By PHIL BARBER
Everyone knew how big Colin Kaepernick was when the 49ers drafted him in 2011. We might have had an inkling of how fast he was, and how far he could throw the ball as well (though I admit that I didn’t believe he was quite that fast, or his arm that strong). What has been most amazing, to me, about Kaepernick’s emergence has been his accuracy.
Kids this inexperienced, and blessed with this much all-around athletic ability, are simply not supposed to be this accurate with the football.
Let me toss a couple stats at you, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info:
- Only 12.5 percent of Kaepernick’s pass attempts have been incomplete due to an over- or underthrown pass this season, the lowest mark in the NFL (including playoffs). Only 4 of his 101 incompletions (including playoffs) have been the result of an underthrown pass.
- Kaepernick is the most accurate passer in the league on throws more than 20 yards downfield, and has completed at least one of those throws in all but one of his starts this season.
Wednesday, I took the opportunity to ask 49ers quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst about Kaepernick’s accuracy. Chryst, who was generally fantastic during his media time (tell me again why we can’t talk to position coaches more often?), said he had no doubts of the QB’s precision after watching Kap and Nevada roar back from a 17-point deficit to beat Boise State in 2010.
“It was a great game,” Chryst said. “You saw two teams battling with a lot on the line, a lot of chips around the table. You saw his velocity, you saw how well he threw from the run and so you just figure, the throws that the NFL game would require, he could make. There was a certain amount of ‘you’re gonna have to project how that would be.’ But there were so many attributes right there that I’m not surprised that he’s accurate. It’s the throws you need to make, and he’s competitive so he wants to make ’em.”
Chryst pointed out that accuracy isn’t just being able to hit a tire hanging from a rope at 30 yards. It also has to do with timing, especially at the NFL level.
“The line I used to joke around with is, if you can be quick on the buzzer and make a quick decision, sometimes that early answer helps make you accurate,” Chryst said. “If you’re late, and now you’re trying to throw it into a window that’s already closing, I think those are harder throws and maybe get deflected. You’re a little bit on the margin right there.”
That Kaepernick poise that we keep hearing about allows him to get rid of the ball when the window is open a few inches wider. He’s still an accurate thrower; it’s just that his decision-making improves his odds.
“It might only be five or 10 yards, or it may be down the pipe, but he’s been decisive, and I think that helps his accuracy, too,” Chryst said.
49ers RSS feed
Loading ...
The pass to Moss on the dig route in the red zone during the first second half drive against Atlanta is a perfect example of Kaep being “quick on the buzzer.”
I love the corner throw to kw against the bears..in the bucket
I am at peace. I got hope that Smith will leave with a smile and without a superbowl ring. The 49ers can win, but Smith should not have to accept the superbowl ring. It would be the best thing for him. Smith should be the one leading his team out there. Kap should have started in week 1. I’m glad on Sunday, I won’t be near any TV, any radio. I do hope the fans behave either way in San Francisco.
THIS….. one’s for you !
Not going to happen, KC, Cle, Jax, are all pipe dreams. They need those picks. To give up the no. 1 for Alex Smith for the Chiefs for a no. 31 would be an epic disaster! Andy Reid should be fired for having a thought like that. I rather see Jeff Fisher try to trade for Smith, but he apparently likes Bradford.
Darren just stop and act like a 49er fan your pathetic
OK, in the words of Lou Costello, I’m just a bad boy right now. Oh well, I haven’t seen an old friend in over 30 years. I think I’ll use this Sunday to finally see my old teacher. SHe always thinks of me on Christmas, be a great day to finally see her.
D35 what up? PLEASE tell me you are not gonna bail on the big game! I have read your rather interesting posts for a long time now, do not DENY me the pleasure of your comments on this true 49er spectacle, you owe it to us all to finish strong my good man. Its a cliffhanger, dont go thelma and louise on me now, get your popcorn ready, sit down and enjoy the beginning and end of some fabulous stories. Then post your observatons here! I am waiting…If you cut me i bleed 49er red how bout you?
This is great…..early interest in smith. Hopefully as a team we get some compensation and he gets to start on a team. Would hate to just cut smith and get nothing for him.
I hope we cut Smith because this team deserves NOOOOOOOOOOOOOBODY, I mean, NOTHING. THe 49ers are once again illegally hoarding draft picks.
Don’t think you know what illegality is.
I don’t think he knows about probably 80% of the topics he likes to have an opinion on.
Dont feed the troll guys…Grant will boot him soon enough like last time.
Roger, so you want us to ignore dc9er, right? Got it.
