Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Boot Over is a play-action boot concept out of Pistol U Off Trips that hits off run action before pulling into a rollout to the right side. The trips receivers run a deep corner/go route from the outside stack, a deep dig/crossing route breaking underneath the go, and a shallow drag from the third trips receiver that becomes the boot flat option, while the backside receiver runs a short flat route as the checkdown off the roll. This is a play-action shot play built to attack man coverage on the deep corner and dig combo while giving the QB a rollout flat and drag as underneath outlets against zone drops, with the primary read progression going corner route first, then working down to the dig, and finally the drag/flat combo on the boot side.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a single high safety shading toward the trips side pre-snap, which signals man coverage and opens the corner route for a big play shot. Identify Cover 3 by checking if the corner over the trips stack sinks deep immediately at the snap instead of squatting on the flat, since that shell invites the dig and drag combo underneath. Key the flow of the linebackers after the play-action fake: if they bite hard on the run fake, the boot side flat and drag will be wide open for an easy checkdown. Beware of a sim pressure or contain blitz off the edge on the boot side, since a fast defensive end crashing the pocket can disrupt the timing of the rollout throw. Against Cover 4 or quarters shells, the dig route sitting down in the intermediate zone becomes the primary answer since the deep corner route will likely be capped by two defenders over the top.
Usage Tips
Use this on early downs or manageable third and medium to sell the run fake and freeze linebackers before the boot develops.
Check safety depth pre-snap: if you see a single high safety cheating toward the trips side, take a shot on the corner route before the roll fully develops.
Hot route the backside flat receiver into a deeper crossing route if you expect the defense to jump the boot flat, giving you a delayed answer against aggressive flow defenders.
Pair this with PA Boot and Jet PA Boot in the same drive to condition the defense to bite on similar run action, then hit this deeper corner shot when they start flowing hard to stop the run.
Roll the pocket with the QB deliberately on the play-action boot to buy time against edge pressure, since the naked boot action can expose contain rushers if they crash down on the fake.
