Colin Kaepernick’s mechanics need a trip to the garage

This is my Saturday column.

Colin Kaepernick isn’t huge on mechanics. He said so on Wednesday.

This revelation shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has ever seen him play. Kaepernick is one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the NFL.

His college coach, Chris Ault, broke down Kaepernick’s inconsistencies last week to Foxsports.com. Ault was the only college coach who gave Kaepernick a football scholarship. Ault created Kaepernick. Ault’s opinion matters, and it should matter to the 49ers although sadly it doesn’t.

“Nobody knows Kap like I do,” Ault told Foxsports.com, “For some reason, last year his technique throwing the ball … he let it go.”

What do you mean “let it go”? Could you be more specific, Chris?

“I saw a little of it in college,” he said. “He was a pitcher, as everyone knows. He threw that thing 93 or 94 miles per hour. He has a low elbow at times … He’s one of the few guys that can get away with throwing that way, but when you have to make the touch pass, drop it over (coverage), or you have to anticipate where a receiver is going, that type of release often times makes you very inconsistent. That’s what I’m seeing. I saw it when we were at Nevada a little bit.”

A low elbow is an issue Kaepernick apparently was working to correct for five years in college, and should have been working to correct the past five years in the NFL.

Wednesday afternoon, I told 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula what Coach Ault said about Kaepernick, then asked if someone on Tomsula’s coaching staff has noticed Kaepernick dropping his elbow while throwing and if they’re working to correct the issue.

“With all due respect to Coach Ault, I don’t know him,” Tomsula said. “But we’re really not paying attention to other people’s evaluations. We’re watching our film and we’re evaluating and we’re correcting and working on things that we feel like we need to work on.”

Oh, really? With all due respect, Jim, you don’t know Ault but you should. Jim Harbaugh knew him. Harbaugh respected Ault. Called him “a great football coach with a great record and an even better man” in 2012.

On Thursday, I asked 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst how well he knows Ault.

“I’ve never met him,” Chryst said.

Never met him?

Memo to Geep: Why don’t you pick up the phone and call him? Why don’t you do your due diligence? Ask Ault what the tipoffs are when Kaepernick is throwing well. The signs when he’s throwing poorly. Ask Ault what he did when Kaepernick wasn’t throwing well. Please ask Ault something.

“I know that he (Ault) had some comments during the week,” Chryst said. “He obviously knows Kap. I feel like after having been around Kap, you kind of know him as well. So, what he observes is what he observes and what I observe is what I observe.”

Speaking about Ault like he’s some mediocrity. Pick up the phone and use a resource. A good coach uses every resource available.

Even Greg Roman used the resource. The man you replaced as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator traveled to Reno and met Ault in person. “That was very valuable time spent,” Roman said in 2012. “He’s a very good football coach that was very accommodating.”

Not you, Geep.

“Is there anything to (Ault’s) critique that Kaepernick is dropping his elbow?” I asked Chryst. “Is that something you watch?”

Chryst laughed. He said recently he was joking with Kaepernick that he should throw like Philip Rivers, elbow low, almost pinned to his side. Chryst thought that was really funny. Wait a minute, Geep. Rivers is a five-time Pro Bowler. Your guy is a no-time Pro Bowler.

What does Rivers have to do with Kaepernick anyway? Rivers is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league. Kaepernick isn’t. Kaepernick is no Philip Rivers. He’s also no Aaron Rodgers, no Tom Brady, no Carson Palmer, no Russell Wilson. He’s Colin Kaepernick for better or worse.

Wednesday, I asked Kaepernick about Ault’s comments.

“It’s something that I constantly work on my mechanics and fundamentals to make sure I’m out there throwing the ball the best way I can,” Kaepernick said. “Ultimately, whether the receiver catches the ball and the ball is in the right position is the only thing that matters.”

Translation: Mechanics do matter.

Matt Barrows of the the Sacramento Bee followed up. “Do you sometimes have to drop your elbow and throw sidearm to adapt (to pressure)?”

“Once again, mechanics are … I’m not huge on them,” Kaepernick said. Translation: Mechanics don’t matter.

This guy’s thinking is all over the place just like his passes.

“Is Chris Ault correct in his assessment?” I asked.

“Of … ?” Kaepernick asked, Kaepernick being coy, pretending he forgot what we were talking about.

I reminded him.

“I don’t look at film that closely about my mechanics of where my elbow is at,” he replied.

Funny, Joe and Steve worked on mechanics all the time. You know who Joe and Steve are, Colin. Steve worked on mechanics for years as Joe’s understudy. And you’re above all that? You wonder why you never get better despite all the quarterback gurus you work with.

If I ran the 49ers, I would make you go to one of two places in the offseason after first considering whether I even would keep you on my roster for next season.

1. 3DQB at USC. That’s where Tom House, a former Major League pitching coach, teaches throwing mechanics to quarterbacks. He has worked with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton and Alex Smith.

2. The United States Olympic Committee Training Facility in Colorado. This lab has the most modern technology coupled with experts who evaluate in slow-motion each and every segment of an athlete’s throwing mechanics, whether he or she is throwing a javelin, shotput, discus, hammer, baseball, football, rock — you name it.

If you’re not interested in investing your time and energy in learning the right mechanics, Colin, please hand in your Niners jersey and take your mediocrity elsewhere.

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.

This article has 162 Comments

  1. “He was a pitcher, as everyone knows…”
    ——-

    I’ve already said this before but the coaches allusion just brings home the point. Kaepernick never should have chosen the NFL. He’s a pitcher not a QB. I’m not saying it’s easy to be an MLB pitcher but it s a heck of a lot easier then playing QB in the NFL. The game of baseball and pitching is a far better fit to Kaepernicks skills physically and mentally.

    It’s truly a shame that he did make the choice he did because it’s very possible he could have been an amazing major league ace.

    1. I would like Kaep to become a dual sport player. Imagine if Kaep was in a SF Giants uniform, throwing 96 MPH fastballs. This whole concentrating on one thing mantra has led to being over coached. Kaep should have a varied lifestyle, and being a Major League pitcher could add spice to his life. I dream that Kaep could win a World Series and a Super Bowl, he is that talented.

      1. You’ve been cutting too much grass lately. The carbon emissions are altering your brain activity!

      2. Kaep should just toe the rubber and throw fastballs. He could say he is working on his mechanics. I would not want him throwing change ups, curve balls, sliders or any other breaking balls, just fastballs. Maybe Rags can watch him and give an evaluation. Bet he can throw high 90s consistently. Maybe to mollify the Niners, he would pitch only in SF, and skip the road trips.

      3. If ck was a pitcher with his field vision, I’d bet catchers would be licking their chops to steal a base. This guy isn’t in it to be great. He thinks his athleticism can do it all.

        1. You mean base runners? Hopefully the batters will not catch up to that fast ball and there will be no base runners. Kaep can wing it. He threw out a ceremonial first pitch with no warmup at 89 MPH.

