Passing concepts (Air Raid) out of Quads

Welcome back to Hit'em hard!  Sorry that I have been away, we have been in the thick of the season, and the team has been responding well.  Two weeks away from the playoffs!


Back to business, continuing on the Quads, Quads, Quads, Quads (that is 4 times) passing game.  The best thing about the Quads is you can still run many simple passing concepts, specifically Air Raid concepts.  


Concept #1: Bubble
One of the most popular is the Bubble, or Loop, concept.  The Bubble concept can be run to the third (H) or 4th receiver (A), depending on where the defense aligns themselves.  This is a simple "check with me" at the line.  Which ever man is the uncovered receiver, the ball is going to go to.  

The QB would audible to the A receiver to run the bubble route.

Above is an example of a simple audible that can be done at any level.  The QB can see that the A receiver is uncovered, so he can check the route to him.

H Receiver is the open man

In the second example, now the H receiver is uncovered, so the QB can check the route to him.  Blocking remains man-on-man, getting in the defender's way and allowing the ball carrier to be in space.  


Once teams start falling in on the bubble route, bubble-slants or bubble and go become wide open.  Receivers are taught to make their routes look like there blocking assignments, and then run past the defenders.  

The Bubble Slant game puts a lot of pressure on the defenders to stay in their passing zones and not jump the bubble.

Using the bubble concept can also open up the passing game for the big play.  When defenders start jumping the bubble, and rallying up to it, the Bubble Go concept allows the offense to stretch the defense vertically.  

The most likely man to be open is the Z receiver.  He has been blocking the corner all day on the bubble, and is taught to run at him, and slip by him, making the corner miss and leaving a wide open receiver for the TD.


Concept #2: Mesh
With most spread quad teams, Air Raid concepts can still apply.  Probably the second most common Air Raid concept is MESH.  Mesh defined is two receivers coming across the field and crossing each other.  The idea is to hit the receiver once he has crossed the far hash, leaving him in open space to run with the ball.  For the examples, I have tagged double posts and an arrow route to create chaos and put the safeties in jeopardy with their coverage.  

QB will be looking for H or X receivers as they cross the field

The Mesh route is extremely effective because the QB still has a check down (Y), can hit the homerun (A or Z) and can get the ball to his receivers in space (X or H).  This is especially true if the H receiver is open and the backside corner runs with the X receiver.    


Concept #3: Flood
The last passing concept out of Quads is the Flood route.  The major advantage of the Flood route is that the QB will be able to rollout, with the A receiver blocking the edge and then releasing into the flat.  That block by the receiver allows that QB to get outside the pocket with ease.  

The Flood route is extremely effective because it give the QB a deep threat and a 3 level read, with an option to run.  Most coordinators will teach the QB to read deep to short on the reads.  The first option is the deep man (Z receiver).  Moving down the progression, ending in a dump off to the A receiver.  If all are covered up, the QB still has the option to tuck the ball and run, with 4 blockers (the receivers) leading the way.  


This concludes my discussion of Quads.  With an athletic QB, simple adjustments, Quads can be put into your playbook and used regularly to have an effective, explosive offense.    Any of the plays above can be run through the different Quads formations I have discussed earlier. 


SHOUT-OUT

Gotta give some love the www.chiefpigskin.com  They are doing webumentaries from high schools across the country.  One of them, ironically, is the team that we play on Friday, the Wauconda Bulldogs.  Here is a write up in the local paper about the webumentary:  http://football.dailyherald.com/story/?id=428672


Good luck to all those teams heading into the playoffs!!  


Coming up next........... post season preparation.