Playbooks
Quick Reference
Breakdown
PA Boot Slide is a play-action rollout out of the Pistol Y Off Trips set that sells the run fake before the QB boots to the flat side. Off the fake, the design gives you a deep crosser sitting down over the middle (red route), two vertical clear-out routes stretching the defense on both edges, and a shallow drag underneath along the line to give the QB a quick outlet on the move. This is a play-action man beater built for rollout throws, with the primary read starting on the deep in-cut crosser, working down to the shallow drag if the middle is taken away and the far outlet route as the last resort if you are forced to run.
Defensive Reads
Watch for a linebacker spying the QB rollout lane pre-snap, that tips a defense trained against boot action and you should check to a quicker concept. If the safety to the boot side stays deep and does not bite on the fake, the crosser will be capped and you need to progress to the shallow drag underneath immediately. Cover 3 with a hard flow to the boot side takes away the flat and shallow drag, so attack the deep crosser working opposite the rollout. Man coverage with no safety help over the middle is the green light, the crosser should win versus man leverage almost every time. If you see a nano blitz or edge pressure package pre-snap, get the ball out on the shallow drag fast since the rollout mechanics slow down your ability to escape contain.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs or after establishing HB Dive or Inside Zone Split so the play fake actually holds linebackers and safeties.
Pre-snap, check for single high safety look since the boot action punishes teams that crash down on run fakes out of Pistol.
Roll with the play fake all the way, do not rush the throwing motion, the design wants you to reset your first read as you clear the pocket.
Use the deep crosser as your first look against man coverage since it works away from the rollout and creates natural separation off the pick-your-poison landmarks.
Pair this call with Mtn PA Boot Slide or Mtn PA Boot RT later in a drive so the defense cannot key on formation tendencies out of Y Off Trips.