If Grant wants to run a good forum, he should be allowing this. Nobody cuts off Hannity and Combs. Nobody cut off Siskel and Ebert. Nobody cut off Laurel and Hardy. I really don’t know why anybody is calling what I say about Smith, CK, Harbaugh, York ‘trolling.’ I’m not against anybody that’s a 49er fan. What irks me is the lack of responsibility you got to a man in ALex Smith that did nothing to lose his job, and you hold him, not Kyle, to blame for last year. WE go 5 and 1 in Superbowls, you going to blame Alex for rotting on a bench?
Darren, Oneniner, DS, Lucifer?,
In as much as this forum is a support group for 9er fans I feel compelled to share my thoughts on your posts as a sort of catharsis. I absolutely LOVE reading your posts. I usually read the actual blog posting and then immediately scan the comments looking to see if you’ve posted anything. I realize this is malicious and somewhat vindictive but I revel in your agony. All of your whining over Alex Smith is a clear attempt to detract from real 9er fans enjoyment of Superbowl week and it’s so transparent it’s comical. You’re like a 3 year old child throwing a fit because you couldn’t sleep with your favorite toy. Reading your posts is validation that a small section of Smithers were indeed only a fan of one 49er and not fans of the team. I am praying to God and everything Holy that you continue posting on this site after Alex Smith is traded to KC. I am anxiously awaiting your posts when Andy Reid benches Alex Smith in favor or Spurgeon Wynn or Thad Lewis or Levi Brown. I know these thoughts aren’t socially acceptable. This is definitely the dark side of me. But to watch the train wreck of someone who just doesn’t understand team sports and simply doesn’t understand being a real fan of a team is enjoyable to me. For the past 8 years, this blog has been split between real football fans who disagreed on the QB play and a freakish few who had a TMZ like dangerous fixation and unhealthy allegiance to one player. This Superbowl represents a return to greatness for my beloved 9ers which is the greatest thing ever. BUT a close 2nd for me is watching the misery of those who worshipped one idol who never delivered them to the promised land.
Amen brotha…………
To the Faithful,
Darren’ only goal in life at the moment is elicit a sharp reponse from 49ers fans.
What I find baffleing is why are so many posters continually throwing wood in Darren’ fireplace.
Leave this person alone to rant at the wind and it will eventually blow away with it.
I’m with you AES. I really struggled with that point but my post was more for me than it was for him/her/it. It was a sort of cleansing. This SB wouldn’t be complete without one of the old Smithers screaming in the wind. This game represents a transition moment for this franchise. Much like The Catch was the single point most people remember in the 9ers transition from stomping pad to greatness. This game will represent the transition from Smith to CK and mulitiple Superbowls. I truely believe that is this teams destiny. Anyway, I’m done with Darren so you won’t see any more from me.
Houston,
I agree with you – it’s an interesting mix of personality disorders and fascinating to watch he/she/it come unravelled. Like a car accident – you can’t help but look even though what you see might be disturbing.
I’m sure Grant will take care of it soon enough.
I’d heard this rumor more than once….
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000133549/article/andy-reid-reportedly-interested-in-49ers-alex-smith
Houston you have to understand he not a real poster he is a cyber terrorist. They do this to many blogs on many subjects then go to their own sites and compare notes on how they created havoc on a site. They are no different than those who create computer viruses. I repeat he is not a real poster. he is a member of a cyber tribe of anarchist.
Please for all of our sakes do’nt reply to trolls!!!!
@Bay thanks for the link. earlier i felt we would be lucky to get a 3rd rd pick for AS but with more interest being shown in him especially from true quality coaches like A. Ried I’m begining to believe we might get better than a 3rd rd pick.
I honestly don’t know why people keep saying Smith is only worthy of a later round pick. Other teams have given up MUCH MUCH MUCH more for QB’s that have shown nothing in the league. Houston swapped 1st round picks and gave up two #2′s for Matt Schaub. Arizone gave up Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round pick for Kevin Kolb. Smith has a significantly better track record than those guys. For the life of me, I have no idea why the 9ers said they will try to trade him but if they can’t they will cut him. They’ve just reduced the potential compensation they could have received. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a similar deal for Smith as the Kolb and Schaub deals.
Houston
Darlene isn’t interested in Smith, he’s obsessed with getting attention! Anything will do………
Houston,
Its the contract. He won’t get offered a contract for 8.5 mil if he gets cut. If the contract were less, we’d get a good pick for him, no problem.
Jordan from everything i’ve read or heard A.S. will get quite a bit more than 8.5 millon if he is a free agent. The 4 or 5 teams that seem to be very interested in him will have to bid for his service. If we trade him they will have to give up a pick but will save money in signing him.
To sign Kolb, the Cards renegotiated his contract as part of the deal. I see the same for Smith.
Disagree Old Coach. Alex is a double discount QB. That is part of what makes him appealing. He’s safe and manages the game. He doesn’t give much beyond that and for that reason won’t get paid much beyond his existing contract.