    2. The sum of all minor details add up…Bill Walsh timed passes over twenty yards, had it down to a science, e.g., the distance the ball travelled with respect to every pass pattern and famously stated: “for each second the ball is in the air, the DB covers 10 yards…If the ball is in the air for 4 seconds, therefore, the DB can run 40 yards….So, if the throwing motion is off one inch on a twenty yard out pattern to the sideline, by the time the ball covers this distance, Walsh figured out it may be five yards over a receivers head, or on a slant, running full speed, the receiver has to break stride and reach behind him, risking a twisted knee, pulled muscle, or a knockout punch by the safety…This is why mechanics matter, and Baalke , and York will never hire a coach who understands this.

  2. Cohn you’re right on again. Kaepernicus’ demeanor is beyond annoying. Great qbs care about mechanics..his recent quotes about mechanics make me frustrated. He’s 5 years in and he still thinks raw talent which he has is going to do everything. He’s done, get rid of him. “With the #1 in the 2016 nfl draft the San Francisco 49ers select QB…….

  3. I agree with your overall point the importance of mechanics. But some of your secondary points I would have to disagree with. For example you talk about Chryst not using Ault as a resource as opposed to Roman. The difference is Roman had never worked with Colin before. He presumably didn’t know much about him. That’s not the same for Chrsyt, who’s worked with Colin far about as long as Ault has. I doubt he needs a lifeline to tell him things he probably already knows about Colin’s game/mechanics.

    Also not sure why it’s a problem that Tomsula isn’t familiar with Ault.

    1. It’s a major red flag because 1. If u think Chryst knows kap, he doesn’t. He’s just as clueless as a first year roman with him. 2. Shows tomsula has tunnel vision and doesn’t see the big picture and trying to get whatever advantage or insight he can. The guy still reads his notes from the now defunct nfl Europe

  4. Colin’s optics and electronics need a trip to the shop too. Takes forever to see open receivers, misses underneath coverage, is slow to process whats happening after snap.

    What’s his bigger weakness:
    A) Mechanics
    B) Vision, Processing what he sees

    1. Flip a coin for that. Odds are heavy in that it will land on its side.

        1. True, but how weak are his mechanics for him to have worked on them during the offseason and show no results from it?

  5. Smart to avoid giving detailed information about Kilgore’s injury. Smart to avoid public dialog about your quarterback’s throwing deficiencies.

    I’m fine with Tomsula and Chryst being evasive or making little sense. The substandard passing attack is the main concern.

  6. “If you’re not interested in investing your time and energy in learning the right mechanics, Colin, please hand in your Niners jersey and take your mediocrity elsewhere.”
    ~ Grant

    Yeah Kap, how dare you fool us by making everyone believe that you were trying to improve yourself at EXOS during part of the offseason. You sly fox!

    1. AES,

      Dude you fall for all of Kaep’s tricks. He went to EOS to give the illusion he wanted to get better. His inconsistency is based on the lack of dedication to the craft. Kaep will spend more time working out because those are tangible results, but for him to grasp all the nuances of being a pocket QB takes alot of work.

      He’s not throwing it to where the players can catch up. Just look at all the comments he’s made through the years and you see a QB who can’t keep up with the speed of the game, is stuck with bad mechanics, footwork, you name it.
      The only thing he has going for him is his strong arm and athleticism. And wants teams adjusted, he’s got nothing.

      1. Fan,
        I’ve never said that Kap has mastered his craft. He does now, and likely will always need to work on his mechanics.
        Guess what? The Org knew this when they traded up to sign him in the 2nd rd of the 2011 draft.

        Some here have made the ignorant comment that Harbaugh forced the Baalke to draft CK which is purely bogus BS. If Kap was solely JH’ boy than the Org would have done two things over the last 10 months:
        1. Rid themselves of Kap during the offseason.
        2. Benched him two games ago.

        Both Tomsula and Baalke have given CK their endorsement (which I know is much to your chagrin). You are consistent in your heavy criticism of Kap which is to be applauded, but it doesn’t necessesarily mean that your critique is always correct.

        Sure, CK is not a finished product we all know that, but he does for the moment give us the best chance to win. And evidently the FO agrees with me and disagrees with you.
        It is what it is bud, not want you (and Grant) want. ;- /

          1. Why are you proud of the fact this messed up FO agrees with you?

            On that note — Have a great weekend!

            1. Fan,
              Don’t know where I said that I was proud. I said that it is what it is. I didn’t create the CK celebrity or controversy, the FO did.
              Don’t you agree?
              I too have had the ups and the downs with his inconsistent play. Right now I have no idea what to expect from him this Sunday and that in itself is not reassuring.

              I do know this, if CK has a bad day, you will burn this blog site with endless rants. And if Kap plays well, you will likely pass along a couple of “he played well” comments or “he did what he’s supposed to do.”
              You my friend are becoming too predictable – but in 49er country any type of consistency is probably a good thing these days.

              What’s your take on Michigan vs Michigan St. tomorrow? It’s going to be a huge game!

              1. Go blue! I should be a good physical game and I think the Wolverines wins it since they are at home.

              2. From you:

                Sure, CK is not a finished product we all know that, but he does for the moment give us the best chance to win. And evidently the FO agrees with me and disagrees with you.

                You made a point to say the FO agrees with you! You are practically bragging about it!

                Take that to the bank.

                When he sucked in AZ and GB, I didn’t burn up the blog. I let his play speak for himself.

                I’ve been consistently stating my issues with Kaep’s play, as far back as the 2013 season when he took over. I was the vocal minority.

                Eventually it is become more obvious that he has so many limitations to the rest of you. I gave Kaep a few props out of respect, but I also know he’s going to go back to sucking because he’s so dang inconsistent.

                The fact I don’t rub it more in your faces how right I was about him this whole time is a testament to my restraint and humility,

                Where’s my plate of fresh donuts for being right on Kaep?

                What will you all do when Kaep gets yanked in mid-season and Gabbert plays well?

                You all know that’s going to happen so you better prepare for that day!

                I like Michigan’s chances. They have a lot of momentum and Harbaugh is no joke. He’s a helluva coach.

              3. “You made a point to say the FO agrees with you! You are practically bragging about it!”
                ~ Fan77

                There’s no riddle in my comment Fan. The fact that CK has continued to start after his miserable outings proves that the FO still believes that Kap gives them the best chance to win.
                That’s not bragging on my part, that’s coming from Tomsula himself in one of his pressers a couple of weeks ago.

                I’ve got nothing to brag about in regards to my favorite team this season. This once powerful team of just a few years ago has fallen on bad times and it may take a few years and many changes from top to bottom to garner any modicum of respect.

                Changing of the QB as you profusely propose will not bring about a change on the win/loss column, especially making that change right away as has been your war-cry.
                I’ve asked this question of you dating all the way back to last season and I’ll try to ask it again: What is your plan for replacing CK?

              4. Well you have to realize that it’s more politics and results as to the reason they have to start Kaep this year. Next year it will be someone else unless he has some miraculous turnaround.

                My plan is to bring back Alex Smith!

                That was a joke.

                For this year, I would start Blaine Gabbert to see what he can do. It’s not fun to dump on Kaep but clearly this is who he is. A QB is suppose to make up for the deficiencies in other positions. As an example, the Ravens defense back when they were dominant, had too hight a payroll so you can’t keep all those players. But a great QB makes up for that.

