Book about Air Raid - The Perfect Pass

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I read the book "The Perfect Pass" by S.C. Gwynne. It was about Hal Mumme, the invention of the Air Raid, and the genius behind it. Obviously it mentioned Mike Leach prominently. After reading it, I'm convinced of the great genius of Mumme and Leach and the implementation of this offense. I'm also convinced that it won't work consistently in the SEC at a high level in today's game.

Rosters - Mumme and Leach took advantage of the defensive rosters in college football. Football was all about 3 yards and a cloud of dust. So rosters were stacked with run-stopping linebackers wearing neck-rolls. There weren't as many defensive backs on the roster. So when Mumme and Leach showed up with the Air Raid, defenses didn't have the roster to handle it. Now defenses have tons of safeties and corners on the roster. And those guys have defended the pass in high school and 7-on-7 camps. And middle linebackers can run and cover. There is a lot of difference in Brian Bosworth and Nakobe Dean when it comes to defending the pass, even though both were great linebackers.

Scheme - Mumme took a team at Valdosta state and played Mississippi College. MC ran a 5-3 defense. You read that correctly, a 5-3. Because MC was built to stop the run. So what happens when the Air Raid rolls in and your defense normally only plays 3 defensive backs? But defenses today are used to being multiple. They run tons of nickle and dime coverages in practice and games.

Repetition - Defensive units always practiced stopping the run. 90% of defensive team practice time was spent on it. Now defensive units see the pass every day. Even conservative Alabama throws it around a ton on offense, so their defense gets to see Jalen Waddle, Jameson Williams, Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, Devonta Smith, etc. in practice. Defenses now get tons of reps against the pass all year long.

Tape - when Mumme and Leach started the Air Raid, they were in a small conference. There was very little tape available for defensive coordinators. And that tape had to be mailed on a VCR tape. Now in the day of televised games, cut-ups, digital footage, email and dropbox, defensive coordinators can get plenty of good film on anything a team does.

Mumme and Leach succeeded because they invented the anomaly. The offense was so different compared to what other teams ran, that defenses were unprepared. The defenses didn't have the roster to defend the air raid, they didn't have a scheme to defend the air-raid, they didn't have repetitions to defend the air-raid, and they hadn't watched enough film to understand the air-raid. The air-raid isn't such an anomaly anymore. So that huge advantage is gone. It's more accepted, more understood, and more easily defended. That's why I don't think it will work consistently at this level. I think pass-protection could always be an issue against defensive ends who are pass-rush specialists. I think the run game has to be developed and tweaked. I see 8-4 as our ceiling.

My opinion, feel free to tell me I'm an idiot. Keep in mind that what I'm using as the advantages back during the implementation is straight from the mouth of Mumme and Leach. They invented the offense to take advantage of the defenses being at a huge-disadvantage against the pass in roster, scheme, repetition, and preparedness.

[Jarius]

I read the book "The Perfect Pass" by S.C. Gwynne. It was about Hal Mumme, the invention of the Air Raid, and the genius behind it. Obviously it mentioned Mike Leach prominently. After reading it, I'm convinced of the great genius of Mumme and Leach and the implementation of this offense. I'm also convinced that it won't work consistently in the SEC at a high level in today's game.

Rosters - Mumme and Leach took advantage of the defensive rosters in college football. Football was all about 3 yards and a cloud of dust. So rosters were stacked with run-stopping linebackers wearing neck-rolls. There weren't as many defensive backs on the roster. So when Mumme and Leach showed up with the Air Raid, defenses didn't have the roster to handle it. Now defenses have tons of safeties and corners on the roster. And those guys have defended the pass in high school and 7-on-7 camps. And middle linebackers can run and cover. There is a lot of difference in Brian Bosworth and Nakobe Dean when it comes to defending the pass, even though both were great linebackers.

Scheme - Mumme took a team at Valdosta state and played Mississippi College. MC ran a 5-3 defense. You read that correctly, a 5-3. Because MC was built to stop the run. So what happens when the Air Raid rolls in and your defense normally only plays 3 defensive backs? But defenses today are used to being multiple. They run tons of nickle and dime coverages in practice and games.

Repetition - Defensive units always practiced stopping the run. 90% of defensive team practice time was spent on it. Now defensive units see the pass every day. Even conservative Alabama throws it around a ton on offense, so their defense gets to see Jalen Waddle, Jameson Williams, Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, Devonta Smith, etc. in practice. Defenses now get tons of reps against the pass all year long.

