Training camp

Notes and observations from this morning’s practice…
If these notes are a little skimpy, I offer four points of defense: (1) The 49ers were in shells, not full pads. (2) The third-stringers got a ton of work today. (3) It was heavy on running plays, never very illuminating without contact. (4) The whole session lasted 65 minutes.
It all added up to a highly forgettable practice. Here are a few notes that must stand in for actual highlights.

Kentwan Balmer was not on the practice field today, just as he was not yesterday. There was a difference, though. Yesterday’s absence was excused. Today’s wasn’t. Mike Singletary told Balmer, the third-year defensive lineman, to show up, an order that went unheeded.
There is a great deal of mystery surrounding Balmer’s absence. His name has been mentioned regarding an NCAA investigation into the dealings between a coach, John Blake, and an agent, Gary Wichard. Wichard represents Balmer, who supposedly paid for trips by North Carolina tackle Marvin Austin.

Much of the talk here over the past couple days has revolved around the broken fibula suffered by C Eric Heitmann. Indeed, Heitmann is the most important 49er currently on the mend. But no position group has been hit harder than linebacker, where Scott McKillop, Travis LaBoy, Ahmad Brooks and Martail Burnett all have been cut down since the start of training camp.
McKillop, the ILB who tore his left ACL and patellar tendon, is likely gone for the season. He will be missed both as a backup linebacker and a core special-teams performer.
The real problem, though, is outside, where LaBoy (concussion), Brooks (lacerated kidney) and Burnett (sprained knee) represented half the workforce as camp began.

There’s no other way to say it. This morning’s practice was ugly. NFL teams go into training camp hoping for two things: 1) stay healthy, and 2) make incremental progress. The 49ers did neither today.
The offense had to re-huddle several times, there were a couple of false starts, the ball was on the ground more than at a typical golf tournament, and the coaches went hoarse chewing guys out. After a veritable day off (the 49ers had only a walk-through Sunday), the team simply came out scattershot.

Yes, if there are blue-chip stocks on the 49ers roster right now, others are clearly faltering. Here are some players who have not been treated well by Mike Singletary’s training camp thus far.
ILB Scott McKillop and OLB Ahmad Brooks: The 49ers have not announced a roster move on either player thus far. But McKillop is almost certainly lost for the season with a torn patellar tendon and ACL in his left knee. Brooks will be evaluated in two weeks to see if his kidney is bleeding; the team may make a decision on his season then. (ESPN’s Mike Sando presents a good medical analysis here.) Training camp always brings its unfortunate injuries. So far, McKillop and Brooks are the biggest victims.

OK, the 49ers have been in training camp for a full week by now, and the only activity scheduled for today is a walk-through. All of which can mean only one thing: It’s time for a stock report. Here are the players whose stock seems to be on the rise. As you may expect, I’ll follow with a look at falling investments.
T Anthony Davis and G Mike Iupati: It’s not that the rookies are dominating opponents, either in one-on-one drills or in team period. But they moved into first-team roles this week, perhaps earlier than expected, and could be there to stay. Neither looks overmatched, either.

Jimmy Raye, the 49ers’ offensive philosopher-coordinator, was at the podium a few days ago when I asked him what he thought of Anthony Dixon, the rookie running back.
“I like him,” the long-time assistant said, breaking into a wide grin. “Though there are times I want to strangle him. He’s young, and you know how they say youth is wasted on the young. He’s young and he’s learning. He’s running over the quarterback and the lines. He’s just having fun, and he’s learning what to do.”
It isn’t hard to see where Raye is coming from.

Jarrett Brown lives! The reps have been exceedingly rare for the undrafted rookie quarterback from West Virginia this training camp, unless you count throwing to receivers in 1-on-1 passing drills.
Before this morning, Brown had only a few appearances in team period through all of camp. But he finished up the final period today with 10 snaps, a veritable pass-a-thon for the fourth-string QB.
Brown, who as a senior became the first Mountaineer since Marc Bulger to pass for more than 2,000 yards, got off to a rough start. OLB Martail Burnett “sacked” him on the first play, and when Brown went ahead and threw the ball, NT Ricky Jean Francois batted it down.

Notes and observations from this morning’s practice in Santa Clara…
Every day of 49ers’ training camp seems to bring more twists and turns. Today’s version didn’t take place on a windswept ocean bluff, but there was a certain buzz generated by the half-dozen secret-service-looking guys in black suits to the side of the field.
Turns out Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was at 4949 Centennial Blvd. to address the Bay Area Council, a collection of local movers and shakers that happens to include 49ers president Jed York. The Guv and his entourage strode across the field after practice. No media access, so we couldn’t find out if he planned to out-bench-press Takeo Spikes.

Training camp already getting a little tedious? Tired of the two-a-day routine? Blisters and sore hamstrings getting you down?
Mike Singletary took the “Animal House” approach: Road trip!
Looking for ways to break the monotony of camp, Singletary announced Wednesday that the team would be bugging out for a road practice. That night, he finally told their players where they were headed – the Monterey peninsula. More specifically, to the Cal State Monterey Bay soccer field, home of the Otters and formerly part of the Fort Ord military base.

Brit Miller comes from a working-class neighborhood in Decatur, Ill. Most of his adult relatives are either teachers, pipefitters or beauticians. Miller – sawed-off, beefy and often scruffy – looks a lot more like a pipefitter than a beautician. Turns out, teaching was the profession he thought he was heading for a year ago.
“I remember calling my dad and just, like, ‘Man, just get my room ready. I’m coming home,’ ” Miller recalled after today’s morning practice here in Santa Clara. “I called my uncle. I was gonna be a substitute teacher for him, because he’s a superintendent (of Macon County, Ill.). And I was making all these other plans to be elsewhere, just because football was just grinding and beating me down every day.”

Notes and observations from an eventful morning practice in Santa Clara…
• I’ve seen veterans get practices off during training camp. It happens just about everywhere, and it makes sense. But it surprised me to see three 49ers – ILB Takeo Spikes, S Michael Lewis and OLB Travis LaBoy – get breathers in consecutive practices, Monday p.m. and Tuesday a.m. A team official assured the media it was just “veteran courtesy,” but with this level of courtesy we may soon need to get our daily updates from Miss Manners.

Quick notes from today’s afternoon practice…
• News flash: FB Brit Miller is not perfect. The new face of the franchise dropped David Carr’s pass in the right flat during team period in the second half. Well, at least that allows the rest of the league to catch up a little.
After delivering the biggest hit of the morning session, Miller stood out during the nutcracker drill that began the p.m. practice (and delighted the several-thousand ticket holders in attendance) by getting both Keaton Kristick and NaVorro Bowman on the ground. And after duping the defense into thinking he was just a blocker, Miller sneaked behind Scott McKillop in 7-on-7 and caught Alex Smith’s long pass in stride.

Notes and observations from this morning’s practice in Santa Clara. (Note: If you’re here for prurient nutcracker stuff, try this instead.)
• A three-hour practice to start off the padded activity this summer? This really is no place for the meek.
• Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye both stopped practice at various points to roar at their troops. The sticking point seemed to be tempo.