confused. Because it uses a loop-hole in the rules, A-11 is legal at both the high school and college level, but does not seem feasible in the NFL.

Nonetheless, the changes are still felt by the professional leagues. The best example stands as the Miami Dolphins occasional use of the "wildcat formation," featuring a direct snap to running back Ronnie Brown. Defenses have been trying to play catch-up ever since Bill Walsh introduced the West Coast offense. They probably view any more innovation like interaction with Pacman Jones- something to be avoided.

NCAA teams are more liberal when it comes to revolutionary ideas. After all, the spread offense is all the rage and is used by more and more schools each year. While a few coaches still cling to their run-heavy wishbone or smash mouth style offenses and mutter something about "three yards and a cloud of dust," many coaches are leaping onto the pass-happy bandwagon. Quarterbacks, especially in the Big 12, have begun to rack up unsightly numbers.

The heart of the spread, namely spreading the defense thin with multiple receivers, is taken to an extreme by the A-11. Instead of four or five receivers, there are ten to choose from. This opens the door for smaller, more athletic players to enter into the mix, rather than the mantra of 'the bigger, the better.' In fact, if the A-11 catches on, it will slowly erode the usefulness of 350 lbs. defensive linemen, and thereby nullifying the only positive excuse for childhood obesity. Instead of countering such presences with bigger offensive linemen, the offense will seek to run past, around, or away from nose tackles with quickness and agility.

If the A-11 gets enough followers and sees enough success, it could also change the fundamental elements of football recruiting and scouting. The demand for enormous linemen will decrease dramatically, while the need for talented and savvy skill players will skyrocket. Athletes who have the ability to play multiple positions on the field will become even more invaluable than they are now.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Meaning, that in response to the A-11, there is a football genius somewhere waiting to reveal the next great defensive scheme.