                Kaep needs a great defense, o-line, and running game so he can excel with his unique abilities. I think if Kaep had progessed and evolved even little as a pocket passer, we would not be talking about this.

                So put Gabbert in. Start to develop a offense and scheme. Get Ellington and Patton in and run a spread. Get rid of the ball under three seconds.

                Put Kaep on the bunch or to run special plays, like Harbaugh did in 2011.

                Next year, draft a QB in the mid rounds. Use the early picks to beef up the best O-Line in the league. Use Gabbert as as stop-gap. Maybe he turns it around like Alex Smith. Rip on him all you want be at times he can play like an all-pro. He’s like Kaep though, he can also stink up the yard.

                We have a RB.

                Get rid of Baalke.

        1. Sure, CK is not a finished product we all know that, but he does for the moment give us 

          That is not a very comforting thought AES.

          1. Mid,
            What other option do you have at QB?
            There has to be a reason why Tomsula has not given Gabby a chance.

            Do you feel that Kap’ performance against the Giants gave us a chance for a win? I certainly do.

            With so many here clamoring for Gabbert to play, we need to ask ourselves how will Gabby do with such a porous O-line when given the fact that he was brought to virtually nothing behind the last team and O-line he played for.
            Gabby may have more pocket presence than Kap, but he definitely will take more hits and possibly more sacks because he is less inclined to leave the pocket.

            So back to my comment that for the moment Kap gives us the best chance to win. Didn’t say he will win, just that he gives us the best chance.

            1. I’m not so sure Kaep gives us the best chance to win. He’s so limiting now. You are either banking on Kaep’s athletic ability or Gabbert’s grasp of the offense.
              At first I thought Kaep played well, and then David Neumann broke down the all-22 and then — holy crap — he’s still making the same mistakes. This is not about winning, it’s about progression. I don’t mean Kaep going thru the reads, but actually evolving.
              Alot of people think if we let Kaep be Kaep, all would be fine. But the problem is when Kaep is being Kaep, the rest of the team suffers.

              Defenses are just too good. Here’s another example of from Matt Barrows: Kaep’s hesitation make a mediocre O-line worse.

              The only reason he’s still starting is politics and not ability.

              1. “If you look at the Giants, they don’t have a good defense. In fact they have the worse pass defense in the league.”
                ~ Fan77

                Fan, the Giants lost by 1 point in Dallas with Romo at the helm, and 4 points against a pretty good Falcons team as well.
                So like you so blatantly do with Kap, why don’t you blame those losses on Eli instead of targeting their defense?

                CK didn’t set the NFL schedule and has to play against teams whether they have good or bad defenses. Don’t know what you’re trying to prove by intimating that Kap did ok against a bad defense. He put up as many points as Tony Romo and more than Matty “ice” Ryan.
                The difference? Those teams had just enough defense to garner wins.

              2. “Well you have to realize that it’s more politics and results as to the reason they have to start Kaep this year.”
                ~ Fan77,

                Fan, you’re reaching at straws now bud. Politics? Really?
                What’s next the FO won’t change the QB situation because of religious reasons?

                I believe that its pretty cut and dry; if Kap has another game like he did against the Cards the FO will have no choice but to go with Gabbert.
                But if he has another game like he did against the Giants he will be the starter barring an injury.

                Btw, don’t know if you caught the Mich. vs Mich. St game, but I’ve seen that same exhausting and broken look on Harbaugh’ face one too many times on the last series of a game.
                Whew!

              3. On any other team,
                Kaep would be benched or replaced. How can you even run an offense so simplistic? You make it easy for the other team’s defense.

                Giants are not a good defense. They don’t have a pass rush or a good secondary,

                Same with the Ravens. Kaep may or may not have a good game today. Do you honestly have a vibe one way or the other?

                If it wasn’t for his salary and the need for fans to believe in something, then he would not be out there right now.

                You put Gabbert in and it’s over for the season from a marketing perspective.

                Kaep is hype. Hype draws interest.

              4. “If it wasn’t for his salary and the need for fans to believe in something, then he would not be out there right now.
                You put Gabbert in and it’s over for the season from a marketing perspective.
                Kaep is hype. Hype draws interest.”
                ~ Fan77

                1. The 49ers have a vested advantage when it comes to Kap’ contract. So you are wrong in that assessment.

                2. As a 49ers faithful, I don’t put my belief in one player – I want to believe that ownership down to the strength coach is doing what it takes to win.

                3. Mr. York is not going to suffer financially with CK on the bench. He will make money hand over foot because Levi’ is attracting such venues as major concerts, PAC 12 Championship game and a little event called the Superbowl.

                4. If you want a player because of hype, then sign Tim Tebow – or maybe the team should have brought Terrell Owens back a couple of years ago if as you say, the team needs “hype.”

                Not saying that there is not some modicum of truth in your take, just saying that it can easily be debated.

              5. Well at least we have a few things we do agree on. As much as I don’t think Kaep has it, I do still root for him to succeed, regardless of what some people may think. I rather eat crow and be wrong and the team wins.

                There are multiple issues on this team and as a whole this is probably the first time where I really am starting to lose interest in the team until a new regime takes over.

                I don’t believe in hype, I believe in results. This goes back to last year where it was unpopular to point out Kaep’s issues.

                Jed will suffer if Kaep’s on the bench. He still has a top selling jersey amongst kids if you believe that. Kaep still represents hope for a lot of people. Just look at the one semi-decent outing against the Giants, and we act like the worst is over.

              6. “I don’t believe in hype, I believe in results. This goes back to last year where it was unpopular to point out Kaep’s issues.”
                ~ Fan77

                Fan, I think that you could that for every 49er fan. We have seen what a real championship team looks like – there’s no one here that believes in hype unless they’ve become a fan in the past couple of years. Honestly, I don’t get that vibe from the posts that come across here.

                Our championships teams of the past had great players (some of whom are HOF’rs), great ownership (which will some day will be in the HOF), and great coaches (Bill Walsh – HOF).

                So, I don’t see where you think fans here are caught up in any kind of hype.
                I can’t speak for others here, but even the staunchest CK supporters have been critical of his flaws – the difference between them and you is that they use honest balances and don’t view Kap through scornful eyes like you do.

                When all is said and done, it seems like are the one that was caught up in the hype of one (CK) player, while many keen observers have been seeing the big picture when it comes to the teams ill’s.

            2. Do you feel that Kap’ performance against the Giants gave us a chance for a win?

              If he had been playing like he did in the second half during the entire game, then yes. But he had to get his confidence built up (against the worst pass defense in the league mind you) and left points on the field, so the answer is no.
              I think you also missed my point. I know that Kaepernick is our best option, but that is not a comforting thought at all right now.

              1. Mid,
                You are putting the entire (NYG) loss on CK’ back. The defense was the reason why we lost the game, period. And there’s a reason why Grant highlighted Bowman poor play in one of his topics this past week. Vereen owned the 49er defense and particularly NBow on that last series. But at least NBow made 16 tackles while our front D-line couldn’t generate a pass-rush (again).

