A - 11 offense The A - 11 offense is an offensive scheme that has been used in some levels of amateur American football . In this offense , a loophole in the rules governing kicking formations is used to disguise which offensive players would be eligible to receive a pass for any given play . It was designed by Kurt Bryan and Steve Humphries of Piedmont High School in California . The scheme was used at the high school level for two seasons before the national governing body of high school football , the National Federation of State High School Associations , closed the scrimmage kick loophole in February 2009 , effectively banning important facets of the offense . Basic concepts . The most striking characteristic of the A - 11 is its use of an " Emory & Henry " - style spread formation , with the players on the line of scrimmage spread across the field as if they were wide receivers . In conventional formations ( including the Emory & Henry ) , five of these players are offensive linemen . In the A - 11 , however , players who play any position may be stationed across the line . This was possible because , at the time the A - 11 offense was created , a loophole existed in the high school rule books that allowed teams in a " scrimmage kick " ( i . e . , a punt or field goal ) formation to be exempted from numbering requirements . Instead of including five offensive linemen who wear uniform numbers in a specific range and who are obviously ineligible to receive a pass , any player wearing any number can be used anywhere on the field . Since there were no restrictions concerning when the " scrimmage kick " exemption could be used or not used , the A - 11 offense could be used on every down . To use the scrimmage kick formation exemption , the player who receives the snap ( presumably the kicker or placeholder ) must stand at least seven yards behind the line of scrimmage . The A - 11 places the quarterback in that position , which becomes a deep shotgun formation . This has the effect of reducing the need for offensive line protection since defensive players have more ground to cover before reaching the passer . The offense also places an additional passing back ( similar to the wildcat offense ) in the backfield next to the quarterback , creating the potential for either one to run or pass the ball . The A - 11 still must abide by rules which cap the number of eligible receivers at five ( maximum six if the quarterback hands the ball off or laterals to an ineligible receiver who then passes the ball ) . However , it is unclear which players will be eligible until just before the snap , making pass coverage more difficult ; the eligible numbered players could interchange between eligible and ineligible positions after each play . The use of eligible numbers on every player on the field , coupled with the deep position of the quarterback , forces more of the defense personnel to go into " pass defense " mode and puts less focus on run defense or pass rushing . Legality at various levels . High school . As mentioned , the A - 11 offense was designed by a high school coach who used a " loophole " in the rules concerning allowable formations to design an every - down offense . As more schools began using the A - 11 , others called the system " an unsporting act " and " outside of the spirit of the rule code . " Consequently , high school associations in North Carolina , West Virginia , Louisiana , and the District of Columbia banned the use of the A - 11 for the 2008 season . In February 2009 , the National Federation of State High School Associations rules committee voted 46 – 2 to close the loophole allowing the linemen - free formations featured in the A - 11 . The system ' s creators petitioned the California Interscholastic Federation to allow use of the offense over the next three seasons on an experimental basis , but the appeal was denied . The scheme ' s creators have since made adjustments and run the new version of the A - 11 offense for the entire 2009 season . It now abides by all numbering requirements at every level of football , without any numbers exchanged between plays . The ineligible numbered " anchors , " like any ineligible receiver , can neither receive forward passes nor advance downfield before a forward pass is thrown across the line of scrimmage , but can catch lateral and backward passes , take handoffs , advance downfield prior to a screen pass to an eligible receiver , or even throw the ball if it is given to them . Since the adjusted version of the A - 11 offense abides by the numbering requirements , it is similar to the older Emory & Henry offense ; as such , unlike the previous version , it is legal in most levels of football . College football . The scrimmage kick formation is allowed on fourth downs under NCAA rules and on conversion attempts , and a few situations which define a scrimmage kick formation with an additional requirement that " it is obvious that a kick may be attempted . " It is otherwise not allowed for most normal plays , making the A - 11 impossible to use on an every - down basis . NFL . The offense is not currently legal in the NFL . The main problem is the league ' s rules concerning the required jersey numbers of players at different positions . Players who usually play at positions that are usually ineligible to receive a pass must declare themselves as eligible receivers to the referee if they will be lining up at an eligible position in a formation . The referee then announces their eligibility before the play , negating the surprise factor of not knowing which players may go out for a pass . The Emory & Henry formation and two - quarterback system are both legal , though they are rarely used . CFL . In Canadian football , there is no scrimmage kick exemption in the CFL , and persons who wish to change position from an eligible to an ineligible receiver ( or vice versa ) must physically change their uniform to a number that reflects their eligibility , and must seek permission from the official to do so . Furthermore , until the end of the 2008 season the Canadian Football League rulebooks dictated that a designated quarterback must take all snaps , which made the two - quarterback system used by the A - 11 ( as well as offenses such as the Wildcat ) illegal in the CFL . On June 8 , 2009 the CFL listened to suggestions from fans and removed this rule , mainly so that the Wildcat formation could be used for the 2009 season and all succeeding seasons . Youth football . At most levels of youth football , the A - 11 remains as legal as their use and / or application of high school rules . Other levels . Though there is no way to implement the A - 11 in six - man football due to all players already being eligible receivers under those rules , the concepts of A - 11 could theoretically be expanded into nine - man , eight - man and indoor variants of the game , all of which have ineligible players . However , like in youth football , the extent of how much an A - 9 or A - 8 offense is used in those levels is unknown , and it is nonexistent in indoor football .