Playbooks

PA Ctr Waggle

Pistol·Trips·11

Play Action Pass Play

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Quick Reference

FormationPistol

SetTrips

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 4 playbooks

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Breakdown

PA Ctr Waggle out of Pistol Trips sells a center run fake before the QB rolls out to the boot side, giving him a moving pocket and a run pass option feel even though this is a straight play-action pass. The line executes zone run blocking steps then slides to protect the waggle, while the backside tight end or attached receiver works a shallow drag underneath as the trips side stems into deeper crossing and flag routes. Primary read progression starts with the flat or drag route on the rollout side for the layup completion, then climbs to the intermediate crosser, and finally looks back across the field to the deep trips route if the rollout buys enough time.

Defensive Reads

Pre-snap, identify if the defense has stacked the box expecting a run look off the center action. A heavy box with linebackers creeping up is a green light for the waggle to hit the drag route wide open. Watch for a user controlled linebacker spying the rollout lane. Aggressive spy or contain defenders can bait the QB into a bad throw or a sack, so be ready to reset with a pump fake or throw it away. Check cornerback depth on the trips side. Press man corners jumping routes early can be beaten with the deep crosser, but zone corners sitting off will squeeze the underneath drag and force a longer developing throw. Post-snap, key any late rotating safety to the boot side. A robber or lurk defender dropping into the flat or shallow zone shuts down the easy completion and forces a risky crossing route throw into traffic. This play struggles against disciplined zone defenses like Cover 3 sky or Cover 4 where the flat defender stays home and the deep safety mirrors the crosser, since the rollout timing does not create enough natural separation against a well drilled zone drop.

Usage Tips

Run this on early downs like first or second and short to medium yardage so the run fake actually holds linebackers and safeties.

Check the safety alignment before the snap. If both safeties are deep and cheating away from the boot side, expect man or two high zone that opens up the drag and crosser combo.

Use this play as a companion to HB Dive or HB Zone Wk from the same set. Once the defense starts flowing hard to stop the inside run game, PA Ctr Waggle punishes overaggressive linebacker fits.

Hot route the backside receiver on the trips side into a quick out or speed cut if you are getting heavy pressure off the edge, since the rollout naturally buys time away from that side anyway.

Against man coverage, prioritize the drag route killing the flow of chasing linebackers, then look to the deep crosser working away from the trips bunch since it usually clears out man defenders in a rub.

Do not force the deep look versus zone shells with a sitting linebacker underneath. Take the checkdown flat route and live to call the next play, pairing this with PA Boot or PA Boot Lt to keep the boot action unpredictable.