Playbooks
PA Boot Slide is a play-action rollout out of Singleback U Off Trips Cluster that sells the outside run fake before the quarterback booms to the edge with a run pass option flavor built into the timing. The trips cluster side floods with a deep out or corner breaking route while the backside tight end works a slide route underneath into the flat, giving the QB a high low read as he rolls. This is a man beater on the backside slide and a zone beater to the flat against cover 3 rotation, with the primary read progression starting at the deep trips breaking route before working down to the underneath slide and finally the checkdown to the running back leaking out of the fake.
Read the linebacker depth immediately after the snap. If they step up hard to defend the play fake, the backside slide route will be wide open in the vacated underneath zone. Identify single high safety shells like cover 1 or cover 3 before the snap, since the deep trips breaking route has a strong chance to win against a lone deep defender who has to respect multiple threats. Watch for a user controlled defender spying the boot lane or dropping into a lurk position over the slide route, since that indicates the defense recognizes the play action and will jump the underneath throw. Cover 4 or cover 2 shells with squatting corners can shut down the intermediate slide route, so be ready to progress to the deep out or corner route on the trips side against those looks. Contain blitzes or edge pressure designed to string out the boot action are the biggest threat to this play, so key the defensive end and outside linebacker alignment pre-snap to anticipate whether the rollout lane will be compromised.
Use this play on early downs like first and ten or second and medium when defenses are keying run fits out of the trips cluster look, since the boot action punishes linebackers and safeties crashing downhill on the play fake.
Check the cornerback alignment on the trips side before the snap. If you see a hard outside shade or press man look, prioritize the underneath slide route since the backside tight end will have a favorable angle against late reacting linebackers.
Hot route the trips cluster outermost receiver into a corner route if you diagnose cover 2 or cover 4 shells, since that stretches the deep quarter defender and opens up the sideline for the rollout throw.
Pair this play with Mtn HB Power or HB Toss Lt earlier in a series to get linebackers flowing hard to the play side, then come back with PA Boot Slide to gash them with the same backfield action but a passing conclusion.
Roll the quarterback fully to the boot side using the right stick or manual movement to buy extra time, since defenses that bring a contain blitz off the edge will force a quicker decision if you sit in the pocket.