The quarterback deficiencies of Colin Rand Kaepernick

This is my Sunday column. As Jed York and Trent Baalke search for someone who can make Colin Kaepernick a competent pocket passer, keep in mind that Jim Harbaugh, the Quarterback Whisperer, couldn’t do it; George Whitfield, the Quarterback Guru, couldn’t do it; and Bill Walsh, The Genius, almost certainly wouldn’t care to try. Of course, I can’t prove that last part — Walsh passed away in 2007 — but…

January 3, 2015
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Left out: Southpaw quarterbacks nearly extinct

This is my December feature. Provo, Utah. Fall of 1980. BYU offensive coordinator Doug Scovil calls 18-year-old Steve Young into his office and breaks the bad news. “You’re not going to play quarterback here,” Scovil explains to the future Hall of Fame quarterback. “I don’t coach lefties. It ain’t happening.” Scovil suggests Young play safety instead. Scovil believes Eric Krzmarzick, a right-hander, is BYU’s quarterback of the future. Scovil becomes…

December 25, 2014
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For Kaepernick and Wilson, two paths to the spotlight

This is my Thursday column. Jim Harbaugh isn’t helping Colin Kaepernick. All this talk of greatness is a burden. Here’s what Harbaugh said at Sunday’s postgame press conference: “(Kaepernick) is a great player. I don’t know how everybody else doesn’t see it that way. Great with a capital ‘G.’ At the highest level of great.” Never mind that Kaepernick’s passer rating ranks 17th in the NFL. Never mind that he…

November 26, 2014
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Jim Harbaugh on Steve Young and Jerry Rice: “Keep the flack on the outside.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Just got the word, of course, that RB Marcus Lattimore has told the team he plans to retire. What are your thoughts on his decision and how much did he seek council from you during that time? “We discussed it last week, over the weekend, et cetera. Respect his decision. I…

November 5, 2014
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49ers CEO’s comments hurting his own cause

This is my Wednesday column on Jed York. On second thought, Jed, don’t talk. Go ride a bike. Gardening is fine. There are so many things you can do. But, please, no more talking publicly. You’re making things worse with this Ray McDonald mess by making it all about you. You probably didn’t want to talk about the issue in the first place. I acknowledge that. You stayed silent for…

September 10, 2014
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Marc Trestman compares Steve Young and Colin Kaepernick

Marc Trestman was interviewed on a conference call Wednesday morning. Here’s a transcript. Q: How have you gone about pushing your team to turn the page from last week and move on? TRESTMAN: I think that our guys know, this is the NFL. We had a tough loss. We put it behind us the last couple days. We certainly have a very important game on Sunday Night and we’re focused…

September 10, 2014
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Watch Steve Young explain why the 49ers should not have played Ray McDonald

Here’s what Steve Young said Monday about the way the 49ers have handled Ray McDonald. If you can’t view the video, here’s a transcript. YOUNG: “Fundamentally, if the league is going to have a no-tolerance policy for domestic abuse, if we’re going to be a global organization that’s going to have this as a perspective, we’ve got to back it up. We can’t be backed into it with a video…

September 8, 2014
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Kap’s off in the pocket

This is my Thursday column on Colin Kaepernick. Late last season, Joe Montana told USA Today that Colin Kaepernick needed to improve as a pocket passer. Kaepernick disagreed. “I think pocket passing is something that is overlooked as far as what I do,” Kaepernick told a local radio station. Suggesting Montana, the greatest quarterback ever, is not a discerning quarterback analyst. “I think people see me run around, see me…

May 1, 2014
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49ers need Kap insurance

This is my column for Wednesday. The 49ers need a new quarterback. This is not to say the 49ers should give up on Colin Kaepernick — with the right coaching he may still have a future. But they shouldn’t go all in with him, either. The 49ers should hedge their bets, draft a quarterback who could back up Kaepernick as a rookie and could eventually take over as the starter…

January 22, 2014
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Wilson’s progress at QB puts him way ahead of Kaepernick

Here is my Wednesday column explaining why Russell Wilson is better than Colin Kaepernick. SANTA CLARA – You have to admit, Russell Wilson looked like a miniature combination of Joe Montana and Steve Young Monday night against the Saints – Montana’s cool demeanor and precision from the pocket, Young’s explosive ability to make plays on the run. Wilson has been that Montana-Young combo most of this season, his second in…

