Best Mesh Concept Plays

The mesh is one of the most versatile passing Concepts in all of football

It gives your players the freedom to settle up  against Zone or keep going when it's man-to-man

PLUS, there's different ways you can tag the play to make it look different to the defense but keep the overall Integrity of the play for your offense

But many coaches don't know how or what to run since there are different  variations of the play to run and it causes coaches to be indecisive

Indecisiveness is the death of anything.

That’s why I'm going to go over the three main ways you can run the mesh concept so you can choose the best one you want and start incorporating it into your offense

Hal Mumme Version

Coach Hal Mumme is the Godfather of the Air Raid Offense.

He is also the man who MADE the Mesh concept popular.

Coach Mumme’s version is the simplest version to run because it gives your quarterback a SET progression…

...regardless of the formation and tag.

(Note: Every route drawn up is blocked with the Half-Slide Protection. If you need help with blocking or drilling the Half-Slide protection then check out this great course from CoachTube.)

Wide Receiver Routes

L - You are meshing with the Y receiver. You MUST GO UNDERNEATH the Y. You will then look for the linebacker cross from the Y. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

F - You are waiting until the L crosses your face. Then you are running to the flat - no more than 3 yards deep. If you are by yourself AND you can get 10 yards then you give a BALL call.

Y - You are setting the Mesh at a depth of 6 yards. The L will go UNDERNEATH you. You will then look for the linebacker across from the F. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

R - You are getting the signal from the Quarterback of whether to run a Corner, Out, or Post.

TB - You are checking the pass protection. If no linebacker is blitzing then you will release to the flat.

Quarterback Progression

Your progression is a one step pass drop then: R to TB to L to Y to F. (If you hear the F receiver yell BALL then you will throw the ball NOW!)

Watch Hal Mummes Air Raid Offense in Virtual Reality>>

Coach Mike Leach’s Version

Coach Mike Leach has taken the Air Raid Mesh Concept and turned it into an art form. When he doesn’t know what to call…

...or when he wants to determine how defenses will defend him…

...he calls HIS version of the Air Raid Mesh Concept to dissect the defense.

Wide Receiver Routes

L - You are running a 10 yard SPEED OUT. You will not break down and chop your feet.

F - You are meshing with the Y receiver. You MUST GO UNDERNEATH the Y. You will then look for the linebacker cross from the Y. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

Y - You are setting the Mesh at a depth of 6 yards. The L will go UNDERNEATH you. You will then look for the linebacker across from the F. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

R - You are running a 10 yard SPEED OUT. You will not break down and chop your feet.

TB - You are checking the pass protection. If no linebacker is blitzing then you will release to the flat.

Quarterback Progression

Coach Leach’s version is a little different. He allows his quarterback to determine which out he will start off with.

How does the quarterback determine which outside receiver to start as his progression?

The corner’s cushion.

The quarterback is looking for the corner who is giving the most cushion - aka playing off the receiver the furthest - and that is the receiver who is FIRST in the progression.

(If both corners are in press coverage then the quarterback picks the best one based on game plan then goes through his progression.)

The quarterback reads - Best Out (L/R) to TB to F to Y

Watch Mike Leach teach Unlocking the Secrets of the Air Raid Offense->>

Coach June Jones Version

Coach Jones never ran the Air Raid Mesh Concept UNTIL he worked with Coach Hal Mumme during his last year at SMU.

And at the One Back Clinic in California, Coach Jones stated how “I would have won twice the amount of games that I have now if I used the Mesh concept in my playbook.”

Why?

Because the Air Raid Mesh Concept FITS Coach Jone’s Run and Shoot philosophy.

How?

By combining the Switch concept of his Divide route with the Air Raid Mesh Concept.

He told the crowd of coaches how this one route lead his high school team to the third round of the playoffs.

(After retiring from SMU, Coach Jones had a stint as Head Coach at a local Hawaii High School. He installed a water downed Run and Shoot offense - including HIS version of the Air Raid Mesh Concept - and took the team further than they had been in a decade.)

Wide Receiver Routes

L - You are meshing with the Y receiver. You MUST GO UNDERNEATH the Y. You will then look for the linebacker cross from the Y. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

Y - You are setting the Mesh at a depth of 6 yards. The L will go UNDERNEATH you. You will then look for the linebacker across from the F. Is he dropping into zone? Then you settle up. Is he chasing the Y? Then you keep running with a slight bent up the field.

F - You are running the Switch route. You will wait for the R to cross your face first THEN you will run the vertical up the top of the numbers. You will read the Corner. Is he 6 yards or more away from you? Then throw  your hand up and sit down. Is he 5 yards or less from you? Then blow the top off.

R - You are running the Switch route. You will cross the the F’s face, beat the undercoverage (Linebackers) and make your read off the Half-Field Safety. Is he dropping? Then you throw your hand up and sit in the first open window. Does he cross your face? Then you cross his with a post. Are you even with him? Then you continue up the hash for a touchdown.

Quarterback Progression

Coach Jone’s teaches his quarterbacks to read it: F to R to Y to F

(Note: Coach Jones said he keeps his back in most of the time to help with pass protection.)

Last Video to Check out is North Texas Coach Seth Litrell's version from his course on Condensed Packaged

There you go coaches. A few different versions of the Air Raid Mesh Concept.

Now all you have to do is decided which one fits your team…

...and then practice the HECK out of the play.

Other Great Recommendations to master the Mesh Concept:

Bobby Acosta - High Efficiency Horizontal Pass Game in The Spread Offense “Throw Short, Run Long”

Jason McManus - Utilizing Mesh, Pick Routes & Man Beaters for Effective Red Zone & Goal-Line Efficiency

Payton Haynes - Essential Drills for Coaching the Mesh in the Triple Option