Air Raid Offense: Formations, The Color Sets

Diving into some of the formations of Mike Leach and Hal Mumme's purest form of the Air Raid offense.

The Air Raid offense was originally founded by former Kentucky football head coach Hal Mumme, in Copperas Cove, Texas. 

It developed into its purest form known to the modern day when the late Mike Leach was hired to the staff by Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan. Known for its simplicity, the Air Raid features a number of basic formations and plays that quickly became instinctual for players who see time in this particular type of offense.

Among the formations run are the "color sets," which look exactly like they sound. It is important to note that some of the abbreviations for pass-catchers in the Air Raid are different in meaning from some other offenses.

Overview of Receivers in the Air Raid Offense:

X: Outside receiver - Typically is the fastest receiver.

Y: Inside receiver - Stays on the right. Mumme describes the Y as a player who "has a passion for catching the ball and doesn't mind getting hit when he catches it." Works the middle of the field a lot.

Z: Outside receiver - Moves around a good bit, just as the H does. Plays on both the left side and the right side.

F: Featured back - running back - Needs to be able to block, catch the ball out of the backfield and (obviously) run. Can be a big power back or a small scat back. This offense demands and produces versatility from players at this position, which carries over well to the NFL where all-purpose backs are heavily in demand.

H: Inside receiver/tight end - Can line up in multiple places, versatile. Wes Welker is among the most well-known to have played as an H.

Here's a look at each of the formations under the color sets and what they mean:

Blue

Blue has the H to the left of the quarterback and the F to the right of his hip. Y and Z remain on the right side of the lineup in different spots, respectively, while the X finds a place at the left of the left tackle.

Blue Left

Similar to "Blue" as its name-bearing would suggest, "Blue Left" is a similar concept. Y and F remain close to the quarterback with the Y on the left and the F of to the right of the signal-caller. X and Z are both at the line with the X on the left and the Z on the right side.

Red

Red has the H to the left of the quarterback and the F to the right of him. Y and Z are on the right side with the Y at the line and the Z spaced away on the same side and moved over. X is at the line near the left tackle.

Brown

It's rare that Air Raid quarterbacks go under center, especially the way that Leach ran it, but he does just that in this formation. F lines up directly behind the quarterback here, with H to the left. Y and Z remain on the right side of the lineup with X at the line in alignment with the left tackle further away.

Tan

Tan is the same as Brown, but with the passer in the gun as opposed to under center.

Black features the F behind the quarterback with the H to the right. Y is on the line on the right side with the Z also on this side of the lineup. X is the only receiver on the left side away from the left tackle.

Gray is precisely the same concept as Black, but with the quarterback moved to the shotgun as opposed to under center as is done in the "darker" formation.

Green has the featured back to the left of the quarterback and the H to the right of him. Y and Z reside on the right side of the lineup while the X is the lone receiver who is not the quarterback's hip on the left side in alignment, but distanced from, the left tackle.