Topic: How have other schools faired after switching to the air-raid in year 1?

[Johnnyherd]

I feel like there is always a sacrifical 1st season with a new offensive scheme but I really can?t remember how some of these air-raid schools did year 1 when they made the switch. 

[GreenWhite]

I don't know about the question you asked. I do know we better be deep on defense. The best way to slow down the air raid offense is for the other team to grind it out. I guess doing some research on Texas Tech when Mike Leach was the coach would be the best example of how the air raid offense worked in year one.

[gochneaur645]

UK went 5-6 in Hal Mumme's first season in 1997. That was better than all but 1 of Bill Curry's previous 7 seasons.

Texas Tech went 7-6 in 2000 with Leach. About par for the course for their previous decade before that.

I think it's probably a myth that it's a system that takes time to install. The air raid is known for its relative simplicity and is designed to work with most any type of talent as long you have an accurate QB. Also, it's hard to imagine our offense getting worse than it was the back half of last season.

[HerdEcon]

It will be hard for our offense to be worse than it was last season, especially the second half.  The coaches have to dedicate some time this off season to improving the offense both coaching and talent wise.  Huff's 3 year emphasis on defense was to the detriment of the offense, which was evident last season. 

Last season we had 3 consecutive games where the offense couldn't score outside the single digits (JMU, CC, and App) and got completely shut out in a fourth by USA.  The offense couldn't score a point the second half of the bowl game against UTSA.

If it wasn't for Laborn the 2022 season would have ended poorly for the offense. 

The common theme in the 2022 and 2023 seasons was our inability to pass.  Our OL couldn't pass block which resulted in our starting QB getting injured in both season and our WRs were missing in action for a number of reasons.

Our defense also fell apart last season even though Huff dedicated the prior 3 recruiting seasons to bringing in large numbers of players on defense.  Any concerns about the defense for the upcoming season are legit.  The defense let 7 teams score more than 30 points on us last season.  USA scored 28 points just missing the 30 point mark. 

[MUther]

Those guys didn't have the benefit of the portal to bring in immediate help at the right positions either.  Installing anything should be a walk in the park with the right approach these days.

[bbcard1]

I think the changes in the transfer portal would render older stats fairly useless.

[Johnnyherd]

I?m not looking for a statistical analysis.  I just want to know if any school ever switched and won big in year one.  I agree the past before the portal was different.  The big 12 used to be the air raid conference but most of the schools have gone away from it to a balanced attack.

What portal players have we brought in that excelled in the Air raid?

I tried to look up Tulsa / Wake Forest offensive systems, best I could tell Tulsa ran a balanced ball control offense and Wake ran the ?Slow Mesh?

[HerdEcon]

I doubt Huff goes 100% air raid.  I suspect we will see some modified air raid.  Does Huff have the horses to run an air raid? 

[elginherd]

It will be hard for our offense to be worse than it was last season, especially the second half.  The coaches have to dedicate some time this off season to improving the offense both coaching and talent wise.  Huff's 3 year emphasis on defense was to the detriment of the offense, which was evident last season. 

Last season we had 3 consecutive games where the offense couldn't score outside the single digits (JMU, CC, and App) and got completely shut out in a fourth by USA.  The offense couldn't score a point the second half of the bowl game against UTSA.

If it wasn't for Laborn the 2022 season would have ended poorly for the offense. 

The common theme in the 2022 and 2023 seasons was our inability to pass.  Our OL couldn't pass block which resulted in our starting QB getting injured in both season and our WRs were missing in action for a number of reasons.

Our defense also fell apart last season even though Huff dedicated the prior 3 recruiting seasons to bringing in large numbers of players on defense.  Any concerns about the defense for the upcoming season are legit.  The defense let 7 teams score more than 30 points on us last season.  USA scored 28 points just missing the 30 point mark.

IDK about that...we learned last season that the floor was even lower than Fancher.
If whoever the QB is can't make correct, decisive throws that are placed so that YAC is significant, the AR can & will fall on its face.

[HoPPy785]

I doubt Huff goes 100% air raid.  I suspect we will see some modified air raid.  Does Huff have the horses to run an air raid?

I mean our social media tag line for recruits has been air raid, we hired an OC that specializes in air raid, the coaching staff talk openly about implementing air raid, and we recruited for air raid. Doubt we throw it around like it's our new motto unless we planned to go 100% air raid.

[Johnnyherd]

I mean our social media tag line for recruits has been air raid, we hired an OC that specializes in air raid, the coaching staff talk openly about implementing air raid, and we recruited for air raid. Doubt we throw it around like it's our new motto unless we planned to go 100% air raid.

Yeah we have definitely committed to the Air raid.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this season is going to be a huge learning experience.  The thing about the air-raid is that you can play horrible one week then beat a team that you?re supposed to lose to by 2-3 TDs.

