Jim Harbaugh just dropped a bombshell in his 15-minute conference call with Bay Area writers. He had every opportunity to say that Alex Smith is his starting quarterback, hands down. He never took that opportunity. Instead he created a controversy all on his own.
Here are two startling quotes about his quarterbacks. I wrote them as fast and accurately as I could with the phone on my ear.
- “We’re evaluating daily and really it’s a mindset of letting the guys compete for it.”
- “So far, it hasn’t had a chance to be clear-cut yet.” (He was talking about who is the winner in the QB competition.)
Coaches usually stay away from stuff like this. Harbaugh isn’t just any coach. He’s gift-wrapped and hand-delivered a quarterback controversy to the 49er Faithful and the media after just one exhibition game.
The 49ers p.r. department will e-mail out an audio file of the conference call shortly, and I will upload it to this blog, as well as transcribe it here for you.
Please don’t be sore at me, I didn’t create this quarterback controversy. Harbaugh said what he said, and he usually has good reason to choose the words he chooses. Maybe he’s trying to bring both quarterbacks up to speed through competition. I still expect Smith to be the starter opening day.
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh – August 13, 2011 – Conference Call
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