Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlling slide drilling based on torque and rotational distance of a top drive connected with an upper end of a drill string. A method may comprise operating a processing device that receives torque measurements indicative of torque output by the top drive, receives rotational distance measurements indicative of rotational distance imparted by the top drive, causes the top drive to rotate the drill string while the drill string is off-bottom, determines a reference torque based on the torque measurements received while the drill string is rotated off-bottom, causes the top drive to alternatingly rotate the drill string based on the reference torque to perform slide drilling, determines a reference rotational distance based on the rotational distance measurements received during the slide drilling, and causes the top drive to alternatingly rotate the drill string based on the reference rotational distance to perform the slide drilling.