One thing I?m not looking forward, is that almost all air raid schools have soft defenses and have trouble stopping the run.   I don?t think that will happen immediately but probably eventually. 

The switch to an air raid was an overreaction to not having a solid QB and OC for the last two seasons which yielded an anemic offensive output.  We really just needed experience and moxy at QB.  We had a lot of complaints about boring football and wanting to ?ring up? the scoreboard. 

The main problem is we were awful passing in pressure situations (3rd down/redzone), that?s a big part of the reason Ali scored so much because that?s the only reliable way we could score.

I don?t know if we?ll win any more games with the Air raid, I guess we?ll win about 6-7, but eventually they?ll get exciting and the scores will be 56 to 59.

[The Right Stuff]

Do we even have any running backs other than Payne?

TRS
MU71

[Johnnyherd]

Do we even have any running backs other than Payne?

TRS
MU71

We have that Grad transfer from NC State Jordan Houston and Smoke Turner.  Payne catches the ball well and helps in pass protection pretty well.

[gochneaur645]

The switch to an air raid was an overreaction to not having a solid QB and OC for the last two seasons which yielded an anemic offensive output.  We really just needed experience and moxy at QB.  We had a lot of complaints about boring football and wanting to ?ring up? the scoreboard. 

I think the biggest problem was the horrific offensive line. And with a weak OL, it's easier to run the air raid than just about any other offense.

[HerdEcon]

IDK about that...we learned last season that the floor was even lower than Fancher.
If whoever the QB is can't make correct, decisive throws that are placed so that YAC is significant, the AR can & will fall on its face.

Our WR room is still a question and our OL has to be more mobile.  Aside from our OC, who is in his first job as an OC, do any of our coaching staff have experience running the air raid?  An air raid offense needs more than just an accurate QB.  Then there's the depth issue.

That's why I asked the question whether Huff has the horses to run the air raid. 

[Thundering In MD]

Snyder had his emerald Helmets.  Huff spurned our offer of a 3 year contract and then flamed out.  The current Air Raid is Snyde....I mean...Huff's emerald Helmet.  Hopefully it works out better for Huff...I mean Marshall. 

[Johnnyherd]

I think the biggest problem was the horrific offensive line. And with a weak OL, it's easier to run the air raid than just about any other offense.

Getting 5 guys to pass block well, play after play is far, far harder than running the football.  Not to mention, the Sunbelt seems to have some really good pass rushers.

The switch to the air raid sounds like a committee decision, it reeks of lack of insight.  We are throwing away the things we did well, run the football and play defense, and throwing everything into, and declaring we are now making a living at what we were horrible at doing.

I?m hoping we can still run the football and play defense.   It won?t take long to know.

[herdorbust2]

Personally I'm glad we are going to the air raid instead of the boring crap football we have seen for the last 20 years. Get back to throwing the football vertical instead of this crap to the sideline and running the ball. I swear some of you would complain over anything. I'll bet you would rather have Randle over Parrish also. Good grief wait and see how it plays out and let them coach.

[Flat Tire 2]

I will say I have been disappointed we haven't recruited better players at QB. Colombi was an above average QB until he got hurt. He threw some great passes in the Notre Dame game, the one TD pass that was called back for a penalty was beautiful. His other TD pass against ND was also sweet. Hopefully the true WV freshman who is already enrolled will be the QB of the future.  I hope the transfers work out this season.

I will say at least Huff is trying to shake things up with new assistants and an offense. That was the problem with Dan, he never tried new concepts or fired any of his assistants. We have a tough schedule and the SBC is a much better league than CUSA in football. I will give Huff this year and hopefully he turns it around.

Maybe it will be better to go to a pass oriented offense. Remember, Sonny was a ground it out running offense. Parish came in change it to a passing game in one season and won. That proves it is fairly easy to install a new passing offense. If the offense line is weak, pass blocking will work better for the linemen than a running game.

[BigJimslade]

Stop this air raid stuff
Likely need a QB
Which is a glaring weakness going forward

[coalherd]

Snyder had his emerald Helmets.  Huff spurned our offer of a 3 year contract and then flamed out.  The current Air Raid is Snyde....I mean...Huff's emerald Helmet.  Hopefully it works out better for Huff...I mean Marshall.

And don?t forget, too, that even ole Sonny Randle broke out those Wild yellow pants, for at least ONE game (against Toledo).  Sometimes gimmicks, helmets, pants, wild schemes/formations will/do work.  More often, they are just another indication of ?desperation?.

[HoPPy785]

Stop this air raid stuff
Likely need a QB
Which is a glaring weakness going forward

Can't help but read this like a Haiku.

[gochneaur645]

Can't help but read this like a Haiku.

He tried but can't count to 7.