Middle School teams want to install the Air Raid offense, yet don’t know where to start. Well, in today’s video I go over what two-drop back passing concepts I would install if I was installing the Air Raid Offense at a Middle School
I would install the Shallow Cross concept as my drop back passing game in the Middle School Air Raid. I feel like this is a simple passing concept that any middle school quarterback can execute and be successful at.
The Shallow Cross concept is also difficult for the defense to defend because middle schoolers aren’t used to having wide receivers cross their face and not react to it. The crossing action of the Shallow Cross concept should open up the dig route.
This concept will make the Middle School Air Raid deadly, and lay the foundation for the offense to be successful once the players reach high school.
Coach Is Pissed Because He Bought Another Crappy DVD.
We football coaches love to learn. We buy all of the best football coaching books, the best Football Coaching DVDs, and attend the best football clinics. But sometimes we get confused. We see a great book, a fancy Football Coaching DVD cover, or a popular clinic and we want to get it. But the thing that holds us back is the fact that we don’t have that much money.
What happens if we spend 60 dollars and that highly rated Football Coaching DVD sucks? What if that presenter has a soft voice and covers the basics of a popular concept you wanted to get more knowledge in?
You’ll be out of 60 dollars and pissed the hell off.
But have no fear coaches. I’ve plucked down my wife’s hard earn dollars and I’m going to give you my Best Football Coaching DVDs.
If you want to learn the Ins and Outs of the Air Raid system, and don’t have 1,000 dollars to buy it directly from Hal Mumme, then this is the Football Coaching DVD for you. The coaches in this series are the ones who created the Air Raid: Hal Mumme, Mike Leach, Chris Hatch, and Neal Brown.
You will learn the Ins and Outs of the Air Raid from the Godfather himself - Hal Mumme. Coach Mumme will walk you through the drills that make the Air Raid successful: Noose & Settle, Pat & Go, Quick Game Drills, and One-on-One drills. He then will walk you through his run game and then talk to you about receiver play within the Air Raid System.
Next, you will learn from the Pirate Himself - Mike Leach. Coach Leach walks you through the Mesh route - one of the greatest routes of all time - and how to practice the Routes on Air drill. This one drill will help you increase your passing yards and completion rate by 50 percent.
Finally, you will learn everything from Chris Hatcher - head coach at Samford University - who played for Hal Mumme and Mike Leach at Valdosta State. He will walk you through the major Air Raid Routes - Shallow Cross, Mesh, Y-Stick, Y-Corner, Y-Cross, and Y-Sail. He will then walk you through the drills that make the Air Raid successful.
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, we’ve got too many running concepts in this offense? I wish we could simplify it and only run Inside Zone.”
You have?
Great news. Now you can simplify your run game to the Inside Zone by watching this Football Coaching DVD by Coach Craig Buzea. Coach Craig Buzea - who in 7 seasons as HC has produced a 65-18 record - tells you everything you need to know about the Inside Zone, and how to run it with YOUR guys. That means this will work for you even if you don’t have the 6’4 350-pound offensive linemen.
The best thing about Coach Buzea’s Football Coaching DVD is the Inside Zone Tags - 14 of them - and how he pairs his play-action and vertical passing game with his Inside Zone.
Okay, so you don’t want the Football Coaching DVD of Complete Air Raid Offense. I understand. Then I would strongly advise you to get the Chris Hatcher portion. THIS is the Football Coaching DVD that you can’t live without if you want to learn the Air Raid Offense.
This is the purest Air Raid Football DVD you can find on the market. Everyone else is running their version of what they think the Air Raid Offense is. Not Christ Hatcher. He is running the offense that Hal Mumme and Mike Leach developed in a small college town in Iowa.
Beat Your Opponents To The Outside With This Football DVD
Look, I understand if you want to run the Spread Offense but are afraid to throw the ball. Sometimes you won’t have a quarterback who can throw the ball. That’s fine. That doesn’t mean you can’t run the Spread Offense.
This Football Coaching DVD by Coach Kevin Swartwood walks you through the Fly - aka Jet Sweep - offense. It is amazing.
Story time: My starting quarterback got hurt. So I had to play my backup quarterback for next week’s game. Did I mention that the back-up was a Wide Reciever? No? Well, he was.
There was no way I was going to throw the ball 40 times a game with a Wide Receiver at quarterback. So I bought this DVD pack and installed the Jet Sweep like Coach Kevin Swartwood teaches it.
This is a Football Coaching DVD that is found on Coach Tube and it is done by Slade Singleton. Most of you will know Coach Singleton as the man who was on my Air Raid Live Clinic. This Video Course is freaking amazing. Coach Singleton goes over how he runs his record-breaking offense and how he installs and teaches the offense. My favorite part about the Video Course is his breakdown of the Quarterback Sweep RPO. I’m totally stealing it for next year.
