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. 

 

NFL PASS CONCEPTS # 6 SHALLOW CROSS

THE SHALLOW CROSS

THIS IS PART 6 OF MY UNIVERSAL ROUTE CONCEPT SERIES. I BELIEVE IN ROUTES IN THE PASSING GAME THAT YOU CAN RUN VS MAN OR ZONE AND TEACH QB THE PROPER READS. YOU HAVE ANSWERS VS ANY COVERAGE.

ROUTE CONCEPTS AND OTHER ARTICLES

#1 DOVER https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/search?q=DOVER+ROUTE

#2 MESH https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2021/12/meshroute.html

#3 SAIL ROUTE https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2021/02/nfl-pass-concept-3-sail-route.html

#4 4 VERTICALS https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2021/02/nfl-pass-concept-4-4-verticals.html

#5  DAGGER https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2022/01/DAGGER.html

#6 SHALLOW CROSS

THE SHALLOW CROSS IS A GREAT ROUTE CONCEPT. IT IS EASY TO RUN AND A QB FAVORITE AT BOTH THE NFL AND COLLEGE LEVEL. 

IT CAN BE RUN WITH THE RB RUNNING A CHUTE ROUTE OR AN OUT AND UP, WHICH YOU WILL SEE CERTAIN COACHES RUN. 

ROUTE CONCEPT #1 

NOW KEEP IN MIND YOU HAVE A TE RUNNING IT OR A WR DEPENDING ON THE FORMATION AND PERSONNEL GROUPINGS. YOU CAN RUN THIS CONCEPT WITH ANY PERSONNEL GROUPING WHICH MAKES IT A GREAT UNIVERSAL PLAY.

WORKING LEFT TO RIGHT, THE #1 WR HAS AN OPTION ROUTE. IF THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD IS OPEN HE WILL RUN A POST. IF IT IS NOT HE RUNS A 9 CUT. THE QB CAN SNEAK A PEAK WITH #1 BUT HE ISN'T THE PRIMARY WR. AT THE PROLEVEL THIS WILL BE AN ALERT THROW. #2 WILL RUN A DIG  ROUTE AND CAN SIT IT DOWN VS ZONE AND # 3 WILL RUN A SHALLOW(CAN RUN THIS WITH #4 WITH A RUB ROUTE OFF #3. RB RUNS A CHUTE TO THE FLAT.

EXAMPLE #1 

VARIATIONS

#2 BRING THE BACK ACROSS THE FORMATION.

#3 RUN AN OUT AND UP WITH THE RB-SMART FOOTBALL GETS INTO THE CONCEPT IN MORE DETAIL.

http://smartfootball.com/passing/bobby-petrinos-shallow-cross-concept-concepts-routes-and-protection#sthash.cvpUhw3s.dpbs

#4 RUNNING THE DIG AND THE SHALLOW CONCEPT TO THE SAME SIDE. BOBBY PETRINO IS A COACH WHO WILL RUN IT THIS WAY. 

Thanks to Chris Brown's article on the NY Times Fifth Down Blog

#5 IS GETTING THE RUB ROUTE VS MAN BY RUNNING #1 OFF OF THE SCREEN BY #2 LIKE DEMONSTRATED BELOW. 

Air Raid Playbook: Shallow Cross - CougCenter

Air Raid Playb

NOW THE READS FOR THE QB:

1. SHALLOW: THE GOAL IS TO THE HIT THE SHALLOW

2. IF THE SHALLOW IS COVERED LOOK TO HIT THE SQUARE IN. 

3.  THE RB

4. SOME TEAMS WILL THROW THE POST IN AS THE #3 READ BUT MANY COACHES I SPOKE WITH WILL USE THE POST AS A PRESNAP ALERT TYPE THROW. 

WASHINGTON ST LEACH

I THINK IT IS AN EXCELLENT ROUTE CONCEPT VS COVER 2 AND YOU WILL OFTEN SEE THE DIG OPEN VS COVER 2

WASHINGTON ST VS COVER 2

Air raid version shallow

COVER 2

IN THE CONCEPT BELOW, THE LB TAKES THE SHALLOW CROSS WHICH OPENS THE DIG. THE WR FINDS THE VOID IN THE ZONE FOR A NICE COMPLETION.

shallow to dig progression.

IN THE NEXT EXAMPLE THE CROSS IS WIDE OPEN SO THE QB THROWS IT. NICE ROUTE EASY COMPLETION.

HERE;S THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD OPEN CONCEPT.

LOOK HOW QUICKLY THE BALL IS OUT. THIS MOF CONCEPT IS SOMETIMES AN ALERT THROW AT THE PRO LEVEL. 

MIDDLE OF THE FIELD OPEN PRE SNAP. QB MAKES A QUICK DECISION AS IT'S COVER 4 WHICH MEANS MIDDLE OF THE FIELD MAY BE OPEN. HE MAKES A GOOD READ AND HITS IT FOR A BIG GAIN.

Here you see the shallow with the  dig window opening up.

Nice job taking a peak and hitting the wide open post route for a touchdown.

HERE'S ANOTHER THROW WHERE THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD IS OPEN.

VS MAN COVERAGE,

YOU WILL OFTEN GET THE SHALLOW OPEN ON MAN AT IS A TOUGH ANGLE FOR THE SAFETY TO GET THERE IN COVERAGE

SEAN MCVAY Y CROSS-

JAMES LIGHT  DOES A NICE JOB LOOKING AT THE CONCEPT WHEN MCVAY WAS WITH THE WFT.