                Kap did enough to win the game (imo). And although the Giants defense is suspect, they were coming off some emotional wins and playing at home which gave them an added advantage.
                Hyde was limited due to his foot injury, VD was out and VMac was well, VMac making two catches and dropping one.

                It’s quickly becoming the vogue thing to do these days by putting everything on CK and dismissing all other factors of the teams weakness.

                CK does give us the best chance at winning and we had a chance last week in NY. But as we saw, it takes a total team effort to win in the NFL. not just one player.

              2. Mid,
                You are putting the entire (NYG) loss on CK’ back.

                Actually I put it on the entire offense. Kaepernick played a part in that he had to have his confidence built up against the league’s worst pass defense and also missed good throwing opportunities, but at the end of the day it’s on the entire unit and the brain trust behind it for coming out in a conservative fashion at the beginning of a game against a team with a solid offense.

              3. Mid,
                Whether you build your confidence against the worst or the best defenses makes little difference in the grand scheme. The important thing is (as a QB) that you come out and hope that your O-line and offensive game plan allows you the time and opportunities to get into a rhythm.

                We don’t know how well Kap could have played in those one-sided losses had he had the time to develop some rhythm rather then having to run and dodge defenders.

                You say that Kap was able to play better in the second half of the NYG game which is true, but the O-line gave him better pass protection in the second half as well.

                I see your point Mid, but my point is that all aspects of the team (off, def, sp.tms, coaching) must be at the top of their game for this team to gel.

                We can’t afford the defense to give up 30 when the offense is putting up 27.
                And we can’t afford the offense to only kick field inside the redzone when the defense is holding up their end.

                Our best game thus far was the first game against the Vike’s when both off. and def. did well.
                I said at the beginning of the season that we won’t know what this team is until halfway through the season and I’m starting to see a pattern of things to come after 5 games:
                1. Inconsistency on offense
                2. Inconsistency on defense
                3. Inconsistency on game planning
                4. Inconsistency on Sp.Tms.
                So far it’s been the good (very little), bad, and the ugly. Unless there is a marked improvement soon, this team will likely have 4-5 more wins.
                Worse case scenario: 5 – 6 wins.
                Best case scenario: 7 – 8 wins.

              4. AES,
                If you look at the Giants, they don’t have a good defense. In fact they have the worse pass defense in the league. Their O-line is okay. Eli is the difference. He gets rid of the ball fast. He has two rings.
                He can also stink it up, much like last year when he threw 5 INTs. But they still almost won the game!

                it comes down to a few plays every game. If Brock catches the pick on the last drive, then the Niners win this game.

                While Kaep may not have played well in the first half, it’s how you close that matters.

                This is only one game. The coaches can figure out another scheme, and work on a few things on the defense.

                The Offense will always be inconsistent because the QB really isn’t that good. They care scaling everything so far back so he can be effective. That was last year’s offense, and now it’s this year.

                It is what it is….

  7. Colin should not be so defensive. He should have said that he appreciates Ault’s advice, and will take it into consideration. Kaep then should have said that he has been criticized for his throwing motion since High School, and he specifically went to Arizona to work on his passing this last off season, so his mechanics have been analyzed every which way.
    Kaep should have also said that he wished it was only a matter of mechanics, because that is easily correctable. He should have said that there are many factors to his decline in passing skills. From too predictable calls to turnstile linemen, to dropped passes and self inflicted wounds.
    Kaep should have said that maybe he is being over coached, and if he had to factor everything every coach wanted him to key on, he would be paralyzed with sensory over load. The offense has too many checks and wastes way too much time. Instead of reacting to the defense, they should just challenge the defense to try and stop them with too many options.
    Forcing Kaep to be only a pocket passer is like putting an Abrams tank in a pit. They need to roll him out more, and employ the read option quickly to keep them from substituting or catching them with 12 men on the field for a free play.
    Kaep should take Joe’s advice. He should play to his strengths and stop trying to be something he is not. He should draw the pistol and become a gunslinger.

    1. Sebayanah says “Kaep should take Joe’s advice. He should play to his strengths and stop trying to be something he is not. He should draw the pistol and become a gunslinger”

      In that scenario he will be out of the league in less than a year.

      1. Funny, I saw him when he played at Reno, and he was the first QB to throw for 10,000 and run for 3,000. Sounded like he could run and throw back then, but I think he has not been properly coached or utilized to maximize his potential.
        Forcing Kaep to be only a pocket passer is like putting an Abrams tank in a pit, and with an offensive line that collapses like a deck of cards, the pit was being filled in.
        How do the Niners counter teams that stack the box? Do not do what they did in the Arizona game. The bunch sets just played into their hands, and Iupati gave them so much intel, they were bragging that they knew where the throw would be, so they could jump the routes. The Niners should counter the stacked box by using 4 receivers to spread them out, then gash them up the middle because the Ravens lost their best defensive player in the middle.
        Kaep may not play for the Niners next year according to his many detractors, but I hope he plays QB for the Niners for many more years, because he gives the Niners their best chance to make it back to the SB. Every other QB except the top 10 QBs in the league, are inferior in skills to Kaep, and only a couple of those elite QBs could dream of running untouched for 90 yards like Kaep did. No other QB has ever run for more yards in a playoff game, so Kaep has skills that are unique.
        So any armchair GM may want to trade or cut Kaep, but every replacement proposed just makes me snort in derision. One genius wants to trade Kaep for Tebow. Draft a college Kid? LOLOLOLOL The history of first round flameouts just makes me question their football knowledge. The last messiah they wanted just threw 5 interceptions his last game.
        I want to see the Sundance Kaep. A gunslinger who is allowed to move. Coach Tomsula in his first PC stated that he wanted to get the player first, then devise a scheme to fit his strengths to accentuate the positives. Forcing Kaep to be only a pocket passer is hubris and counter productive.

    1. Not really. Not a very good article at all. Did Grant pay any attention to training camp? Everyone who paid attention remarked about how different Colin’s mechanics look. His release was quicker and his base was wider. Kap clearly spent some time this offseason working on his mechanics. If you read the whole interview, you would realize what Kap was implying. He was implying that mechanics vary. What works for some quarterbacks doesn’t work for others. I can name a number of pro quarterbacks who’s mechanics are not considered optimal, but who very effective and accurate. He specifically brought up Rivers to make the point that there is more than one way to throw a football accurately.

      Apparently Grant wasn’t paying attention to the entire interview……..YET AGAIN!

      Personally, I think Grant has a serious case of selective amnesia and attention deficit disorder, but I’ll admit, I just might be making unsubstantiated assumptions, just like Grant does.

      1. There is a reason Grant is a completely different writer when he writes for BR. On this blog, he can be an irresponsible blogger, making exaggerated points for the sake of being controversial in order to garner a response. He really doesn’t have to answer to anyone because a blog of this nature is considered op-ed journalism

        With BR, he has to stand behind what he writes and answer to their editors. I really feel like I get something out of Grant’s BR articles because they seem to have real substance. Here, I get very little out of Grants “opinions”, and am much more interested in interacting with the readers on the forum, than I am trying to gain insight from Grant.

