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Quick Reference
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Breakdown
PA Boot Lt is a play-action rollout out of the Weak I Pro formation with 21 personnel, designed to freeze the linebackers off the fake handoff before booting the QB left. Off the play fake, the fullback releases into a shallow flat route (blue) as the underneath check-down, the TE runs a deep crossing route from right to left across the middle (red) as the primary intermediate breaker, and the backside receiver runs a deep comeback or corner route breaking outside near the sideline (yellow, left) while the frontside X receiver runs a vertical route up the numbers (yellow, right). This is a play-action man beater built to exploit aggressive run fits and overpursuing linebackers, with the crossing TE as the first read, the flat route as the checkdown, and the deep comeback as the home run shot if the boot action pulls the safety up.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebackers biting hard on the run fake. If the Mike and Will crash downhill immediately after the snap, the TE crossing route and fullback flat will both be wide open behind them. Identify single high versus two high safety shells pre-snap. Single high alignments are more vulnerable to the deep comeback route once the safety steps up to respect the play fake. Man coverage on the TE is the biggest vulnerability for this play, especially if a linebacker is matched up in man across the middle since the crossing route creates natural separation. Look for a user-controlled defender sitting in a lurk spot underneath the TE crossing route. Smart defenders will jump this route since it is the clear first read, so be ready to reset to the checkdown. Disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers at proper depth and refuse to bite on the play fake will take away the middle of the field and force the QB to rely on the outside boot lanes only.
Usage Tips
Run this on early downs like 1st and 10 or 2nd and short when the defense expects a run look out of Weak I personnel, since the play fake sells hardest against base 4-3 or 3-4 fronts stacked in the box.
Check the deep safety alignment before the snap. Single high safety shells make the deep comeback route on the backside a big play threat once the boot action pulls the safety toward the run fake.
Your first read is the TE crossing route working left to right across the middle. If a linebacker sinks with him, look immediately to the fullback flat route as your checkdown against zone drops.
Combine this with HB Gut or Counter F earlier in a series to condition the defense to bite on inside run action, then dial up PA Boot Lt to cash in on overaggressive linebacker fits.
Avoid calling this against disciplined zone defenses that keep linebackers home. If you see Cover 3 or Cover 4 shells with linebackers staying square, consider Quick Slants or Curl Combo instead to attack the flat and hook zones.