SEE HIS CLIPS HERE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YOMrKgTEGk

MCVAY HAS THE #2 WR RUN A STOP/HOOK PATTERN RATHER THAN A DIG OR SQUARE IN. 

HERE IS THE ROUTE OUT OF 12 PERSONNEL WITH A WING FORMATION

Here are just some of the shallow cross concepts you will see.

Coaching Football NFL Pass and route concepts #2 the mesh route

 The mesh route is one of the most popular routes in football.

You see it run at every level and it is very difficult to defend. What makes it hard to defend is that it has 5 routes and the reads are the same vs zone and man. 

The Beauty of the mesh concept it is a universal concept in which the concept  is  the same vs zone and man. You have the same read progression. 

PProgressions:

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.

That's it in a nutshell and the reason the route is loved by many coaches.

Vs cover 1

Vs cover 1 

 the eagles run it and get the rb some help with a pick route from the wr running the shallow. The rb is wide open and Wentz hits him for an easy touchdown.

In the 2nd example the back is covered so he works the 2nd read the crosser to the side of the back.

Easy touchdown above as the db can't get thru all the traffic.

Here's a variation where they motion the back into the mesh route concept.

Cover 1

The Rams version out of empty. They remove the back and give Beckham a ton of space to work with.

Read:

1. Beckham to the sit route.

2. Empty rb motion tells Stafford it's man coverage. 

Good luck trying to cover OBJ with the mesh concept working the mof.

Here's the concept vs zone

You will see the sit route hit more vs zone coverage. The read progression stays the same as discussed above.

vs Cover 3 the eagles vs the Giants.

The giants 2 underneath lb's run with the crossing routes and it opens up the sit route over the middle. 
Great route concept and easy catch and throw.

vs cover 3

vs zone pressure Cardinals vs the 49ers

 

route concept variation #1  (back opposite)

a variation is when you send the back opposite and set the mesh to the other side. The read is still the rb to the crosser to the side of the back. The Chiefs run this on the goalline for an easy walk in touchdown.

The Bucs are in a variation with cover 4 with possibly the safety looking to jump the crosser.

Route concept #2 back running the crossing route out of empty

Here is some film to go with the mesh concept. 

Here is another variation as Arizona State does it vs Stanford and motions to trips  to run it. They start in 2 back with the right half back motioning out behind the los. It looks like man free coverage with 2 rat lb underneath playing hook zones. They are trying to help. 

The 2 wr do a nice job picking #18 and the rat defender doesn't help on 82 coming across. The qb hits him for a nice completion and 25 yard gain.

Nice play design by Arizona State.

Vs Arizona,

They come out in empty and the lb goes out with the rb which tells Arizona State it's man coverage.

They motion him back in and put him on the other side. The Rb has leverage on the lb covering him right now.  The Mike in mesh has to cover the back to the flat, with tons of traffic as the 2 wr are coming inside making it very difficult to get to the rb.  

As you can see the RB  is open right now. 1st read throw him the ball. A nice 25 yard gain on the play.

Here you can see the pick and also, the crossing wr is coming open as well but the first read is there so you have to take it. 

The best part of the concept above is the motion aspect from empty to 3x1 strong. It really gave them excellent leverage on the mesh route and created the advantage to the rb in the pass game. 

Empty Mesh concept

The Chargers were one of the best at running mesh out of empty with Phillip Rivers.

Another variation you see of mesh is running it out of empty formation.

When will teams use it?

When they get a mismatch with the RB vs a LB is one example. When you know you are getting man coverage, take advantage with RB vs LB in coverage. The Chargers did it with Ekeler quite a bit. 

Here's another example.

Chargers go empty and get the matchup inside with Williams at wr against Quincy Wilson, nickel DB. They like the matchup on the inside as the LB walking out on the rb to the 4 wr side tells them it's man. Mesh is a nice concept vs man when you get the matchup you want. 

Deep Mesh Concept

Patriots go man free and Jackson expects help on the deep crosser. Great route design running the mesh route deep at 10-12 yards against the Patriots who like to pass things off in man.

Here are 3 film examples of mesh out of empty

Rutgers runs Mesh against Michigan in 2019.

Excellent concept vs Man coverage. Tough to defend.

Rutgers liked the matchup of their RB Raheem Blackshear vs Michigan LB. They executed nicely for an excellent gain.

Mesh Ohio State vs Nebraska.

They get the matchup in Empty of Garrett Wilson vs the safety and take full advantage of it. They get the nice mesh route with the TE and a huge gain.

Film of the concept

UCLA Mesh Concept 3x1 to the field. TE Flexed to the boundary

Film

Mesh Concept vs cover 2 hole

This variation sees the middle safety being run off by the TE and a sit down route behind it at a depth of 12-15 yards. Nice variation by Oklahoma vs the middle zone defender in the 2 hole defensive coverage.

 

Other Resources:

Casey Scully

https://weeklyspiral.com/2021/03/15/mesh-concept/

inside the pylon mesh concept

http://insidethepylon.com/football-101/glossary-football-101/2016/02/04/itp-glossary-mesh-concept/

afca mesh concept 

https://insider.afca.com/xs-os-mesh-sit/

Various mesh variations including deep mesh

http://breakdownsports.blogspot.com/2015/08/football-fundamentals-mesh-concept-playbook-air-raid-mike-leach.html