Calling all Air Raid fans

[Dvd1034]

I have taken some time to look through all the demo playbooks and see if I could spot some Air Raid plays that EA has sprinkled into some of the playbooks. I was just wondering if anyone else has spotted any.

I will be using some Air Raid terminology such as Ace ( 4 wide double twins), Blue (2 Back), Ace Flip (Trips to the left), and Early (Trips to the Right).

So far I have noticed that they fixed 618 (Y Stick). They now have the backside WR's running the slant and the slant return route.

I have also seen that they added 96 curls package (Which is the 3 curls and 2 flat routes, not sure of the name in the demo). They have also added the 96 Shakes play that the teams check to when they see a MOFO coverage. This play has two corner routes on the outside and a middle seam route by the Y.

I'm sure most of you have noticed that they fixed the 92 (Mesh concept). Now the WR's actually sit vs. zone and run vs. man. They do not have the right WR's running the mesh though. The X (outside left) and the Y (Inside right) should be running the mesh with a flat route by the H (Inside Left) and a Post by Z (outside right). The one variation to this play that I have seen is called 92 PCP where the Z now runs a Post route.

I have seen the 617/ 619 Switch play out of Early and Ace Flip (not sure of the name of the trips formations). This play has the Outside Receiver running a post, the middle receiver running a corner and the inner most receiver running a flat route. I do know that the post and corner routes should be a little quicker and not so deep. This is a good RZ and Goal Line play against man.

They have also added the Y Arc and H Arc (bubble screens) and the X and Z missile screens (WR middle screen).

From the Air Raid quick game I see that they have added the 66 play ( #1 on a hitch and #2 running a vertical).

From NCAA 10 I know that they already have the 6 package (all verticals from Ace, Ace Flip and Early. Also they have the X,H,Y,Z Shallow package, The Y Corner package which is called 8, and 95 (Y Cross from Ace and Blue). The two RB screens Rocket and Lazer are also in there as well.

I have started to make a list of Air Raid Plays that I have seen and some that I have not seen. (* denotes in the game)

Quick Game
6 All Vert *
66 Hitch *
60 Outs
7 H Shoot
8 F Shoot *
9 Y Shoot *
618 Y Stick *
617 H Flat
619 Y Flat
617/619 Switch *

90 Series
90 X,H,Y,Z Shallows *
92 Mesh *
93 Curl Wheel
94 Y Sail
95 Y Cross*
96 All Curl*
96 Shakes *
98 Smash *

Screens
Rocket/Lazer HB Screen *
X/Z Missile (Slow Screen)*
X/Z Randy Lary (Quick Screen) *
H/Y Arc *

Runs
30 Base Draw *
34/35 Lead *
34/35 out of Spread *
F-5 (Shovel Pass)
H/Z Quicks (Jet Screen Under Center)

I would like to see them add a few variations of the passing game. There are a few plays that I doubt that they will add but I am hopeful that EA did their homework. If I have missed a few let me know so I can add them.

[Dr Death]

Nice write-up. Good to see another fan of offensive strategy. We still have blogs about Air Raid and Run & Shoot yet to come. If I am not mistaken, wasn't 6 ALL VERT. the play that Harrell threw to Crabtree to beat Texas w/ :01 left?

Seems I remember Harrell saying Leach called for 6...

Anyway, good job.

[Dvd1034]

Yes sir, I believe it was called Ace 6 Comeback. They tag the comeback if they think that the DB is going to commit to the fade, so in response Crabtree ran about 15 yards sold the fade and made a back cut to the sideline. I still get goosebumps when I watch cut ups from that game. I doubt that they will add that specific of a play, but I don't expect them to get everything added.

[Palo20]

Great stuff, can't wait to see Texas Tech's full playbook.

[pirates946]

woohoo Texas Tech haha

[thekodinator]

yeah, i'm gonna pass all over the place with jake heaps and the air raid playbook

[joeptc]

Its funny, when Tony Franklin decided to make money on his playbook that this offense EXPLODED in popularity and now guys on a video game website discuss his concepts (with apologies to Hal Mumme and Mike LEach).

Blue 92 is a staple of my high school's playbook. Along with variations, of course.

Love me some passing game.

[Dvd1034]

Well not to go into a huge history lesson about The Air Raid and I know that Franklin has increased in popularity here in the high schools in Texas. All the terminology I used is from Mike Leach and Texas Tech. I was a student assistant manager there from 05 to 09 and I soaked up as much as I could and researched the rest since Leach did not use all of the concepts of the Air Raid.

Most of the Air Raid passing concepts came from plays drawn up by Lavelle Edwards that Mumme liked. Edwards was the head coach at BYU and had Norm Chow as his offensive coordinator. That is why BYU if I am not mistaken is listed as an Air Raid School. Edwards turned around a horrible BYU team and had QB's such as Steve Young, Jim McMahon, and Ty Detmer.

Mumme installed the offense at Copperas Cove High School in Central Texas and then landed a job at Iowa Wesleyan. This is where Mumme hooked up with Leach and they developed the offense even further. They loved how Air Force ran their wishbone and how they got the ball to all of the skill positions and implemented that into their own offense. I know that Leach use to keep a tally on his play call sheet of who touched the ball and out of what formation he had called. The offense is concept base and what makes it easy is that a play can be called and adjusted to any formation in the book. A few tags here and there and it becomes deadly to a defense trying to cover a play that they prepared for all week and you throw a tag or two in and a DB is toast.

The two then went to Valdosta State and that is where Chris Hatcher played QB for them and Dana Holgerson played WR if I am correct. After huge success at both schools he was hired at Kentucky. Leach was his OC, Hatcher was a GA, Franklin was his RB coach and Guy Morris was his OL coach. After Kentucky they all parted ways. Mumme went to Southeastern Louisiana, New Mexico State, and then is now at McMurry here in Texas. Leach went to OU and then had his success at TX Tech. Chris Hatcher returned to Valdosta State and later went to Georgia Southern and now I believe is at Murray State. Franklin which I consider the least successful of the Mumme coaching tree landed at Troy, Midd Tenn State, Auburn and is now at La Tech with Sonny ****s. With me bringing up ****s that opens up a whole new tree of the Leach coaching tree. Notables on Leach's coaching tree are Robert Anae (OC for BYU), Dana Holgerson (OC for Oklahoma State), Art Briles (Baylor HC), Sonny ****s (HC at La Tech), Bill Bedenbaugh (OL at Arizona), Seth Littrell (RB's at Arizona), Lincoln Riley (OC at ECU), just to name a few.

I give Mumme and Leach most of the credit for the Air Raid offense, while Lavelle Edwards is what you might call the pioneer of the concepts. Being a high school coach in Texas, I am not a fan of what Tony Franklin is doing at High Schools. I think that making money off of what other coaches have came up with is wrong. I don't think that coaching is paying someone to install your whole offense. Coaching is going to clinics, studying offenses, defenses, special teams and implementing them to the strengths of your teams and the weaknesses of your opponents. Now I know Franklin makes it very simple for HS players to run and at the HS level time is very important with players playing both sides of the ball. That is just my opinion.