Playbooks
Mtn PA Boot Slide
Quick Reference
Breakdown
Mtn PA Boot Slide is a play-action rollout out of Singleback Tight Doubles 11 personnel that sells the Mtn run action before booting the QB to the flat side. The backside blockers execute a slide protection to wall off edge pressure while the QB rolls with run pass option style leverage, reading a flat route, an intermediate crosser sitting in the void, and a deep comeback or corner route stacked on top. Primary progression starts with the flat defender to determine if the throwing lane is open, then works to the sliding crosser sitting down in zone, and finally climbs to the deep route if the safety bites on the run fake. This is primarily a zone beater since it exploits linebacker run flow and safety triggers, though it also punishes aggressive man defenders who lose contain on the rollout.
Defensive Reads
Watch linebacker depth at the snap, if they flow hard toward the run fake the crossing route and flat will be wide open behind them Identify single high versus two high safety shells pre-snap, single high Cover 3 defenses are vulnerable to the deep comeback route once the safety commits to run support Key the flat defender first, if a user controlled corner or linebacker sits on the flat route the crosser behind him is the answer since he is occupying two threats This play struggles against disciplined Cover 4 or Cover 6 shells where the safety stays home and does not bite on the play fake, in that case check down to the flat quickly Man coverage with an aggressive edge blitz can shut this down fast if the rollout side is not protected, watch for a user defender crashing off the edge and be ready to escape opposite the roll
Usage Tips
Run this play on early downs like first and second and short to medium yardage when defenses are keyed to stop Mtn HB Duo or HB Inside Zone from the same set, since the run fake carries more weight after establishing those plays first
Check the safety alignment pre-snap, if you see two high safeties sitting deep this is a strong called since it signals zone coverage that the play action will manipulate
Use the rollout mechanic to buy extra time against a user rushing off the edge, but be ready to throw the ball away or tuck and run if the edge is contained
Hot route the intermediate crosser into a deeper in-cut against teams that sit their linebackers short in zone drops, this creates a bigger throwing window against Tampa 2 or Cover 3 sink
Sequence this play after running Mtn HB Split Zone or Zone Fake Jet Wk a few times in a drive so linebackers start cheating up on run fits, then hit them with this boot for an explosive gain
