Cleveland Browns to use All-11 concepts in 2016

New All-11 Offense

Shifting gears, the All-11 offense now looks to operate within and put a new interpretation upon the existing ineligible player rules.

The NFHS and NFL rules state there must be at least seven offensive players on the line of scrimmage. The two end players are eligible to go down field and receive passes. They must wear eligible numbers to be considered eligible. And thanks to a recent NFL rules change, the five ineligible players must wear ineligible numbers (see Ravens vs Patriots discussion above). The rule change is in line with the idea that exploiting loopholes in rules is unsportsmanlike.

According to the All-11 Ineligible Athletes Playbook an ineligible player can perform the following actions:

·         Take a backwards pitch and advance the ball anywhere on the field
·         Go downfield after a forward pass has crossed the neutral zone
·         Catch a backward pass behind the line of scrimmage and throw the ball
·         Catch a backward pass behind the line of scrimmage and advance with the ball
·         Catch a backward snap and run (or) throw the ball
·         Take a reverse behind the line of scrimmage and advance the ball
·         Line up in the backfield and take a hand-off or lead block
·         Line up on the line of scrimmage and block

The All-11 now emphasizes putting non-linemen in ineligible numbers and using them as offensive weapons. As the All-11 website describes, “With athletic skill players in both eligible and ineligible numbered jerseys, defenses are forced to account for every player on the field who might run, pass or throw the football.” Here is what this looks like in action:

Notice that in all plays the offense is divided into three zones. The zone to the formation’s left from the hash to the sideline the “red” zone. The zone between the hashes in the middle of the field is the “white” zone. And the zone to the formation’s right from the hash to the sideline is the “blue” zone.

The offense usually operates by taking two ineligible players (usually tackles) and places one in the “red” zone and the other in the “blue” zone on the line of scrimmage. They remain ineligible with ineligible numbers. The “white” zone keeps the center and two other ineligible players lined up on the line of scrimmage, usually linemen, but as long as ineligible numbers are used, it could be anybody. The play is executed to the zone in which the offense has a numbers advantage.

In the NFL so far, the All-11 style of lining up in three zones has been used by Hue Jackson. However, the idea of using ineligible players as offensive weapons has yet to catch on.

Next: The All-11 with Hue