  8. Kaep played a very good game in NY last game. If it wasn’t for our CRAP defense we would of won. The O line held up well and Kaep played a solid game. I could be wrong but I think Kaep plays well from here on out.

    1. He did play well against the Giants. But did you have a chance to read this article:

      http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/10/16/9541927/colin-kaepernick-continues-to-struggle-against-the-giants

      I think what Neumann is pointing to is that Kap has not made the progress in areas of need in order to succeed against top defenses (which the Giants are not). His lack of progress in progressions, pre and post snaps and anticipation will show up against top defenses like Arizona (already has), Seattle, St. Louis. I’m going to wait to see his performance in those games before I think he has turned it around.

      1. I did read the article and it has a fair look at things. Kaep is never going to be a pocket QB. Neither is R Wilson but he won a SB. The difference between those two I believe is a much better coaching staff that makes adjustments and plays to his strengths. Kaep has shown he can win in this league. Get the O line back to above average and you will see above average QB play. I don’t think we give up on him yet. At least not until we draft and develop one that is better. Not easy to find. Plus enough of this Gabbert crap.. It’s getting old. It seems like the ones asking for Gabbert are the ones who loved Alex. Alex is 1-4 with a much better coaching staff I might add.

        1. It seems like the ones asking for Gabbert are the ones who loved Alex.

          Excuse me?

        2. Ehhh emm!!! Never was a fan of Alex smith. That’s on record and pretty obvious. And I’m in the same boat with ck. Like I said with Alex smith. I’m spoiled and know what a great qb looks like and can do for a franchise. I am also a season ticket holder. The aren’t cheap!
          Ck will not be cheap next season watching his film is like watching that crazy guy in a mental institute beat his head on the wall over and over again. He is a waste he will never get it. So if he’s not the answer why not see if Gabbert improved? He was a high pick and obviously has ATLEAST the vision and qb iq of ck….. And that’s not good. So really how much worse could it get? I’ll bet a free game Gabbert would get the ball out quicker and help the o-line a lot more than ck has. That alone IMO is reason enough to give him a start or two. So can it with the smith lover talk. They both suck! And that’s an actuall fact!
          GABBERT GABBERT GABBERT!!!

  9. Grant,
    “The United States Olympic Committee Training Facility in Colorado” is a perfect suggestion. Just beautiful. At least, Kaepernick would learn what it means to really pay attention to his form.

  10. Yes! That’s what I don’t like about many professional athletes — they’re slobs

  11. You know when you see and hear an athlete speak and present himself in public and you just shake your head?You also know when you see the same athlete and his body language during games and during adverse times slouched, uninspiring and makes you scratch your head thinking hmmm?
    That’s #7. Nothing ever seemed to convince me about him as being a leader and student of the game.

  12. Grant, last week you said the small town kid from Turlock couldn’t stand the pressure. Let’s see, comeback wins against Carolina, Green Bay, and Atlanta in the playoffs seems to say otherwise. Then you comment he comes from “freakin Reno” but you do idolize his Coach there as a “know everything” expert. So, what is it? Why not just be done with it and say you hate Kap and spare us your poor journalism. Besides, you have reached the pinnacle of one of the “best 32 reporters of the world”? Right, you are working for the Press Democrat, right? Just like Kap, you have made it. To say you are one of 32 in the world that are the best at their job is a accomplishment. So congrats to you. It is a sad day when you let the “hate” take over your responsibilities in journalism. This will be the last time I ever read this newspaper as they have reached a new low in responsible journalism. I to hope Kap gets his jersey traded, after all he signed a team friendly contract to sign other teammates. Can you name me one this organization signed?

  13. How Kaep can improve.
    1. He should read IF, by Rudyard Kipling, and act accordingly.
    2. He should stop listening to Logan if he advises him to throw with 15 percent less force. Kaep should go back to his fastballs because they get there quicker and are harder to intercept. That safe play Logan pontificates about just resulted in 2 pick sixes.
    3. If he cannot become more up tempo, he has failed. If he hikes the ball with less than 10 seconds on the play clock more than twice a game, unless they have a big lead, he should let Gabbert play and sit down. Kaep can do a lot better. He already has a DOG penalty and is constantly letting the play clock run down to zero.
    4. Kaep needs to work on his deception. If he can fool the defense, there is a good chance that a player can run through a hole in the defense. He should practice pump fakes.
    5. He needs to be the field general, and dismiss the whole procedure for calling a play as too slow, obsolete and convoluted. Kaep should call all the plays in the huddle so the other team cannot steal the signals. It will speed up the game, and the coaches can have enough input with suggestions and analysis.
    6. Kaep should look at how the Raiders put a man in motion, and copy those plays because they are high completion percentage plays and are a perfect foil to a stacked box.
    7 Kaep should run the hurry up with quick snaps to keep the defense from substituting and possible catch them with 12 men on the field for a free play in which he heaves the ball down field for a possible explosion play.
    8. Kaep should stop wasting time outs. he needs to consider them precious, to be saved for the last 2 minutes of each half.
    9. With Hayne, Kaep should utilize his unique skillsets and do laterals. Shareece wright cannot give intel on them, so they could be a big surprise, and very effective. My only concern is if the coaches are smart enough to devise plays that have laterals.
    10 Kaep should practice turning his head to face one way while looking in another direction. He should do this to look off the safeties and avoid pick sixes.

    1. Congrats you just named off 10 things every great qb does and what every inspiring qb should do. Problem is, not everybody can master their craft. And it’s getting pretty obvious these traits aren’t going to happen anytime soon. And with a hefty salary cap hit looming it’s curtains for ck.
      When are 49er fans going to start realizing he’s just another running athlete that crumbles because the NFL has caught up to him.. His type has and never will make it in the NFL. He is a perfect specimen for the late Al Davis. And we all know how those “freaks of nature” worked out in the past.

      1. Yup, with a road playoff record of 4-2, making it to the SB after 10 games, and getting to within 5 yards of winning it, and one pass from repeating, Kaep has done absolutely nothing.

  14. Chryst should keep his comments to a minimum. I don’t know enough about offensive strategy to judge him, but his promotion to OC might be an example of the Peter principle, a concept of management theory.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle
    According to this concept, “the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. Thus, employees only stop being promoted once they can no longer perform effectively, and ‘managers rise to the level of their incompetence.'”
    What would be different about Chryst, though, is that he didn’t appear good in his prior role (the quarterback coach), so why should he have been promoted to the OC?
    Jed’s a turd.

    1. I’m just not sure how everyone seems to “know” CK would’ve been great under another QB coach. For all of JH’s flaws, one of his best skills seemed to be assessing coaches, right? Well, JH’s choice as QB coach was Chryst.

      Chryst was also going to ascend to OC if Roman took a HCing job.

      Unless JH isn’t as sharp as we thought, maybe Chryst is owed a chance.

      As much as I hate to admit it, it looks like CK may not have the skills to become more than he was in 2012-2013. How is that Chryst’s fault?

