Pro and College Passing Systems- Air Raid vs the Pederson Model

Hal Mumme and Doug Pederson are architects of the 2 major passing systems you will see in college football. Both are excellent systems just a little different in a few ways. 

You have the Eagles tree, the artists which include Frank Reich, Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, Parks Frazier and Shane Steichen.    

The Air raid coaches include Hal Mumme,  Mike Leach "God rest his soul", Zach Kittley, Sonny Dykes, Graham Harrell and Tony Franklin to name a few.  

There are plenty of excellent coaches who utilize both systems. Many coaches out there try to emulate these two systems. They do have some concepts that are similar but how they are taught vary which makes each one a little different. The reads are different as well as some of the routes you will see. I will try to go over each system with you and show how each route  concept is taught differently.

When studying the 2 most successful major passing systems you will see some major differences in them.

Let's start with y cross.

Y CROSS vs Deep Over

Y cross is a play that is run in both the Pederson system and in the NFL as well as the air raid coaches. The major difference is explained below as the Pederson system calls it Deep Over.

Air Raid

In the air raid system, you will get a curl with the #1 wr on the backside. This is the route you will see. The other parts are primarily the same except the route by #1 to the side of the crosser. Crosser and rb route is primarly the same in both systems but the air raid will run #1 on a curl. In air raid, they can hit the hole 2 shot (#1 on the left below) first at times and the x will sometimes convert to a speed out against other coverages other than cover 2. These are a few differences because they will look for the hole shot first vs cover 2 on the left.  

Air Raid Clips of the play Leach runs with y cross.

Coach Kittley is another air raid system coach. Here is Air Raid Kittley Y Cross(they run it with a #2 wr) when he was at Western Kentucky below.

Here are some clips of the concept 3x1 as well

Kittley's concepts

In Pederson's model you will have the #1 wr on the side of the deep over run a dig. This is the major difference in what you will see vs man coverage. Vs zone you get the high low read with the crosser and the rb. If it's man you will have the dig on the backside. The air raid purists will run a curl with #1. 

The concept below the Lions (Johnson) way.

Pederson  wuth the dig concept as well.

Some deep over film from the Eagles:

Mesh

The next play that is different is the mesh concept. The mesh is primarily the same except for 1 major coaching point. 

Vs Man coverage, it is primarily the same play but vs zone is where it differs. The Pederson system will have the wr run no matter what. The route concept doesn't change. In the Air raid system, the wr will shuffle down and try to sit down their routes vs zone coverage. That is the major difference. 

Pederson system- nothing changes based on coverage.

Progressions:

1. The running back

2. Crosser coming to the side of the back

3. Sit route (very popular vs zone coverage)

4. 2nd crosser 

5. The dig route.

5 examples below

Air Raid explained.

The crossers are told to sit down in any zone window which is the major difference in the teaching. Pederson doesn't have the mesh runners sit down at all. They run! Also, the #1 wr can run a go vs cover 2 or has an out cut in the air raid system to the side of the  running back. 

Lincoln Riley's air raid route concept below. Just another variation. 

Here are some clips of the air raid model.

You'll see some out cuts by #1 and also some sit downs by the mesh runners below. 

These are just 2 concepts:
Check back soon as I will update it with 4 verticals and the differences with those. 

 

Passing Game- Play Action Bootleg at the NFL and college level.

 This article will look at how some teams run their bootleg passing game. It looks at base sets, unbalanced and boot off of jet motion.  You also have some boot throwbacks that I threw  in the analysis.

1. Boot off jet motion

2. Boot off wide zone

3. Boot off of Toss action

4. Boot throwback and TE sneak/delav routes

11 personnel

11p

Jaguars run Boot off Toss action vs Man coverage. Looks like Cowboys are trying to run combo coverage. They take advantage if Ingram's speed and get him open across the formation. They create a nice rub route.

New: 

11 personnel

Boot throwback

Oklahoma runs boot throwback for 52 yards vs Oklahoma. A nice design vs the 3 safety look from Oklahoma State. The RB occupies the olb, and the safety bites playside which opens up the delay route by the tight end.

Bootleg:

11 personnel

boot vs cover 1

Ohio State is a great  bootleg team off their run game. They do it with jet motion, formations to the boundary and a nice boot package out of 12 personnel as well.

Here they are in 11 and go formation to the boundary. They get the man coverage they want and motion the wr to the field and then back to the boundary. The other wr in a condensed set to the boundary gets wide open off the run action and cover 1.

You can see the CB running with the jet man as the other wr comes across behind the line of scrimmage on the snap. Thats tough for the CB to get through off the run fake with a top wr. Nice design as the wr is wide open.

Man coverage, easy completion and 2o yard gain.