If there truly is a bidding war it isn’t with Smith, it will be with the 49ers and the value will be determined by draft picks and or players.
@Bay i wasnt very clear i was trying to say the same thing as you i dont believe he will become a FA
Houston:
Your rant about Darren(and those who are only fans of ONE Niner) was both true and funny at the same time,well done !
Tim, at times you are similar. Your comments are all over the 9ers blogs. Think positive and not dwell on the past looking to blame only one player. Good times.
Good times Hof !!! Couldn’t agree more !
No blame to spread around these days only credit ! So we should all be happy !
I think you forgot it’s it’s only fair that the best man plays. what are you thinking. you gotta have loyalty to the other 52 guys on that team. and they deserve to have the best player play. if you don’t play Kapernick. then you’re not being loyal to the other 52 guys. Alex Smith was having a awesome year. but still Kapnick is better than Alex Smith. yes I think that we would still be in the Superbowl with Smith. Kap is the most gifted quarterback in the NFL. He is a special talent. If he keeps his head on straight. He will be the greatest quarterback in the NFL. The talent of that kid Is unreal. Very rarely have I ever see a quarterback be able to outrun a DB. He is faster with all the pads on and probably most players. I think that if you took 40 Yard dashes in full pads. Copper Nick would be 1 of the fastest in the NFL. And he has a cannon in an accurate arms. The best thing about him Is he the hard Worker. And he smart. You cannot get a player like that. You have to be loyal to the other 52 guys. And yes us fans.
niv3232, I don’t want Smith winding up on the wrong team. Cle is not a good team, neither is KC, Jax. I feel a QB, shore the Oline, fix the D, Arizona has a shot to bring prestige to our division, like SEattle, like st. Louis. It’s tiresome to see us go 13 and 3, Seattle goes 7 and 9, Rams go 6 and 10 and Arizona goes 4 and 12. It’s very hard to say CK is a good Qb when I’m not for kissing the bicep, or walking to the line with ‘thumbs’ up. He won’t have numbers like other elite Qbs have, and they have them for a reason which is why they make the Hall of fame. Do you really think if a QB did what CK does, have low numbers, take the team to Superbowls, you really think a low numbered QB has a chance for the hall of fame?
I can’t help the way I feel that CK stole the job. He should’ve been the starter in week 1. Now the trophy is going to feel like we cheated to get it, and nobody wants to care about it. I wanted this to be special, now I feel sick that the 49ers could win something they don’t deserve. The reporters don’t care. Players, coach, York, they would rather rob then to earn that trophy fair and square.
Bs,I mean ds, I mean Darren,really dude you need help like serious help bro I hope you get some
Hov,
you are breaking rank fella. Stop responding the the virus.
You’ve got to be the only person on the planet with that outlook.
You get a standing golf clap just for being able to type so much nonsense into 2 paragraphs.
Darren, you seem to have a warped sense of reality. You’re the answer to the Smith haters. You cancel each other out.
Me thinks that the people that continue to dialogue with the virus may have a problem themselves…..
The PD should have never removed the previous setup that required a pswd. It weeded out the nonsense.
I wanted to talk to terrific 49ers fans. Well Hov, we’ll see which side God is on: the one Ray Lewis loves, or the one that thinks the 49ers deserve to win a Superbowl. Right now, Hov, I’m inclined to think God will let the 49ers win. 6 to 3 sounds right.
Pretty sure if there is a God, He could care less about football. Just sayin’.
Uhhh ds, What does god have to do with a football game pretty sure the man upstairs has alot more important things to deal with.
Well, obviously, God has his $$$ on a qb who can throw for 300 yards a game. Duh.
Good one, Fred. I just don’t want to call Harbaugh a genius when the 49ers win. There can only be one genius.
Shaq?
Oh, my bad. You meant Kanye.
I think he means Einstein.
Obviously the high school 49ers fans never heard of Bill Walsh I guess.
Nope. Just waiting for Hubris Man to name drop.
And, speaking of Bill Walsh, I guarantee you that he never cared about his quarterbacks getting 300 yards passing in a game. I’m pretty sure all he was concerned about was execution and winning.
Funny, I thought the same thing when I watched Nevada vs. Boise State. When the 49ers targeted him in the draft, I was not at all surprised. They should be set at the position for the next 10 years. Plenty more Super Bowls on the horizon.
Damn! Ant infestation over night. Grant! Call the Exterminators again!
Hey Claude, are you actually an attorney? Can you share a Pro Bono interpretation?
If a non-tenant (no contractual access prescribed or presumed) is evicted from a property and then returns to that property without the owner or their agents knowledge and permission, isn’t that criminal trespass? Does this apply to virtual space? Perhaps an Injunction or Restraining order against sneaky, slithering trespassers with so little self esteem that they want to be where no one wants them to be?
