A-11 Offense: Football Uniform Numbering Rules!

I know that most high school football coaches have by now gotten wind of the A-11 Offense(if not, go here) But for the rest of us, even the semi-literate like me, I have to say, I am amazed.

The skinny on it is this: The National Federation of HS's was trying to be helpful & realistic by letting "non-center" numbered players, long snap in punting situations. (They confuse it a little by referring to punts as "scrimmage kicks" (and I know there's "quick kicks") but I digress. Thoughtfully, the Feds wrote an exception that made sense. Essentially, any kid --wearing any number (i.e., not just 50-59)-- could long snap on punts. That's all it was meant to mean & do.

Unless you watch way too much Arena football and have far, far too much time on your hands as --apparently-- the "Director of Football Operations" at Piedmont HS (a small Bay area school with about 800 total students) does.NOTE: I tried to contact the "Director of Mathematical Operations" at Piedmont HS for a comment about this "numbering" issue and was met with a stony silence, followed by a quizzical "...The Who?"

But as me and my accountant harmonize monthly, "Let's Go to the Numbers!"


As Joseph Heller noted, there's just one catch, "Catch-22." Or, to update, the A-11 Offense. Taking advantage of a loophole in the rules, one (yes you read that right --ONE) high school (the aforementioned Piedmont)in California is using a gimmick offense to somewhat positive results.

The thing for me and cause for this post, is that it's a UNIFORM NUMBERING LOOPHOLE that is the basis for this controversy. (It's been BANNED in 10 states) Great googly-moogly!!!

Seems that Piedmont is sending out a how slew of players with RECEIVER eligible numbers. But they ain't, mind ya! They just look that way! (Rules for the # of eligible receivers on any given play have NOT changed in ANY way.)

There little chance of this "FAD" offense gaining any ground at the collegiate level and ZERO chance of it getting to the NFL. Frankly, even at the HS level, it'll probably go the way of the leather helmet before it reaches anything close to common usage.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud out of the box thinking and credit the coaches at Piedmont for strategically countermanding a competitive disadvantage.

And, I love the scene in the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark" wherein Indiana Jones is confronted by a master of the whip or sword throwing (I forget which) and then calmly pulls out a pistol and just shoots the guy.

I just don't think football was meant to be played certain ways. (note: I have yet to be able to watch more than 10 minutes of Arena football)

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com