Analysis | What to expect from Kliff Kingsbury’s offense? Not the ‘Air Raid.’
February 26, 2024
Analysis | What to expect from Kliff Kingsbury’s offense? Not the ‘Air Raid.’
4 comments
Analysis by Sam Fortier:
In their first days together, the Washington Commanders’ new coaches have stressed that no one — including them — knows what the team’s offense will look like next season. They say it’s too early, that they’re still figuring out what they want to build, that they’ll mold the scheme to their roster, which is going to change a lot over the next couple months.
So far, one of the only things clear is what it’s not: the “Air Raid,” the pass-heavy, shotgun-based scheme offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury came up in.
Kingsbury said he “wouldn’t categorize anything we do under that name.” Offensive line coach Bobby Johnson said some of the stuff Kingsbury ran with the Arizona Cardinals “doesn’t look like Air Raid.” Quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard said it’s “super reductive if you say, ‘Kliff is Air Raid.’ ”
“We want to be balanced,” Kingsbury said. “We want to be able to run the football and play-action pass and really do whatever it takes to win.”
But whatever the label, it’s hard to imagine Kingsbury will radically depart from the foundations of his past successes. He’ll pass first (though probably [not as much as Eric Bieniemy](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/03/commanders-defensive-offensive-coordinator-search/?itid=ap_samfortier&itid=lk_inline_manual_9) did last season), spread the field, take deep shots and use tempo. He’s likely to feature innovate passing concepts that create space and favorable matchups for playmakers. The questions are how the staff will develop the run game and protection schemes and marry them to the passes.
A lot will depend on the quarterback. Kingsbury said the traits most important to him are work ethic, leadership and mobility, and all top three prospects in the draft — Southern California’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels — seem to fit the criteria. Kingsbury will fit his ideas to his guy.
4 comments
Analysis by Sam Fortier:
In their first days together, the Washington Commanders’ new coaches have stressed that no one — including them — knows what the team’s offense will look like next season. They say it’s too early, that they’re still figuring out what they want to build, that they’ll mold the scheme to their roster, which is going to change a lot over the next couple months.
So far, one of the only things clear is what it’s not: the “Air Raid,” the pass-heavy, shotgun-based scheme offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury came up in.
Kingsbury said he “wouldn’t categorize anything we do under that name.” Offensive line coach Bobby Johnson said some of the stuff Kingsbury ran with the Arizona Cardinals “doesn’t look like Air Raid.” Quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard said it’s “super reductive if you say, ‘Kliff is Air Raid.’ ”
“We want to be balanced,” Kingsbury said. “We want to be able to run the football and play-action pass and really do whatever it takes to win.”
But whatever the label, it’s hard to imagine Kingsbury will radically depart from the foundations of his past successes. He’ll pass first (though probably [not as much as Eric Bieniemy](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/03/commanders-defensive-offensive-coordinator-search/?itid=ap_samfortier&itid=lk_inline_manual_9) did last season), spread the field, take deep shots and use tempo. He’s likely to feature innovate passing concepts that create space and favorable matchups for playmakers. The questions are how the staff will develop the run game and protection schemes and marry them to the passes.
A lot will depend on the quarterback. Kingsbury said the traits most important to him are work ethic, leadership and mobility, and all top three prospects in the draft — Southern California’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels — seem to fit the criteria. Kingsbury will fit his ideas to his guy.
**Read more:** [**https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/26/kliff-kingsbury-commanders-offense/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/02/26/kliff-kingsbury-commanders-offense/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)
Is it going to be an air raid?
4-13 season, maybe?