Later in the same game they run the same play vs Penn State

2nd and 5,  this time Penn State goes cover 3, gets some edge pressure but the route is wide open. Ryan Day is a repeater and run the same play if he gets the look he likes.

The drag opens up behind the defense in cover 3

11 personnel vs Nebraska 

Ohio State base concept is an out and up by #2. it stresses the outside LB and creates nice opportunities for the wr running the drag route.

2 clips of the plays from above.

Arizona 11 personnel bunch

Thty  boot with Fitzgerald who is to the left in the slot off of  jet motion

Here the Cardinals run Jet Sweep wheel route boot concept vs. The Seahawks cover 3 away from the strength.

They do a nice job of running the wheel with the out cut. and high low the flat defender. 

11 personnel condensed

The Rams are one of the best teams at running bootleg at the NFL Level. You will see tons of boot of different sets and formations. Here's some clips vs the Giants in 2020.

Heres the route concept out of 11 personnel. They use the condensed wr as the check down. The #2 wr to the right comes behind the line of scrimmage and  is open for the 1st option. He is open so  Goff gets him the ball. 

2 boot clips vs the giants of bootleg out of 11 personnel

13 personnel Bootlegs

Rams go 13 and get cover 1 vs the Bucs in 2016

Nice play fake and get the nice misdirection as the tight end beats the safety on the drag route

13 personnel

UCLA Bootleg vs LSU

1st and 10 UCLA in 22 big personnel/13 depending on how you count the h back.

They fake jet sweep and counter and run boot to the field. Excellent design for a nice 75 yard TD.

21 personnel

The Green Bay Packers come out in 21 personnel. They were getting a ton of man vs the Saints and the saints were going corner over. So they decide to run jet motion(CB Travels) and bring the tight end back the other way. Tough matchup off the run action for the safety and a nice 20 yard gain.

21 personnel 

Iowa State offense 

Short yardage Unbalanced out of 21

Iowa State vs Oklahoma State 

Iowa State come out in an unbalanced formation with 21 personnel on the field. They split the tight end out and the 2 wr to the same side. They take advantage of the the man coverage by Oklahoma State and run bootleg for the first down.

12 Personnel

3x1 TE wing to the same side, bring the wr in motion and bring him back to the other side after motion. 

On the snap, they fake the run and the wr comes back the other way behind the line of scrimmage.

Te on the line goes vertical, as the cover 4 safety and cb take him vertically. The LB are aggressive on the wr coming back the other way, which opens up the crossing route. 

You can see the great spacing below on all levels. Lockett draws the attention of the LB

3x1 with a bunch formation to the right.

#1 runs a deep route

TE backside crosses

#2 Carson Kupp is the flat release after blocking initially then releasing to the flat. The Rams high low the outside LB and Kupp is open for a nice 8 yard gain. 

12 personnel 

BYU vs Baylor

BYU runs boot out of 12 with the tight end to the boundary on the LOS. They run boot with the H back coming across behind with the sail route concept.

Nice 15 yard gain.

Te to the boudary runs a 12 yard deep out

H back comes behind the LOS for the flat option.

Baylor in cover 3, no one takes the deep out.

12 personnel

A few Iowa State clips vs Baylor out of 12 personnel.

The first boot they fake jet and wide zone to the same side and bring the wr across behind the formation.

Route concept:

1. post corner

2. backside tight end will run the 12 yard drag

3. WR will run the flat concept behind the los.

Example #2 is a similar concept except they drag the on the line defender really shallow. They fake wide zone to the field

TE on the LOS-shallow drag under the LB. He catches the bal

Wing TE- crossing route

#1 vertical route

Shallow drag beneath LB is wide open

Te gets open on the shallow drag under the LB

12 personnel 

Texas offense vs Baylor defense.

Texas comes out in 12 and runs boot to the boundary out of 12 formation, ace with 2 h backs.

Heres boot that Oklahoma State likes to run.

they run #1 on the comeback.

Vs Baylor they ran boot out of 3 different formations.

#1 vs. Baylor off jet motion

#2 vs Baylor out of pistol Same route concept

#3 boot with set with the #2 as a wr. Wins the route vs the sam but qb runs it for the first down.

Oregon in 11,

runs bootleg from the stack position to the twins. WR does a nice job attacking leverage and running the corner route.

Iowa State 13 personnel

Runs boot to the boundary vs a cover 3/4 look

Nice design off the great run fake, fake slice block and good execution.

These are just some of the great bootleg routes and different formations you see at the college and NFL level.

Iowa State Bonus clips (4 boot variations)

49ers run toss boot out of 21 personnel

Nice scheme and design

21 personnel

2nd and 10 

Easy route concept with the wr running a shallow drag and tight end 15 yard crossing route. Great run fake gets the whole defense moving laterally.