Joel Klatt recalls genesis of Air Raid, expects Mike Leach’s legacy within college football to be large
By Keith Farner
Published:
Joel Klatt is thinking of the Leach family, and he said he continues to pray for those close to Mike Leach as the FOX Sports analyst reflected on the Mississippi State coach’s legacy and impact on college football.
“Mike will be forever linked with his offense, and rightly so,” Klatt said. “It was one of the most productive and fun offenses to watch that we’ve seen in the history of college football.”
Klatt recalled a conversation he had with Leach about the genesis of the Air Raid offense. Klatt said that Leach should be credited for inventing an offense that is highly productive without having the best players.
“That’s how most offenses have come to pass that have been innovative in any way, particularly the spread run game,” Klatt said.
Working with Hal Mumme, Klatt said the genesis started with philosophy about how to move the ball.
“At the time, there was really only one or 2 ways that were accepted to move the ball,” Klatt said, referring to the option, or an NFL-type offense. But there was also the run and shoot offense, and LaVell Edwards’ vertical passing game at BYU.
“Mike and Hal loved the idea of adopting that vertical passing game,” Klatt said. “But then there was this other offense that they loved the philosophy of if not the schematics. And that was the philosophy of the triple option. In that, it didn’t matter who was getting the production. Any one of the 5 skill players could, really 6 with the quarterback, could produce. It didn’t matter. It depended on what the defense did for who was going to produce that day.”
Here’s Klatt’s full breakdown of Leach and his offensive philosophy:
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
