Air raid offense

The Air Raid Offense refers to an offensive scheme popularized by such coaches as Mike Leach, Hal Mumme, Sonny Dykes, and Tony Franklin during their tenures at Valdosta State, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech.

The system is designed out of a shotgun formation with four wide receivers and one running back. The formations are a variation of the run and shoot offense with two outside receivers and two inside slot receivers. The offense also utilizes trips formations featuring three wide receivers on one side of the field and a lone single receiver on the other side.

History

The offense largely mixed the timing of the short passes utilized in such systems as the west coast offense with the QB (and coach) reading the defense prior to the snap and audibling to the correct play much like the run and shoot offense. Hal Mumme was the head coach at both Valdosta State and Kentucky and largely introduced the offense nationally while Mike Leach served as his offensive coordinator. Mike Leach then served one year as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma before serving as head coach at Texas Tech through 2009.

The Air Raid System

The scheme itself is extremely pass heavy, in part because the quarterback is asked to audible in and out of plays depending on how the defense is aligned. Much like the west coast offense, the Air Raid uses short passes as an extension of or even replacement for the running game. Instead of running the ball and maybe getting just 3 yards, the Air Raid uses a short pass in the hopes that the receiver (or running back) can then turn that into 7 or 8 yards instead.

The audible system is extremely important to the Air Raid offense and Mike Leach gave his quarterbacks almost unheard of control in changing the plays he calls at the line of scrimmage. As such, as many as 90 percent of the run plays will be called at the line of scrimmage when the situation presents itself as an advantage. During the course of a season, the quarterbacks will throw the ball as much as 70 to 75 percent of the offensive plays called.

One important aspect is the split of the offensive linemen. Normally they are bunched together but in the Air Raid offense, they are often split apart about a half to a full yard from another. While this allows easier blitz lanes, it forces the defensive ends and defensive tackles to have to run further to reach the quarterback for a sack. The quick, short passes are then able to offset any Blitz that may come.

The Key Plays

The three biggest plays in the offensive scheme are what is known as the Shallow Cross, the Receiver Screen, and the Mesh series. The Shallow Cross was originally invented by Mike Shanahan, a coach who learned the west coast offense from Bill Walsh while with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Shallow Cross often involves the quarterback taking a quick three step drop and watches one of the inside receivers cross a yard or two behind the defensive linemen. The opposite inside receiver will often run a square in route with an option to button hook if there's an open area. The Mike Shanahan variations were a bit more complex and involved the opposite inside receiver running a corner post pattern. One of the biggest benefits of the Shallow Cross as a play is that it involves a speedy receiver who can get open across the field if being covered by a linebacker while forcing the field behind the linebackers to open up for the opposite inside receiver. If the safeties cover the second inside receiver, that then opens the deep field for the two outside receivers. This has become a staple of teams such as the New England Patriots in the National Football League.

The Wide Receiver Screen Pass involves the quarterback taking a quick one step drop and throwing to the receiver, who will catch the ball, then following the blockers ahead of him to get downfield. This play has started to become a staple in the National Football League.

The final key play is what is called the Mesh series. It involves the two inside receivers "meshing" as they run their routes. Both inside receivers will run a shallow cross and force the defenders covering them to bump into the other or sidestep their teammate. This allows for one of the inside receivers to get separation while continuing their shallow crossing route. The biggest advantage of this play series is that one of the linebackers will often have to stop their coverage, allowing that inside receiver to then become open in an area that is uncovered.

The Players

The Air Raid system has made stars out of quarterbacks such as Tim Couch, Josh Heupel, Kliff Kingsbury, and Graham Harrell because it allows them to put up what media members call "video game numbers" or very high passing statistics. The system is credited for allowing a quarterback to step in and routinely throw for over 4,500 yards and 30 or more touchdowns due in part to its simplicity and the high number of pass attempts.

It has also made stars of wide receivers such as Wes Welker, who has used his abilities learned as an inside receiver with the Air Raid to catch 100 or more passes a season with the New England Patriots, Michael Crabtree who was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and who put up 625 yards receiving in 11 starts as a rookie, and Danny Amendola who had similar success as an inside receiver and is currently with the St. Louis Rams.

The Negatives

Many in the media tend to chide the quarterbacks coming out of the Air Raid offense as merely system quarterbacks with average or below average arm strength. Similar accusations made to quarterbacks coming from the run and shoot offense. On the other hand, it relies on quick decision making and incredible accuracy in the short (0 to 10 yards) and intermediate (10-15 yards) range. While it doesn't ask much of wide receivers in terms of running routes, it demands that the wide receivers have lateral agility and the strength to break tackles after making the catch.

Another negative is that the Air Raid relies on short passes out of the shotgun formation and yards after the catch. So while it creates gaudy numbers for quarterbacks in the scheme, it also hinders their potential ability to be seen as having qualities needed to be a quarterback at the National Football League level.

Other Links

• Highlights of the Air Raid offense from Texas Tech's 2007 season
• Highlights of the Mesh Route performed by Texas Tech and New Mexico State
• The Shallow Cross Route as performed by Brigham Young in a game