Tape - when Mumme and Leach started the Air Raid, they were in a small conference. There was very little tape available for defensive coordinators. And that tape had to be mailed on a VCR tape. Now in the day of televised games, cut-ups, digital footage, email and dropbox, defensive coordinators can get plenty of good film on anything a team does.

Mumme and Leach succeeded because they invented the anomaly. The offense was so different compared to what other teams ran, that defenses were unprepared. The defenses didn't have the roster to defend the air raid, they didn't have a scheme to defend the air-raid, they didn't have repetitions to defend the air-raid, and they hadn't watched enough film to understand the air-raid. The air-raid isn't such an anomaly anymore. So that huge advantage is gone. It's more accepted, more understood, and more easily defended. That's why I don't think it will work consistently at this level. I think pass-protection could always be an issue against defensive ends who are pass-rush specialists. I think the run game has to be developed and tweaked. I see 8-4 as our ceiling.

My opinion, feel free to tell me I'm an idiot. Keep in mind that what I'm using as the advantages back during the implementation is straight from the mouth of Mumme and Leach. They invented the offense to take advantage of the defenses being at a huge-disadvantage against the pass in roster, scheme, repetition, and preparedness.

I think there is some truth to what you're saying, but it was also pretty apparent watching last year that it's going to work at a higher level than most of our offenses have worked here. The biggest problem I have with this offense so far is the inconsistency. It's a finesse offense so if our timing is off we can get our ass beat by anyone on the schedule. It also lends itself to us upsetting teams with more talent than we have on the roster. Hopefully the offense stabilizes the longer we recruit to the system. This year will tell us everything we need to know about Mike Leach at MSU.

[Commercecomet24]

I think we'll find out a lot this year. If it's gonna work at a high level this should be the year.

[TrapGame]

I think we'll find out a lot this year. If it's gonna work at a high level this should be the year.

Yep, this is the year.

But, there's a reason Holgerson and Riley started putting in more run plays instead of letting the QB decide. The one thing missing from Leach's scheme is a true dual threat QB. A guy with a good arm, good legs and good decision making could make this version of the AR really lethal. Throw in another big back that can lower the boom on a LB and it's deadly.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I read the book with the intent on better understanding Mumme, Leach, and the Air Raid. I'm convinced that they were geniuses at the time. However, I'm also convinced that everyone has caught up to the system and to the passing game in general, meaning the distinct advantage is gone.

[RiverCityDawg]

I think there is some truth to what you're saying, but it was also pretty apparent watching last year that it's going to work at a higher level than most of our offenses have worked here. The biggest problem I have with this offense so far is the inconsistency. It's a finesse offense so if our timing is off we can get our ass beat by anyone on the schedule. It also lends itself to us upsetting teams with more talent than we have on the roster. Hopefully the offense stabilizes the longer we recruit to the system. This year will tell us everything we need to know about Mike Leach at MSU.

The OP makes some fair points, but I agree with you as well.

Another thing people should keep in mind, the Air Raid doesn't have to be the best offense on earth for Leach to be our best option at head coach right now. Despite the points made by the OP, Leach has still proven that he can consistently win with lesser talent than would normally be expected, even in the modern day of other teams being prepared to defend the pass.

I would not want Leach as our coach if we were Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M etc with near endless resources to hire whoever we want and recruit whatever players we want. But we're not those teams, so trying to be a little different is worth a try. We'll find out this year either way.

[Coach34]

Very fair points

Last season we were:

9th in the SEC on Scoring
7th in the SEC in Total Offense

60th in Scoring nationally
29th in Total Offense

We lost both OT's- one a 1st rounder, and our most productive WR. The rest of the offense returns tho- including the QB. Should be a more consistent offense this year

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Very fair points

Last season we were:

9th in the SEC on Scoring
7th in the SEC in Total Offense

60th in Scoring nationally
29th in Total Offense

We lost both OT's- one a 1st rounder, and our most productive WR. The rest of the offense returns tho- including the QB. Should be a more consistent offense this year

Agreed. But I believe in Leach's offense that the two tackle spots are critical. You have to block, and at least one tackle has to single-block. What if your offense depends on Percy Lewis single blocking Will Anderson 55 times on a Saturday? Even if he does it effectively 50 times, the other 5 times could be 3 sacks that kill 3 separate drives, and 2 strip-sacks that result in Bama with a short field.