Every offense has its signature play. The Flexbone offense has the Veer. The Wing-T has the Buck Sweep. The Run and Shoot as Go. What’s the Air Raid’s signature play? Y-Cross? Nope. Y-Stick? Nope. The Air Raid’s signature play is the Mesh Concept.
Don’t know what the Air Raid Mesh Concept is? Why? Have you been living under a rock for the past 20 years?
I’m kidding. I bet you have seen the Air Raid Mesh Concept ran before even if you don’t know what the Air Raid Mesh Concept is.
Air Raid Mesh Concept Ran From Standard 2 x 2 Set
This is standard way teams run the Air Raid Mesh Concept. I’ll walk you through the wide receiver’s routes.
Wide Receiver’s Routes on the Air Raid Mesh Concept Out of 2 x 2
R - You are running a 6 step out route. Do not break down and chop your feet on the out route. You will use a speed cut for this route.
Y - You are setting the depth of the Mesh. You should run this route no deeper than 6 yards. If you happen to run it under 6 yards then you are okay. Once you pass the center you will look to see whether the defense is in man or in zone. If the defense is in zone then you will settle up in the first open grass area. If the defense is in man then you will turn upfield slightly and keep running.
F - You are running a three-yard flat route. If you think you can get 10 yards then you will give a “BALL” call. If you do not get 10 yards when you give the “BALL” call then you will come out of the game.
L - You are setting the Mesh with the Y receiver. You will locate him coming out of your route and go UNDER him. You will get so close to the Y receiver that your shoulder pads will rub together. You will never, EVER, go over the top of the Y receiver. Your job is to make the Mesh happen and to make the Y receiver right. After you Mesh with the Y receiver you will look to see whether the defense is in man or in zone. If the defense is in zone then you will settle up in the first open grass area. If the defense is in man then you will turn upfield slightly and keep running.
TB - You are running a shoot route. You want to get out to the flats as fast as possible.
Quarterback’s Progression in the Air Raid Mesh Concept
The quarterback is going R to TB to L to Y to F. So it is Out, Flat, First Mesh, Second Mesh, Backside Flat.
That’s pretty easy, right?
Air Raid Mesh Concept From a 3 x 1 Formation
Air Raid Mesh Concept Ran From 3 x 1
Wide Receiver’s Routes on the Air Raid Mesh Concept Out of 3 x 1
R - You are running a 6 step out route. Do not break down and chop your feet on the out route. You will use a speed cut for this route.
Y - You are setting the depth of the Mesh. You should run this route no deeper than 6 yards. If you happen to run it under 6 yards then you are okay. But if you run it deeper than 6 then we will have a problem. Once you pass the center you will look to see whether the defense is in man or in zone. If the defense is in zone then you will settle up in the first open grass area. If the defense is in man then you will turn upfield slightly and keep running.
F - You are running a shoot route. You want to get to the sideline as fast as possible. On your third step you will whip your head around and look for the ball. You are the HOT if the defense brings a blitz from the three receiver side.
L - You are setting the Mesh with the Y receiver. You will locate him coming out of your route and go UNDER him. You will get so close to the Y receiver that your shoulder pads will rub together. You will never, EVER, go over the top of the Y receiver. Your job is to make the Mesh happen and to make the Y receiver right. After you Mesh with the Y receiver you will look to see whether the defense is in man or in zone. If the defense is in zone then you will settle up in the first open grass area. If the defense is in man then you will turn upfield slightly and keep running.
TB - You are running an arrow route. If you think you can get 10 yards then you will give a “BALL” call. If you do not get 10 yards when you give a “BALL” call then you will come out of the game.
Quarterback’s Progression in the Air Raid Mesh Concept
The quarterback is going R to F to L to Y to TB. So it is Out, Flat, First Mesh, Second Mesh, Backside Flat.
Notice How the Air Raid Mesh Concept Reads Are The Same For the Quarterback?
That’s what makes this route so freaking dangerous. Once the quarterback gets the progression - Out, Flat, First Mesh, Second Mesh, Back Side Flat - then you can run this concept from any formation with any motion you can think of.
The Air Raid Mesh Concept is only limited to your imagination. So go ahead, imagine the record books at your school falling because that’s what will happen once you install this incredible concept.
Caution for Those Who Want To Run the Air Raid Mesh Concept
You will need to rep the Air Raid Mesh Concept every day. That’s the golden rule that Hal Mumme gave when he talked about running the Air Raid Mesh Concept. Hal Mumme devotes five minutes a day drilling the play.