Would it be a complicating factor that some on here find the Trespasser to have redeeming social value as a source of humorous entertainment?
Thank you Barrister.
@ Brotha:
Let me echo what others have said. Ignore him, and he will go away. Acknowledge him, and he will stick around.
I dunno..every slow motion replay,CK passes have a lot of wobble. And on short yards,he throws too hard. He has that thing to comeback- I give him that. The quality of his passing has room to improve.
You know who else had a lot of lame-duck passes in his career? Joe Montana. Maybe you’ve heard of him.
He’s better then Smith at finding an open reciever..CK’s good,but there IS room..
He is better than Smith at everything . And of course there is room for improvement,he has only started 9 games. It took Alex over 6 years just to become mediocre.
Tim, again with the negative. The 9ers are in the SB and your still spewing your nonsense. Go to another blog if that’s all you have to offer…
Go away TIM.
Crusty old Tim talking out of his arse again.
Can’t handle the truth huh ? ;)
I was just responding to Stan ,who apparently has not gotten over the fact that alex has been replaced. Stan ripped Kap,I posted a counter point of view in support of my starting QB. What,this isn’t America anymore and I am not allowed to respond ? JMHO
…And Claud and Prime,you are consistently the most negative posters on this blog ,so who are you to speak ?
Be happy that our team is in the SB,even if YOUR QB is not starting. Get over it. Be happy.
Folks if we want Darren to go away the only way that’s going to happen is if you simply never ever respond to him in anyway. Please just completely ignore any and all of his posts and even if it takes a little while he will eventually grow tired of being totally ignored and will move on.
This can only work if everyone does it. If even one person tries to respond or engage him he’ll keep posting.
Will not work. He’s schizophrenic. Either ban him or dehumanize him with an all out assault unknown to mankind.
Coffee, if one name gets ignored he’ll just come back with another identity and start trolling for responses from those that don’t recognize that it is him. He has already used about 6-8 different identities on this blog already and is currently using the name Jeff Garcia on NFL signing in with one of his many hotmail accounts.
He’s also know as the Invisible Man, and he will respond to his own posts. It can break down a weaker mind.
Razor, LOL, yeah, seen plenty of that these past few years. Puts himself on his own “friend’s lists” on blogs that have them that send each other private messages, too.
Personally think that Kaepernick will succeed. Will be great to see a hybrid QB doing that http://robmilne.blog.com/2013/02/01/can-kaep-do-it/
Good stuff, no-name..
Always find it amazing that any Brits even know anything about football !
(The spelling of “defence” .. and “centre” gave it away)
I guess having the London Monarchs there for a time helps !
Oh my God we are doomed! Chris Berman picked the Ravens to win. He never picks against the Niners! WTF!
Don’t worry, Prime ..
Not sure, but I think he picked Brady over Kaep, too..
I never usually worry about people making predictions but with Berman, I do. Now I am worried!
Prime- No worries, Berman is a Niner fan. He’s hedging his bets.
His picks record is horrible.
Mike Greenberg picked the Ravens we are okay he gives teams the kiss of death.
Ronnie Lott was pumped up this morning on KNBR — he’s ready for war and channeling himself thru Bowman and Whitner.
When Harbaugh’s 49ers have had eight or more days between games, they’ve gone 11-1-1 . Brother John is 16-4 in such games.
Oy vey the butterflies are really starting to build up. I’m gonna have to invest in one of those portable defibrillators.
I read about this. It’s a computer model that simulates a game 50,000 times and comes up with a winner. The computer has a 7-2 record predicting the last 9 superbowls.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/01/28/computer-model-says-49ers-over-ravens-in-super-bowl-xlvii/
I predicted 27-20. The computer says it has the 49ers winning roughly 67% of the time and they predict a score of 28-21. Interesting. Hope they are right.
Bay..
check the poll on that page
The pole has the Niners winning 60%. That’s a fans pole though. I was discussing the computer prediction model.
Bay
That means there’s a 67% chance that I’ll be partying in San Francisco on Sunday night :)
Love it. I’ll be visiting my brother surprising him for his 40th birthday in Seattle. His girlfriend is throwing a 40th birthday / Superbowl party.
I’ll be celebrating in front of a bunch of Seahawks fans lol.
Is that Manti teo’s stalker??
Bay sez:
“…I was discussing the computer prediction model……”
Yeah.. I know .. and I shoulda mentioned something about it..
Seems they’ll go to great lengths, huh ?
Just wondering if you caught the poll or not.. even though, it’s a fan poll .. it still is great to see …
Since the Niners are gonna be the “home” team… polls like this one make me wonder if there’s gonna be enough “red n gold” in the stands to give our team a real home field advantage ..
Hey … it could happen !