December 4, 2013
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Time to mobilize the QB

Here is my Thursday column explaining how to improve the 49ers pass game. SANTA CLARA – What would you say Eric Mangini does for the 49ers? They hired him in the offseason to be an offensive consultant, but the offense keeps getting worse. I asked Jim Harbaugh what the Mangenius does and Harbaugh said, “Several things,” and listed none of them. So I assume Mangini does nothing. Jim, you need…

November 14, 2013
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Choice between two richly talented quarterbacks more a matter of taste than stats

Here is my Tuesday column comparing and contrasting Colin Kaepernick and Andrew Luck. Who is a better quarterback right now, Colin Kaepernick or Andrew Luck? Simple question. I could give you a simple answer. I have a gut feeling it’s Luck and I could validate it but that is not the responsible answer. Reality is not simple. Let’s not deal in simplicity. Let’s deal in reality, which is complicated and…

October 22, 2013
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Coach or QB? You make the call

Here is my Thursday column on play calling in the NFL. It won’t happen, but I wish it would: NFL coaches should throw away the headsets and let quarterbacks call their own plays. Football has become more like a chess match or a military campaign than a sport. Coaches orchestrate the entire game from the sideline or the coaches’ booth like generals at the U.S. Central Command, or like teenagers…

July 18, 2013
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Who should be on the 49ers’ Mt. Rushmore?

This is my Friday column on the 49ers’ Mt. Rushmore. Let’s play the Mt. Rushmore Game for the 49ers. Who are the four greatest figures in 49ers history? I’m talking players, coaches or owners. You pick. Who would you carve onto the 49ers’ own Mt. Rushmore? We can agree on three people right off the bat – Jerry Rice, Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. Those are gimmes. “Each of them…

June 28, 2013
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What is the greatest play in NFL history?

At NFL.com, you can vote in a March-Madness-style elimination tournament to determine the greatest play in the history of the NFL. To check it out, click here. The tournament is down the round of 16, and two 49ers plays are still alive – “The Catch,” and Steve Young’s 49-yard game-winning touchdown run against the Vikings. In your opinion, what is the greatest play in the NFL history, and why?

March 28, 2013
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Should the 49ers sign QB Pat White?

The 49ers reportedly have interest in free agent quarterback Pat White, according to USA Today. Do you think the Niners should sign him? White (6-0, 205 pounds) is 27 years old and has not played football in two years. The Dolphins drafted him with the 44th pick of the 2009 draft and they cut him a little more than a year later. He ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the…

March 25, 2013
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Odds are against 49ers winning Super Bowl. Should they worry?

On Thursday, Steve Young said the 49ers may have missed their best opportunity to win a Super Bowl with Colin Kaepernick. Young believes NFL defenses will adjust to the Pistol formation and the read-option plays which Kaepernick executes so well. Is there anything to Young’s comments? NFL defenses may or may not adjust to the Pistol – we’ll find out next season – but history seems to support Young in…

February 9, 2013
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Young: “You could make a case that this was the season that the 49ers, with Colin Kaepernick, needed to win the Super Bowl.”

Steve Young spoke on KNBR Thursday afternoon. This is what he said. Q: Let’s start off with the first half. What did you see that had the 49ers behind for a second straight week? YOUNG: It was little stuff. It was things that you hadn’t seen before. You got the feeling like, not only the penalties, but the miscues and even the plays getting in. We’ve talked about this for…

February 7, 2013
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Young says the Ravens must try to hit and rattle Kaepernick

Steve Young spoke on KNBR Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said about the matchup between the 49ers’ offense and the Ravens’ defense. Q: What do you think the Ravens will try to do against Kaepernick? YOUNG: I interviewed Colin last week and I said, Colin, have you been hit hard? And he said no. Has anything gone wrong? He said, well, I had that one pitch in St. Louis, but…

January 31, 2013
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Steve Young on Flacco: “Joe is Eli Manning. It’s a compliment, but it’s a back-handed compliment.”

Steve Young spoke on KNBR Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said about Joe Flacco. Q: What do you think of Joe Flacco? YOUNG: Joe is Eli Manning to me. It’s a compliment, but it’s a back-handed compliment. There is no question that Joe can get hot like last week and the week before. Eli would get hot in the worst scenarios – 10 below at Lambeau – and it’s like,…

January 31, 2013
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