Lincoln Riley: If your system's not QB friendly, get a new system (lincoln riley)

I'll just be honest, much of what you're going to see here isn't that revealing or informative. It was shot for FOX's pregame show and, thus, tailored for a wide audience. You already know the history of the Air Raid offense by now.

But Joel Klatt's sit-down with Lincoln Riley did teach me one thing: Mike Leach would conduct an entire practices running nothing but Four Verts. Though the players might have felt like they were being pranked, Riley said it was to teach the players an important lesson. They wanted to be so good at this bread-and-butter play that it didn't matter what coverage the defense was in, and it didn't matter if the defense knew it was coming -- they were still going to execute the play.

To illustrate that point, FOX dialed up Graham Harrell's historic pass to Michael Crabtree to push Texas Tech past No. 1 Texas back in 2008, because recruiting never stops, apparently.

Riley also summarized his belief in the Air Raid with this: "I heard a coach say this years ago: if your system is not a quarterback-friendly system, you need to find a new system."

Now in his fifth season, Riley's quarterbacks have ranked third, first, first, second and first nationally in passing efficiency. Two of those seasons stand No. 2 and No. 3 for most efficient seasons in FBS history. He's coached three Sooner quarterbacks, two have won Heismans and the third very well could. Collectively, Riley's quarterbacks have thrown 1,619 passes, completing 1,134 (70 percent) for 17,498 yards (10.8 per attempt) with 173 touchdowns against 29 interceptions, good for a 192.51 rating, while going 50-8 overall, 36-3 in Big 12 play with four Big 12 championships in four complete seasons.

So, with all due respect, I'd like to add an addendum to the anonymous old coach's quote from above. If your system is not Lincoln Riley's system, you need to find a new system.

Loading...
Loading...