[Quaoarsking]

I imagine our ceiling is higher than 8-4 since we were two unlucky plays away from 9-3 this past year, with a starting QB in his 2nd of the 5 years he'll play.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I imagine our ceiling is higher than 8-4 since we were two unlucky plays away from 9-3 this past year, with a starting QB in his 2nd of the 5 years he'll play.

And we could have lost against A&M, La Tech, and Auburn. There will always be some close wins and losses.

[Quaoarsking]

And we could have lost against A&M, La Tech, and Auburn. There will always be some close wins and losses.

Sure, but your sentence is a rebuttal of someone saying our floor is 6-6. All I'm saying is that our ceiling can't be 8-4 if we had a real chance at 9-3 already under Leach.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Sure, but your sentence is a rebuttal of someone saying our floor is 6-6. All I'm saying is that our ceiling can't be 8-4 if we had a real chance at 9-3 already under Leach.

Fair point. I'm just saying that it's rare for ALL of the swing games to go for you or against you. So maybe we should have beaten Memphis but lost to LaTech. Or maybe we should have beaten Arkansas but lost to A&M. The record would have been the same.

[Jarius]

Fair point. I'm just saying that it's rare for ALL of the swing games to go for you or against you. So maybe we should have beaten Memphis but lost to LaTech. Or maybe we should have beaten Arkansas but lost to A&M. The record would have been the same.

You are arguing 2 different things. The ceiling is what you can be if everything goes right. The floor is what you can be if everything goes wrong. What you're talking about is the mean. Our ceiling is higher than 8-4. It's unlikely that we hit our ceiling, but if everything goes right we can beat everyone on the schedule outside Alabama and Georgia. That's best case scenario, though unlikely.

[QuadrupleOption]

And we could have lost against A&M, La Tech, and Auburn. There will always be some close wins and losses.

We also beat NC State and Kentucky. Point is every sports season has close wins and close losses. We had 4 good wins, 1 terrible loss, and a couple of should-have-wons in there. We also had a couple of 'how did we win those' thrown in there. More good than bad though.

[RiverCityDawg]

Yep, this is the year.

But, there's a reason Holgerson and Riley started putting in more run plays instead of letting the QB decide. The one thing missing from Leach's scheme is a true dual threat QB. A guy with a good arm, good legs and good decision making could make this version of the AR really lethal. Throw in another big back that can lower the boom on a LB and it's deadly.

I get what you're saying. Personally, I love having a QB who is a legitimate threat to run. With that said, it's easier said than done to get a QB that is accurate, has a strong arm, has good size, is a good decision maker, is a leader AND is an athletic runner. They don't grow on trees, so the idea that Mississippi State could always get one of those and stay stocked with that kind of QB room just isn't reality.

[BrunswickDawg]

I get what you're saying. Personally, I love having a QB who is a legitimate threat to run. With that said, it's easier said than done to get a QB that is accurate, has a strong arm, has good size, is a good decision maker, is a leader AND is an athletic runner. They don't grow on trees, so the idea that Mississippi State could always get one of those and stay stocked with that kind of QB room just isn't reality.

What do you mean? our football history is loaded with those types of QBs.***********

[TrapGame]

I get what you're saying. Personally, I love having a QB who is a legitimate threat to run. With that said, it's easier said than done to get a QB that is accurate, has a strong arm, has good size, is a good decision maker, is a leader AND is an athletic runner. They don't grow on trees, so the idea that Mississippi State could always get one of those and stay stocked with that kind of QB room just isn't reality.

I'm not talking about finding Trevor Lawrence. There are plenty of good dual threat QBs around the country. And I specifically said "good" not "great". We don't need a Deshaun Watson to make this offensive hum.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I'm not talking about finding Trevor Lawrence. There are plenty of good dual threat QBs around the country. And I specifically said "good" not "great". We don't need a Deshaun Watson to make this offensive hum.

I agree that a dual threat would make this offense evolve and much more effective.

[Cooterpoot]

AL and UGA will eat us alive. After that, we'll see. I hate the offense, but if it wins, I'll learn to love it.

[TrapGame]

AL and UGA will eat us alive. After that, we'll see. I hate the offense, but if it wins, I'll learn to love it.

I'm gonna be that guy.

We give UGA a tight game. We might even win. They lost a lot of guys on defense.

As usual Bama will skull**** us.