Crissy Froyd is mad that State isn’t running the Air Raid anymore.
- Thread starter DesotoCountyDawg
- Start date
She moved to Starkville when Leach did to cover MSU as a beat writer of sorts for one of the websites (I can remember which one). She thinks the Air Raid is the greatest offense ever.
What if she’s right? We’ve got a first year head coach, installing a new offense. It’s not hard for us to go 6-6. I’m just thankful our fans are patient and level headed.
In our 3 years of running the air raid, we ranked 106th, 32nd, and 62nd in total offense.
I’m not saying that I’m for or against running it here, but to act like it was some revolutionary concept that launched us to all time offensive heights is giving it a little too much credit
I’m not saying that I’m for or against running it here, but to act like it was some revolutionary concept that launched us to all time offensive heights is giving it a little too much credit
State won despite the offense because it was mediocre at best. Whether it was the offense itself, Leach, or the limitations of Will Rogerswill always be up for debate.
6-6 will always be on the table at State no matter the year or offense that is run. Just a bad take by her about Barbays offense because she’s butthurt the Air Raid isn’t here anymore.
She took over the site that Joel T Coleman ran for Sports Illustrated - Cowbell Corner.
I saw enough in 3 years to learn that the air raid was never going to work effectively against elite SEC defenses.
Pretty sure 32nd is not too shabby here
Is she the poster that's been going around the different message boards dying on the air raid hill and getting butt hurt about all the assistants being let go?
I don't think scheme was our limiting factor.
That sounds like the Bible According to Larry Templeton.....
Never heard of her and no idea if she is right, but she's hot so I'll allow it.
9-4 isn’t too shabby either. Hope I’m wrong but I could see us going 6-6 this year.
It's not. But watching the product on the field against LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, Georgia, and Illinois wasn't that exciting either.
Also, during those same 3 years, Mississippi had a top 10 offense. So, it's hard to claim that we are some innovative "jump on the bandwagon" innovative offense when the team up the road is putting up video game numbers with a RUNNING game.
If three years is enough to judge, then the air raid, power spread, and croom coast offense are never going to work against elite sec defenses. Time for the wing-T???
The Air Raid requires a good receiver core to be functional. By 'good' I mean good compared to the players that are opposing them on the other team.
Our receivers were good enough to prevail against non-SEC opponents but struggled too much against solid SEC defenses and it limited what the offense could do. That IS the limitation of the Air Raid.
In 2021, when we had one or two really solid receivers that could actually get open against SEC defenses we were a pretty solid offense. Last year we struggled because none of our guys were good enough to make a difference against stronger opponents.
Uh, no offense we have ever run or ever will run will work effectively against elite SEC defenses. It’s about talent, and we are historically lacking in offensive skill position talent.
Switching systems was inevitable I think unless we had promoted Hollingshead to HC. If you hire an outsider, he's bringing his guys in. Even if those guys were "air raid", it was going to look different including running the ball a lot more. Mike's system was an outlier.
We went with Zach - I don't blame him one bit for getting a new staff all things considered. It was a unique situation. Mike died. You keep his guys around and you don't get to completely own the program's identity and results. He'd have ghost of Mike Leach having over his head and his offense would always be compared to Mike's. Mike's guys would likely always compare Zach to Leach. You had to break up the band - no other choice unless you want your first HC job have stupid expectations and comparisons made for it.
Plus folks are too emotional about this. Coaching changes and moving on is part of the business. I doubt there were many hard feelings by the guys that moved on. If so, probably short lived. You maintain relationships with them and should we learn a hard lesson about bailing on the "air raid", Hollingshead might be ready for his first HC job in a handful of years...
We went with Zach - I don't blame him one bit for getting a new staff all things considered. It was a unique situation. Mike died. You keep his guys around and you don't get to completely own the program's identity and results. He'd have ghost of Mike Leach having over his head and his offense would always be compared to Mike's. Mike's guys would likely always compare Zach to Leach. You had to break up the band - no other choice unless you want your first HC job have stupid expectations and comparisons made for it.
Plus folks are too emotional about this. Coaching changes and moving on is part of the business. I doubt there were many hard feelings by the guys that moved on. If so, probably short lived. You maintain relationships with them and should we learn a hard lesson about bailing on the "air raid", Hollingshead might be ready for his first HC job in a handful of years...
The pure air raid that Leach ran is an antiquated offense. It's just like the wishbone. What we will run will have air raid elements in it, every modern offense does.
There's a couple of ways to look at this.
Positives for continuing Air Raid:
- Niche offense that can plug/play players at a have-not crooter school;
- It was actually successful;
- It had been installed already, and we have a bunch of upperclassmen who have learned it;
Negatives for continuing Air Raid:
- Seems like Leach is the only one who can actually do it well, and he's gone;
- It's not the best offensive fit for typical MSU personnel;
So, if you take all that into account, seems like the best thing to do was to do the semi-Air Raid now, and transition out slowly. But, things don't always happen perfectly, so Arnett had to do what he had to do. He could either leave the current coaches in place now, then have tough situations next year, or get rid of them, and hire guys who understand that we still have Air Raid personnel. And remember, it's much easier to transition from a passing offense to other things, than it is to go from a running offense to passing. I mean it took Moorhead/Leach 4 years to build it.
