Football Visionary Kurt Bryan Looks to Launch New Pro League

Paul Steinbach Headshot

During his first 21 years as a head football coach and offensive coordinator, Kurt Bryan ran exactly one play out of the shotgun formation.

During his first 21 years as a head football coach and offensive coordinator, Kurt Bryan ran exactly one play out of the shotgun formation. Then in 2006, on the heels of a playoff loss to a school twice the size of his, Bryan, then the head coach at Piedmont (Calif.) High School, in collaboration with his offensive coordinator Steve Humphries, created the A-11 offense based on the concept that any of their 11 players on the field - including two quarterbacks - could be eligible to catch a pass on any given down. Once The New York Times, ESPN The Magazine and National Public Radio profiled the offense, and Bryan and Humphries launched an A-11 website to answer frequently asked questions, hundreds of high schools nationwide adopted the system. Following the 2008 season, however, the National Federation of State High School Associations changed its rules to effectively ban the A-11, but its architects have since shifted focus to the pro ranks and the prospect of a 10-team spring-summer league launching as soon as 2013. Paul Steinbach asked Bryan, who now sells insurance while trying to sell investors on his $100 million venture, to draw up the vision.

Log in to view the full article
Page 1 of 82
Next Page
Buyer's Guide
Information on more than 3,000 companies, sorted by category. Listings are updated daily.
Learn More
Buyer's Guide
AB Show 2025 in San Diego
AB Show is a solution-focused event for athletics, fitness, recreation and military professionals.
Nov. 5-8, 2025
Learn More
AB Show 2025