      1. Exgolfer, it’s not. I said above that I don’t know enough about offensive strategy to judge him. But it’s my understanding that while QB coach he was responsible for our red zone plays, and what’s obvious about our offense was and still is that they often become ineffective in the red zone. (They sometimes score TDs from there of course, but usually it’s a FG.) Also in his press conferences Chryst sometimes sounds juvenile to me. Certainly you are right, though, to question Kaep’s ability.

      2. Geep was an after thought, after at least 6 coaches turned down the OC job. His direction of the red zone offense was pitiful in 2014, so I had trepidation’s about the selection. I was more excited about Logan, but his coaching resulted in the Cards game. In it, Logan looked bludgeoned, like Singletary used to look on the side line.

  15. Grant,

    Who is the 49ers all time leader for consecutive games with a TD pass?

    1.Steve Young
    1a. Colin Kaepernick

    There’s no denying Kapernicks flaws, but he is a very capable NFL quarterback. He can play consistent football in 9-11 games this year and that would be good enough for a playoff spot. O ya Grant, Kaep dominates in the playoffs. He’s the he 2nd all time rushing leader at QB.

  16. Grant sez :

    Memo to Geep: Why don’t you pick up the phone and call him? ”

    Grant … I applaud you, here, sir ..!

    Ault shoulda been picked over DaGeep .. for OC !

    But … as we all know …

    The Jedster ain’t the shiniest tool in the toolbox !

  17. What’s funny is you guys really think as members of those coaching staff, they JT and Geep have no clue about Ault or Kap delivery lol you think they would elaborate on those items publicly? These pressers are no diff then these political debates, tell te people want they want to hear, smile, keep everything close to the vest

  18. This elbow thing has me perplexed. Almost all coaches starting from Little League are knowledgeable about baseball and seriously impart fundamentals of the game to the players. One of the concepts generally taught is throwing and elbow placement at the different positions. Everybody on the team drills at these positions and are taught the different arm angles to get the ball most effectively to where it needs to go. These basics were drilled into me year-after-year. I knew if I were catching I would need to bring the ball back to my ear like answering a hard wired phone. Playing the outfield allowed for a step/overhand throw. Throwing from different fielding positions was a check off in my mind- no problem I did it the way I was taught or I sat. Football is the same way. Yes, I know two different sports and people are trying to take your head off. QB7 will never improve if he is allowed to do it his way the guy’s mentally lazy of course aside from his Wonderlic (which most people score in the mid teens without much effort). QB7 is playing the organization and failing his craft. This is the sense I get from reading articles detailing the amount of work and the enabling all “his” coaches have done and are doing to get this guy to consistently mediocre. If this guy can’t or perhaps won’t square away his elbow to improve his performance for the team just what do we have here a coach killer? I don’t want QB7 in my foxhole.

  19. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports 49ers TE Vernon Davis is unlikely to be traded.
    Suffering through another down and injury-hampered season, it is unclear how much help Devis would actually offer a contender in need. Florio said interest in Davis could pick up if he proves healthy and effective before the trade deadline, but nothing over the last season suggests that will happen. Davis is questionable for Week 6 with a knee injury.

    1. Vernon Davis has proved brittle while his replacement has hands of stone. Bush is also a wasted roster spot which is not helping this team’s fortunes at the moment.

  20. From Barrows:

    “The 49ers primarily have used zone blocking when running the ball with only a smattering of the power-blocking concepts preferred by the previous coaching staff. However, they used more power blocking than usual in their most recent outing against the Giants, the 49ers’ most successful offensive performance of the season.

    In the previous four games, they power blocked on 13.5 percent of their runs, according to a tally by Pro Football Focus. Against the Giants, 10 of 24 designed running plays were power-based, 41.7 percent.”

    Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article39486030.html#storylink=cpy

    1. TomD

      October 17, 2015 at 8:27 am

      The sum of all minor details add up…Bill Walsh timed passes over twenty yards, had it down to a science, e.g., the distance the ball travelled with respect to every pass pattern and famously stated: “for each second the ball is in the air, the DB covers 10 yards…If the ball is in the air for 4 seconds, therefore, the DB can run 40 yards….So, if the throwing motion is off one inch on a twenty yard out pattern to the sideline, by the time the ball covers this distance, Walsh figured out it may be five yards over a receivers head, or on a slant, running full speed, the receiver has to break stride and reach behind him, risking a twisted knee, pulled muscle, or a knockout punch by the safety…This is why mechanics matter, and Baalke , and York will never hire a coach who understands this.

  21. Grant,

    There you go again.

    Wednesday, I asked Kaepernick about Ault’s comments.

    “It’s something that I constantly work on my mechanics and fundamentals to make sure I’m out there throwing the ball the best way I can,” Kaepernick said. “Ultimately, whether the receiver catches the ball and the ball is in the right position is the only thing that matters.”

    Translation: Mechanics do matter.

    Matt Barrows of the the Sacramento Bee followed up. “Do you sometimes have to drop your elbow and throw sidearm to adapt (to pressure)?”

    “Once again, mechanics are … I’m not huge on them,” Kaepernick said. Translation: Mechanics don’t matter.

    No, Grant, CK had JUST said mechanics were something he works on CONSTANTLY. He probably knows his mechanics are inconsistent. He’s struggling with bringing them to a point of consistency. More likely second transaltion: “Of a course, I think mechanics are important, I literally just said as much, but I’m really tired of talking about them,” rather than, “Mechanics aren’t important.”

    Also, when Roman went to talk to Ault, Chryst didn’t make the trip. Why do you think that might’ve been? My guess is because Harbaugh and staff weren’t looking at Ault as a resource for QB play, but rather for the zone read.

    1. I figured you’d point out the fact that Grant didn’t use the whole quote.

      “Once again, mechanics are…I’m not huge on them. You can look at Philip Rivers throw, you can look at Tom Brady throws – looks completely different. They’re both great quarterbacks.”

        1. If you’re gonna play the gotcha game, might as well do it right ;)

          To me it really changes the meaning behind the quote.

          1. Ex, you must be taking a page out of the Grant method of writing. Selective posting, and parsing prose.

            1. Seb,

              Grant was the one who left that part out of his article. I was responding directly to what Grant wrote. How was I guilty of selective posting or parsing prose?

              I would’ve had to gone back to see if that was CK’s complete quote. Of course, given Grant’s penchant for distorting the truth, I probably should’ve.

          2. Grimey,

            You’re right. He still wasn’t saying that mechanics aren’t important, but rather all QB’s looking the same isn’t important, that there is more than one way to throw the ball correctly. I don’t know if that’s really true, though.

            I would think that he would’ve been better off, if early in his days, someone had trained him to throw the ball more conventionally, but that ship has sailed.

  22. Great athlete, Colin Kaepernick, intelligent QB, Alex Smith. Neither guy as we have seen was going to be the guy to lead this team to greatness. So what is the plan ahead. Keep drafting and developing till you get it right. You cannot keep Kaepernick at that cap figure moving forward.
    Now a lot of people are saying this franchise cannot do it. I would say that’s half true. This team does have talent and good prospects. The problem is it should have a lot more talent and it should be coached by coaches who know what they are doing in terms of preparation. I don’t see Trent Baalke as good evaluator of talent and I don’t see this current staff as being able to match X’s and O’s with other good coaches in the league.
    New chapter in 49er history is needed.