Ultimately, I will say, I don't mind a niche offense at MSU. We need something that takes average players and has them work together and be better than average. That's what the Air Raid, triple option, Malzahn, Richrod, whatever....gives you. But, nowadays I take this stuff one year at a time and with a guy like Tulu, we need something that maximizes him.
So, I'm in 'we will see' mode. I mean it should be pretty tough to screw up a bunch of 24 year old offensive linemen, a 4th year starting QB, Tulu, Robinson, Woody, etc.
Positives for continuing Air Raid:
- Niche offense that can plug/play players at a have-not crooter school;
- It was actually successful;
- It had been installed already, and we have a bunch of upperclassmen who have learned it;
Negatives for continuing Air Raid:
- Seems like Leach is the only one who can actually do it well, and he's gone;
- It's not the best offensive fit for typical MSU personnel;
So, if you take all that into account, seems like the best thing to do was to do the semi-Air Raid now, and transition out slowly. But, things don't always happen perfectly, so Arnett had to do what he had to do. He could either leave the current coaches in place now, then have tough situations next year, or get rid of them, and hire guys who understand that we still have Air Raid personnel. And remember, it's much easier to transition from a passing offense to other things, than it is to go from a running offense to passing. I mean it took Moorhead/Leach 4 years to build it.
Ultimately, I will say, I don't mind a niche offense at MSU. We need something that takes average players and has them work together and be better than average. That's what the Air Raid, triple option, Malzahn, Richrod, whatever....gives you. But, nowadays I take this stuff one year at a time and with a guy like Tulu, we need something that maximizes him.
So, I'm in 'we will see' mode. I mean it should be pretty tough to screw up a bunch of 24 year old offensive linemen, a 4th year starting QB, Tulu, Robinson, Woody, etc.
Nobody ran the Mike Leach offense except for Mike Leach. We had our ups and downs with that offense, I largely think it was a net positive, but it wasn’t perfect at all. We will always think fondly of Leach but there comes a time to move on. Arnett has to be his own coach and pave his own legacy. If he doesn’t want to be married to the Air Raid forever just because it’s what Leach ran, I don’t think you can fault him for that.
That being said, I think some folks need to be careful with the rhetoric when it comes to criticizing Leach’s offense. Praise Barbay all you want and be positive about our future, absolutely. I’ve just seem some have a “good riddance” attitude with the Air Raid like it was the McCorvey or Moorhead offense that we no longer run because those guys got fired…. We aren’t running the Air Raid anymore because our coach died. So I guess just try to have some perspective. It’s still a raw and emotional thing for many, he’s only been gone for 4 months.
I guess I see both sides of the coin. I understand some of the limitations of the Air Raid but also recognize it had its day in the sun here and it see why some are loyal to that system. You could not have found a bigger Air Raid guy than me after I was in the stadium for the 2021 Auburn game.
That being said, I think some folks need to be careful with the rhetoric when it comes to criticizing Leach’s offense. Praise Barbay all you want and be positive about our future, absolutely. I’ve just seem some have a “good riddance” attitude with the Air Raid like it was the McCorvey or Moorhead offense that we no longer run because those guys got fired…. We aren’t running the Air Raid anymore because our coach died. So I guess just try to have some perspective. It’s still a raw and emotional thing for many, he’s only been gone for 4 months.
I guess I see both sides of the coin. I understand some of the limitations of the Air Raid but also recognize it had its day in the sun here and it see why some are loyal to that system. You could not have found a bigger Air Raid guy than me after I was in the stadium for the 2021 Auburn game.
Off topic, but just a thought since you mentioned it: I used to call the Confeds "Mississippi", because Jackie did and I thought it was hilarious that they hated it. Same with TSUN and Mullen. Black Bears. Landsharts. All funny. But everyone knows where "Ole Miss" came from and they still prefer holding on to it... so I've decided to give them what they want. Ole Miss it is. Some already tried to change away from "rebels" and were fought off. But I did enjoy watching the shitshow that ensued. (Remember the gray anthropomorphic being with the blue suit? L-O-L)
At some point, someone over there is going to decide to (or be forced to) change it again, and the deeper into that persona they are, the more fun it will be. I'm in for that.
Just keep being you, "Ole Miss Rebels".
A friend of mine is running the air raid for his nine year olds team. Perhaps she should cover them
I actually enjoyed, Roger's response to "how will we deal with the changes from no more Air Raid"
The “air raid” had nothing to do with any level of success MSU football had from 2020-2022
thats kind of a ridiculous statement
all three sides of the ball, offense, defense special teams make for any success on a football team.
as Long as we are making ridiculous assertions, you’re welcome
I think we got a pretty good look at the base offense. Sure, there will be more here and there, but I wouldn't expect it to be that different. Hopefully the execution is much cleaner with more reps and everyone healthy and available.
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