Air Raid Concepts

 with Backside Tags

by: Nick Coleman
* Offensive Coordinator * Itawamba Community College

Offensive football in today's college world has evolved over the past 20 years. More programs are running an up-tempo, spread style offense and defensive coaches have the argument of the 10 second rule. One of the most popular spread offenses is the "Air Raid" offense and its light it up passing attack. These concepts have been putting up record breaking numbers at every level of college football from FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA for over 20 years. Although there are many different versions of the Air Raid in college football today, a lot of the same base concepts are prevalent throughout each program. The most successful version we ran at NAIA Faulkner University was taking basic Air Raid passing concepts and adding backside tags.



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Most modern-day, sports enthusiasts would probably acknowledge that Vince Lombardi is the greatest or certainly one of the greatest football coaches of all-time.

An impressively-qualified and forward-thinking Lombardi, a virtual unknown from Brooklyn in 1948, could have indelibly etched his football legacy into Buffalo's, sports annals as the new football coach at Canisius College.

Unfortunately for Lombardi, Canisius passed on him, and his head coaching quest would be foiled and crushed, sending him reeling and even doubting himself, privately; he was only 35.  Most believed Lombardi was politically snubbed by the Canisius decision-making process. This is a true story that Canisius College has never commented on.

If Lombardi were hired back in 1948, can you futuristically imagine how Canisius College would have flourished and transformed its football program into a division one powerhouse like Notre Dame or Boston College? This Canisius alumnus ('79) can certainly envision it.