Football Toolbox

Create Instant Chunk Plays with The Air Raid Y-Cross System

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This article was originally posted on the Glazier Coaching Blog.

Want to consistently generate explosive plays that break games wide open? In this breakdown of the Air Raid Y-Cross system, we’ll reveal the exact variations and coaching points that turn this classic concept into a reliable source of chunk plays, helping you stress defenses vertically while maintaining the horizontal stress that makes the Air Raid so effective.

Arbor View HS (NV) Head Coach Marlon Barnett takes you through his version of the Y Cross in the video below.  View Aggie Air Raid Y-Cross Package & It’s Variations for his entire presentation on Glazier Drive

Some key takeaways and a summary of the video are listed below.

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In this comprehensive breakdown, we dive deep into the Y-Cross concept from a two-by-two formation using 10 personnel. The quarterback’s decision-making process is simplified into two key pre-snap questions: do we have favorable numbers, and do we like the leverage? The system builds in an alert route (take-two) on every concept, giving quarterbacks clear yes/no reads.

The progression starts with reading the safety (particularly in two-high looks), with the quarterback trained to deliver the ball on their third step if the safety is squatting. If the safety’s hips open, the QB works to the cross route, then to the dig if the cross isn’t available.

For the cross route, receivers are taught two crucial details: aiming their angle of departure at the Mike linebacker’s inside shoulder, and not looking back for the ball until they’ve passed the hash marks. On the dig route, receivers are instructed to “turn and burn” for 5-7 steps depending on their speed, with the flexibility to sit in windows or work to daylight based on defensive alignment.

The instruction includes game film from a state championship matchup, demonstrating practical application of these concepts and emphasizing how the system prioritizes taking guaranteed completions when pre-snap reads show favorable numbers and leverage.