Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 2 playbooks
Breakdown
Mtn PA Boot Insert Cross is a play-action rollout concept out of Singleback 11 personnel that uses pre-snap motion to shift the formation before the fake. Off the play fake, the deep red route pushes vertically up the seam and breaks outside on a corner route, while the gold route runs a deep crosser from one side of the field all the way across to the opposite flat, and a second gold receiver runs a shallow drag underneath into the flat. The blue route works as an insert flow route from the backfield, dragging across the middle behind the crossers to give the quarterback an outlet on the boot. This is a play-action man beater built around the crosser and deep corner route creating natural picks and separation against man coverage, with the primary read progressing from the deep corner route first, down to the crossing routes underneath, and finally to the backfield insert route as the checkdown on the boot action.
Defensive Reads
Pre-snap, check for a single high safety since that alignment signals man coverage underneath and makes the deep corner route and crossers extremely dangerous. Watch the linebacker depth at the snap because shallow linebackers who bite hard on the play-action fake will be late reacting to the crossing routes and insert route. Post-snap, look for a user-controlled defender spying the crossers or sitting in a lurk zone in the middle of the field since that can jump the shallow drag and crossing routes. This play struggles against a two-high shell with disciplined zone drops since the crossers run into converging zone defenders and the corner route gets squeezed by a deep half safety. Blitz packages that get pressure quickly can disrupt the boot timing before the deep corner route or crossers develop, so watch for edge pressure showing pre-snap that could shorten the quarterback's rollout window.
Usage Tips
Use the pre-snap motion to identify man versus zone before the snap since a defender following the motion man confirms man coverage and opens up the crossers.
Take the shot to the deep corner route first if you get a favorable one-on-one matchup against a corner or safety who bites on the play-action fake.
If the corner route is capped by a deep safety, work down to the crossing routes since the natural picks created by two receivers crossing paths will shake free defenders in man coverage.
Roll with the quarterback on the boot action and keep the insert route as your emergency checkdown when the pocket collapses or the crossers are jumped by underneath zone defenders.
Pair this play with Mtn PA Z Slide or PA Post Dig in your play-calling sequence to keep defenses guessing between boot action and traditional dropback play-action shots off the same formation look.