    1. It starts with Jed. Things don’t usually end well for sports franchises who’s top dog is also the biggest reason for it’s failures.

      1. Of course Jed has had his hands in this debacle but overall, the players on the field are not good enough. That’s the bottom line. That’s on the guys drafting and coaching.
        Every owner has their own agenda and really they can hire and fire whoever they want. Jed is no different. I hold him only accountable to the guys he has running his show. And frankly, those guys are not very good at what they do.
        So whose to blame? I guess the organization for not being able to hire competent personnel. I thought Jed was going to be great owner but I’m second guessing that.

  23. I enjoyed the article Grant. It was well written and contained a thorough breakdown- way to keep him accountable. You may be exceeding the criteria for a PD blog with this work. Great read.

    1. Being a poster with higher standards than most, I will say that Grant, like the 49ers, could do much better. Attack articles and hit pieces tend to stir up the masses, but provides little insight or insider acumen. Grant, like his father, will stick to the formula to get attention, but risks marginalizing himself like Kawakami did with JH.
      If it were not for the other posters on this site like Scooter Rocket MD AES MW Brodie Razor and even Fan, I would move another site. Of course, I shall not exclude Ht the Zen master and worthy opponent.
      So in conclusion, I will apologize ahead of time if I offend you, please do not be such a suck up, Grants head is big enough as it is.

  24. you don’t work on mechanics while you’re still learning a new offense and learning to trust (blind/misplaced faith?) your offensive line.

    in retrospect it was a mistake for Kaepernick to work on throwing mechanics this offseason (and I say that as someone that was among the many who applauded his efforts at the time).

    best to work with what you have while you’re still learning. Brady, Rodgers etc.. who work on their mechanics in the offseason…they are masters of their offenses and usually have a feel and some experience working with their receivers and offensive lines. Focusing on your elbow position or footwork will screw up learning to command the offensive scheme and reading the defense which leads to confident and quick decisive decisions.

    btw. GRANT, YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT HE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD COVERAGE IN GIANTS GAME. Much of it was man coverage and Bowman was often flat footed. I wonder if any of that is tactical game coaching (as Bowman, Willhoite and Tartt all looked deficient in coverage) or if it’s all due to Bowman’s decline. Even if Bowman can’t cover like he once did, that just makes him a good linebacker and not an all world linebacker and certainly not at the end of his 49ers’ career.

  25. Matt Maiocco ‏@MaioccoCSN 5h5 hours ago
    There’ve been at least three signs shown on College GameDay from Ann Arbor that read, “Thank you, Jed York.”

    1. Harbaugh had to go I guess but to see that its pretty demoralizing. Now we are stuck with a joke GM and even bigger dummy in Tomsula! The most storied franchise is now the most embarrassing franchise in football. From contender to pretender because a couple guys could not work out their differences.

      1. Grant’s opinions are fine for him. What isn’t fine for Grant is his willingness to rearrange interview quotes and statistics in an effort to support his “agitate the forum for clicks” blog strategy. It’s a short sighted strategy for someone with Grant’s writing ability and background.

    1. +1 I wrote above “What’s his bigger weakness…?
      A) Mechanics
      B) Vision, Processing what he sees…”

      I chose B. Mechanics can be improved. What some call “slow eyes” and effective field of view not as much.

  26. Heavens to Betsy. That was a heck of a Michigan vs Michigan State ending.

    Maiocco: “Michigan took over with 1:47 left. MSU had one TO. All they had to do was run wide and take up :07 per play and never would’ve had to punt.”

    1. Final score Michigan field goals – Michigan State touchdowns. Sound familiar? How about Michigan State passer v. Michigan game manager? What Harbs gang couldn’t sit on a lead and close it out? I’m shocked.

      1. Did you watch the end of the game? Michigan had it in the bag but their punter fumbled the ball.

        1. I did watch it and Harbs again could not close the game out again. That’s why I said “Sound familiar”. My opinion is that he believes his own BS just a little too much.

          1. End of game management’s been a weakness going back to Nolan.
            (Under Erickson they were usually so far behind in the 4th, there was nothing to manage)

            I like Harbaugh as a coach, but he’s always been bad late in games. That was clear early in 2011.

            – 2011, game 2 vs Dallas. With a lead 4th qtr. Refused 15 yards and new set of downs in the red zone to keep 3 points. Heck, even if they went 3-and-out and missed the FG, the time chewed on the clock has the same strategic value as the 3 points. I was wondering of any other NFL HC would have refused a new set of downs.

            – 2011, game 4 vs Tampa. Huge 4th qtr lead. The game is won. Inserts Kaepernick. Has him throw deep sideline pass to Morgan. Morgan gets season ending junk time injury.

            – 2011 NFCCG. Williams fumbles a reverse, killing a promising drive. Later Williams turns over a punt. He left Williams in the game.

            Again, I like Harbs overall, but even the best coaches have weaknesses.

    2. B2W,
      100% agree. I was thinking the same thing after Harbaugh called the last time out.
      I thought that he was going to take a play from his brother (in the SB) and have the punter run around to kill time.

      Harbaugh looks to be snake-bit at the final moments in the biggest games he’s coached.
      Why try to win with style points by punting away when all you need to do is have your punter run out the time knowing Sparty had no timeouts left?

      1. If you want the punter to run around it would help if he caught the ball. Once he dropped it it would help if he fell on the ball instead of poking it in the air toward his own goal.

        On the other hand the punter is probably a 19 year old who has never carried more than a bag of groceries for his mom.

    3. … and not fumble. Then again, they could have played keep away for ten seconds too. Maybe the reverse of the Cal kick off play against Stanford. They never should have expected their punter to catch the ball and pooch a quick kick.

      That was so obvious I’m surprised that Maiocco wasn’t pointing out Jim Harbaugh’s mental weakness for the four years that he was the Stanford head coach or the four years that he was the 49er’s head coach.

  27. Coach Harbaw sees his world crash & burn
    on the last play of the game against interstate
    rival, Michigan State. Crash and burn. Yup.

    Just wait until you face Ohio State, friendo.

  28. That punt was so botched it looked intentional. I can understand him not catching the snap but why in God’s name does he spin around with the ball in one hand. It looked like he thought he was going to lateral it to someone. Why, why would the punter be looking for someone to lateral the ball to?

    I just can’t fathom that player making such a horrendous decision. The Browns will probably draft him.

    1. I did something that looked that bad and nothing was at stake. With teenagers stuff happens.

      1. I’m not sure you can make it any more simple for a kicker. You catch it and then you kick it, if you don’t catch it then you fall on it. That’s punting 101. I think most teenagers should be able to handle that.

          1. This is the first time I head a real look at Cook. Has a nice, feather touch on his long passes.

            1. What I like about Cook is that he stands in and goes through his progressions. A gamer with athleticism and smarts. He’s gonna be a really good NFL QB.

              1. I like the look of Cook – he’s got nice touch on his passes, good enough arm strength and good ball placement, and he navigates the pocket well and can be tough to bring down.

