Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Ctr Waggle is a play-action rollout out of Pistol Trips 11 personnel that sells a center run fake before the QB waggles to the boot side, carrying the pocket away from the initial flow. The blocking scheme fakes a downhill run look to freeze linebackers and second level defenders, then releases a tight end or backside receiver into the flat as the fullback or offensive lineman peels to protect the edge. Your primary read progression starts with the flat route to hold the underneath defender, then works to the deep crosser or comeback developing on the waggle side, and finally checks back to any drag or dig coming across the field if the pocket holds.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, identify single high versus two high safety alignment since single high shells are more vulnerable to the deep waggle route because the free safety has more ground to cover if he bites on the run fake. Watch linebacker depth at the snap: if they step up hard to fill run gaps, the flat and crossing routes will be wide open behind them. Man coverage on the backside slot receiver is a green light for the shallow drag or comeback hot route since the rollout gives the quarterback extra time to let separation develop. Look for a user-controlled defender spying the quarterback or crashing the edge on the boot side, since a disciplined edge defender or a defensive end assigned to contain can blow up the waggle before the flat route develops. Cover 3 with an aggressive underneath zone defender jumping the flat route is the main counter, so if you see a linebacker sitting in the flat pre-snap, be ready to work the deep breaking route immediately off the fake.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage to keep the play-action threat believable against run-heavy fronts.
Check safety depth pre-snap: if both safeties are sitting at 8 to 10 yards in a two high shell, the run fake will not hold long and you should prioritize the quick flat route instead of waiting on the deep breaking route.
Hot route the backside slot receiver into a shallow drag if you see man coverage across the board, since this gives you an instant answer against man beaters on the backside while the waggle action develops.
Sequence this behind HB Dive or HB Zone Wk earlier in a series so linebackers start keying run fits, then hit them with PA Ctr Waggle to punish overaggressive flow to the ball.
Pair this with RPO Alert Bubble or RPO Zone Alert Bubble in the same drive to keep defenders honest on perimeter run fits, making the play-action rollout hit harder once they start cheating outside.