So if you want to become successful at this play, and light up the scoreboard as well as the record books, then you will have to spend five minutes a day drilling the play.
That doesn’t sound that bad, right?
Until next time coaches, let’s continue to Master the Spread, Score Points, and Have Fun!
The Air Raid Y-Cross Concept is one of the many great passing concepts within the Air Raid Offense. I’m not alone with this feeling. Great coaches like Chip Kelly, Mike Leach, Hal Mumme, and Noel Mazzone feel the same way about this great Air Raid Concept.
Why?
Because it is one of the few Air Raid concepts that pairs up beautifully with play action.
Why Use Play-Action in the Air Raid?
Because you have to run the ball sometimes.Yes, I do love to throw the ball. A lot. Yet, I believe you have to keep the defense honest. Now, I know you can do that through quick screens to wide receivers, and slow screens to the running back. But the tried and true method of keeping a defense on its toes is good ‘
I know that is blasphemy to say in the Air Raid Offense, but it is true. And yes, I know you can throw quick screens to wide receivers and slow screens to the running back, and say that’s your run game. But let’s be honest - that’s a cop out. Sometimes you are going to have to line up and run the ball down the defenses throat. Especially in high school
Which is great. Because now you can dial up the play action and really mess with the defense.
What is the Y-Cross Concept?
The Y-Cross concept is a weakside flood concept. It can be run from a million different formations, but the main two formations are the following:
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept out of a 2 x 2 Formation
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept from a 2 x 2 set.
This is usually the first formation the Air Raid Y-Cross Concept is installed in. The wide receiver routes are as followed:
L - 10-yard post. Your angle of departure is behind the safety. If the safety is bailing then you are still trying to get behind him.
F - 10 yard out.
Y - Crossing route 18-22 yards to the opposite hash. You must go under the Sam and over top the Mike. You can stop in grass and show hands after you go over the top of the Mike linebacker.
R - 15-yard dig. Sit in grass. Keep going if it is man.
Quarterback’s progression
Three step drop then it is L to F to Y to R.
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept out of a 3 x 1 Formation
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept from a 3×1 set.
The second way is out of 3 x 1. The wide receiver routes and quarterback’s progression change a bit:
L - 10-yard post. Your angle of departure is behind the safety. If the safety is bailing then you are still trying to get behind him.
Y - Crossing route 18-22 yards to the opposite hash. You must go under the Sam and over top the Mike. You can stop in grass and show hands after you go over the top of the Mike linebacker.
F - Bubble Screen. You are taking two steps forward then back pedaling towards the sideline.
R - 15-yard dig. Sit in grass. Keep going if it is man.
Quarterback’s progression
Three step drop then it is L to Y to R to F
That’s how most teams run the Air Raid Y-Cross Concept
Not me though. I don’t like to use this route as a straight drop back. I’m more of a fan of play-actioning this route. How do I do that?
By utilizing a two-back formation.
See, I think the Wing-T guys are on to something with utilizing motion in their offense. High school defenders can’t help to stare at the motion. Hell, I’m a coach and I sometimes get caught up in the motion.
So why not use motion in the Spread?
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept out of Two-Back Formation
Air Raid Y-Cross Concept Out of Two Back Formation
I put the F in the backfield in my two-back formation. The quarterback puts him in motion and hikes the ball. The offensive line will execute our play-action protection based on our Pin and Pull scheme.
I like this play-action blocking paired with the motion because it confuses the defense. The F is going to the right and the right guard is pulling to the left.This makes the linebackers’ heads spin. Which lets our guys get wide open for an easy pitch and catch opportunities.
Rules for the Wide Receiver
L - 10-yard post. Your angle of departure is behind the safety. If the safety is bailing then you are still trying to get behind him.
Y - Crossing route 18-22 yards to the opposite hash. You must go under the Sam and over top the Mike. You can stop in grass and show hands after you go over the top of the Mike linebacker.
R - 15-yard dig. Sit in grass. Keep going if it is man.
F - Swing Route. You are the ‘Oh Shit’ route. If no defender is around you and you can guarantee 10 yards then give a ‘Ball’ call.
Quarterback’s Progression
L to Y to R to F. Unless he hears a ‘Ball’ call from the F. Then that’s an automatic throw. If the ball gets picked off then it isn’t the quarterback’s fault. It’s the F’s fault.
There you go coaches. That’s how I utilize the Air Raid Y-Cross Concept within my offense. If you do anything different then please leave a comment below. And before you go, check out AirRaidDrills.com for a free eBook on three Air Raid drills you need to run in order to be successful in the Air Raid Offense.
Until next time coaches, let’s continue to Master the Spread, Score Points, and Have Fun!