                However, from what I have seen of him it doesn’t look like the offense asks too much of him in terms of reading coverages post snap. While he has shown he can go through his progressions, it looks more like he makes most of his decisions pre-snap. He likes to go to his receivers that draw 1-on-1 matchups, and can sometimes stare them down.

                But that’s a knock you can make of most college QBs, so I don’t see that as a fatal flaw. At the moment he’s my #1 QB for the 2016 draft, but its still early days.

              2. He likes to go to his receivers that draw 1-on-1 matchups, and can sometimes stare them down.

                That is what the league is all about. Find the mismatch and take a shot, but make it an informed shot.
                Cook makes good decisions and looks to throw guys open. I notice that a lot about him. But hey, he’s still 2 years away, hopefully!

              3. Prime,
                I like Conner. I have him a hair better than Goff at the moment but with several games left these two will nudge each other to see who wins out at the finish line. Cook also had his WR (Brundage) making some pretty catches that weren’t necessarily on target. But he also had WR’s drop passes that should have been caught.

                I give Cook the nod over Goff on escapability when the pocket collapses, but other than that they are very close.
                I would be happy with either of these guys on the 49ers next year.

        1. This particular teenager apparently had a big roll in the field position game that his team played to wind up with a two point lead needing a punt or a fall down if they could stop a Hail Mary touchdown. The snap looked perfect. I hate rugby punting.

    2. What I saw on the replay is that he attempted to kick it after being spun around. He let go of the ball and is foot was coming up to kick it. It looked funny because it was a rugby style kick, I guess.

      Stupid play for American football; don’t know if it was a rugby game if that would be something they would try to do or not.

    1. I like Gunner Kiel too Coffee. Do you think if we draft him in the Second Rnd would it be a good pick or is that to high?

      1. If he does decide to come out this year, which is probably a mistake he’s UFA material at this point. He needs to play his senior year. If he stays in school and kills it his senior year he might have a chance at getting drafted in the 2nd through 5th round I would think.

        1. That makes sense. He looks promising. I like Goff A lot but don’t see us picking 1st overall. Would you take Cook in top 5? Or would you draft best available in Rnd 1 then take a Hackenberg, Kessler in rnd 2?

          1. The only way I’m going to be comfortable taking a QB in the first three rounds is if we spend a good chunk of change on a starting quality veteran that can come and start for a couple-three seasons. Someone to plod us through a few 8-8/10-6 type seasons while the rookie holds the clip board and the team rebuilds other prominent positions. Otherwise there’s going to be too much pressure to play the kid right away and he’ll be ruined on this team. Doesn’t mater which one we take, with the dearth of talent and the fact that he’ll be thrown into the buzz saw without any veteran leadership or tutelage they’ll all go down in flames.

            1. Someone to plod us through a few B10-5/11-5type season

              Fixed. Just good enough that people wont be calling for the rookie to come play but probably not good enough to ever get out of the first or second round of the play offs.

              1. If you get Goff or Cook, Gabbert is the guy. Hes cheap, the jester head coach likes him. So Gabbert starts if #7 wets the sheets tomorrow and SEA.
                Draft a top 5 QB and complete the rebuild.

              2. What’s Gabbert going to teach a rookie? It’s like how every time I bump into my old high school coach and he loves to tell me how he shows all of his players my film. Then follows that up with “as and example of what not to do.”

              3. Looking at prospective FA QB’s there doesn’t appear to be any great options. Fitzpatrick might be the best of the bunch. Hassleback would have been an OK choice if he wasn’t going to be 41 years old next year.

          2. I like C.Kessler in the 2nd.
            But it would be hard to pass on either Cook or Goff if we are in position to draft one of them.

  29. Last post before the game, I predict Niners 27-24, and if Hayne gets 10 touches, he will score.

    1. Since you are keeping count, here is another. At least I have the guts to make a prediction.
      Lets see. I was a missed 2 point play and a FG that hit the upright from being 1 point from predicting the score. That said, I was 6 points away from predicting the exact score with the correct winner. I am happy.

  30. Coach Jim Harbaw will remember his first season
    at Michigan for two things:
    the loss of the opener against Utah and
    the serving of crow which he ate yesterday in the
    last second loss to rival Michigan State. Oh my….

    At least he does not have to watch the Kaepernick
    meltdown from the Niner sideline, hmmm?

    1. At least he lost to a #4 and a #7 team with talent that his predecessor did nothing with. What a horrible fate. Now he also gets to end the season against Ohio State. I’m sure he will remember this year.

  31. the loss of a Super Bowl (to Seattle)
    on your last offensive play of the game.
    the midseason loss to bitter rival Michigan State
    again, on your last offensive play of the game.

    Coach Harbaw is feeling sick x2…
    he is defining his legacy, huh???

    1. Please let’s not forget his success at Stanford and resuscitating the 49ers. This is his first year with someone else’s players. I commend him for what he’s done at Michigan.

  32. For all the harbs butt lickers……it was great to see that blank look on his face while his team lost again in the final secs.it reminded me so much of all the last sec losses we endured here as niner fans.he still hasn’t fixed his game managment issues late in games.he was not the 2nd coming of walsh.

  33. Anyone who thought we were going to win a bunch of games this year was delusional.half the reason is cause of harbs he never played rookies and always was to stubborn to change his ways.secondly his team was loaded with talent when he arrived.last I check harbs was losing in the national spotlight. posted everywhere GMA going over it this morning priceless.poor Michigan fans, they proly feel like us niner fans for 4 consecutive years

  34. On PFT:

    “According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, multiple teams have inquired about Vernon Davis’ availability in a trade.
    Davis is in the final year of his contract and unlikely to be a part of San Francisco’s rebuilding movement. The Niners would only get a 2017 compensatory pick if Davis leaves in free agency, so there’s some incentive to move him before the November 3 trade deadline.”

  35. I think I will quote Grant partially and add a comment to those quotes:

    Grant Cohen: “mechanics need a trip to the garage”

    Now Grant Cohen is a master of the obvious — but we wonder why he would be issuing his truism on auto mechanics in a football column? Tune in at 5 pm when our TMZ investigative reporter will explore in an in-depth report what was Grant thinking.

  36. Whoever my opponent is in the Quest4Six fantasy football league this week is going to win by default this week. I’ve been trying to set my lineup since Wednesday, but for some reason I am not being allowed to. I can make changes to my team but no more. I don’t know what’s going on.

      1. If you’re referring to NFL.com as being the pilot, then yes I would agree.

        1. No I’m referring to the guy that seems to have a problem logging into things, like when you said you couldn’t log into the Pick’em game last week to make your Thursday night pick. Sounds like the same problem on a different website, not sure the problem lies with the computer ;). Pilot error.

        2. Ok, now I really don’t know what is going on. It would not allow me to submit my lineup yet my lineup is playing?!

          1. It kept telling me to submit my lineup, never acknowledged my attempts to do so, and now my team is playing as if nothing was wrong to begin with. -_-

            1. MidWest ..

              Have you tried the old
              clearing cookies, resetting the browser, and rebooting trick ?

              (It might help)

              1. Did that. Also tried a different device and a friend’s computer.

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