. . . for the most part. The 49ers started camp yesterday, and most of the gang came to the festivities. VD showed up, as everyone knows. Boone didn’t, as everybody knows. The good news is this latest break in football activities didn’t result in anyone hitting the police blotter or TMZ. Kappy is thrilled about the new-look offense and his newly inked WRs that he has to throw to. The coaches are thrilled about Carlos Hyde and his emergence as the backup to ageless Frank Gore. Justin Smith is feeling better than he has in a couple years after undergoing shoulder surgery this offseason. An injury that he played through all last year. And, of course, VD showed up and silenced the folks (me) calling for his head on a plate, with a side of Rhino.
How this all shakes out is a mystery, what with a newly re-tooled defensive backfield, a missing RG, and a crowded offensive backfield. That being said, one has to feel good about the fact that Colin Kaepernick has a lot more options to throw to, and a coaching staff that, as of now, seems to wants to give more power to our young QB. And a staff that seems willing to pry open the passing section of the playbook. Boone should show up at some point. And if he’s learned anything, he should heed Joe Staley. Show up, do your job, plant some seeds about your discontentment. But SHOW UP. The team has said over and over they will not negotiate with absentee players. Boone, for his part, changed agencies, and went with Schwartz & Feinsod. They of course are famous for having Darelle Revis among their clients, and their insistence of taking a hard line (advising clients to hold out rather than negotiate) instead of working things through more amicably.
Sorry, Rhino. You are a nice guy, and a great story overcoming your problems, but adios. Guards aren’t that hard to find, or replace. The Niners have enough in camp right now to absorb your loss. And if you want to miss the Super Bowl ring that you just might get, well, tough shit dot com.
Forty Niners Forever 
And, in the No Shit, Sherlock category of sports, the Cleveland Browns are ‘stunned and shocked’ by Johnny Eightball’s antics this preseason.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/report–browns-stunned-by-johnny-manziel-s–non-stop-antics–193415719.html
Did they collectively all just fall off the turnip truck? I mean, really. He’s been doing this shit all through college.
Hey, he could come in and win the starting job and win some games, or sit on the bench and party a la Hot Tub Matt Leinart. Point being, he’s acting like an idiot and not taking his shot seriously. At least it appears that way.
The closest parallel I can come up with is Nate Davis. Although there were no expectations around him like they are around Johnny Speedball.
BLEEP 2
Hunter screwed up his knee in camp today. Non-contact drill. Looks like LMJ may get some time after all.
BLEEP 3!
Woof4!
Sharknado 2! Premieres next Wednesday on Syfy at 9 PM/8 Central. There’s must see B-movie films such as “Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959) and “Robot Monster” (1953) that have become near and dear to our hearts. Then there’s this atrocity of a schlock starring Tara Reid that the producers had the unmitigated gall and audacity to turn into a sequel.
Even worse? I’ve got my DVR locked and loaded.
Torn ACL for Kendall Hunter. You know what that means — more carries for Frank.
Might as well go piss in Spit’s Cheerios and make his morning complete.
BLEEP 4!
Or just the opportunity Hyde needed.
Hyde and Lattimore….. and James. F Frank.
I hope Hyde can grasp the blocking schemes. We’re going to need him.
One guy that could benefit here, as a dark horse, is Jewel Hampton.
If Lattimore can’t regain his confidence in the surgically repaired knee, Carlos certainly occupies the 2-spot, with #3 being there for the taking.
I give the size and style advantage to Hampton, short of knowing what else he has to offer, having very little to see thus far as a Pro.
Going strictly on College stats, he’s a North/South between the Tackles runner like Frank.
Again, it’s all going to come down to Pass Pro, for any of these RB hopefuls to steal time from Frank this year.
Tough break for Kendall certainly, in a Contract year to boot.
Read an interesting comment from Roman regarding the Screen Game, (or lack thereof).
Suggesting an inability to block at the Second level.
Speaks directly to the interior of the OL wouldn’t it?
Could Boone, being a converted OT and, an older Center like Goodwin, be assumed to be guys he might be indirectly pointing a finger at?
Things that make you go, Hmmmmmm?
Jewel Hampton? Sweet Moses…. smell the roses.
I told you reprobates the 49ers should draft two running backs. Did I not? Am I lying?
I hope Trey Millard beats out the average one…. Bruce Miller. If I was a linebacker and Bruce Miller came at me, I’d knock that red headed hillbilly’s dick in the dirt.
I can’t stand our backfield unless Hyde and Trey Millard start kickin’ some ass back there. Our backfield sucks!!!!!!!!!!!
He’s been on the roster for awhile now Spit.
Not sure where he’s at in terms of development/readiness but, his game is very similar to Frank’s.
Simply comparing him to LMJ in terms of size/style.
I’ts certainly Carlos’ spot to lose I’d think.
All about the Pass Pro.
LMJ for me was always about getting him involved in the Screen game, moreso than an in between the Tackles-type of threat.
Losing Kendall simply opens the door for the next guy to take advantage of it.
We’ll see who that someone will be soon enough.
Goodwin certainly was a weak link. You’d think they’d try screens once in a while, though. . . I mean shit, they run block to the 2nd level pretty well.
I don;t know what to believe. Smith used to skip screens off Gore’s hands for picks a lot. I think they’re more gunshy than anything. Esp with perception that Kappy has no touch.
The Niners can’t run screens because of Gore. The guy’s slower than molasses in January up in the arctic circle where snow cap are melting faster than Bud is consumed at Dennis’ house after a 49er loss that happened because Gore is too slow.
There’s also the touch aspect of Kaep’s game too Chuck.
He’s a fire-baller, ala Favre.
It takes time to perfect every aspect of the QB position for sure.
Obviously we all hope for that learning curve to improve for Kaep ASAP.
Gotta be optimistic about the passing game for now too.
Crabtree in a Contract year, Boldin with a Season in the system, Stevie and, hopefully an improved VMcD.
Hey NJ49er, it would seem the three inside o-linemen are the main second-level screen blockers. I don’t know that any of them are great at moving targets. But it could be the blocking TEs, too. And to restate a previous complaint, I don’t think the wideouts are doing their job of selling a deep pass either. I can almost hear the MLB or safety yell screen-screen-screen when he sees the X and Z loafing up to the line.
Too much timing involved taking too much practice time which is already cut down to nothing. And a busted screen can easily go for six the other way. Considering all the things that must get ten or fifteen minutes of practice time every day it’s not hard to see why they’re not anxious to commit enough to one play although I agree it would be a nice addition to see one or two called in a game.
It’s an OL designed for the power running game certainly NoFear49er.
I see the remark Roman made as being focused on the Interior guys as well.
Staley and Davis are pretty mobile for OTs too IMO.
Always considered Davis a downfield battler, much like a Guard.
Good point about the practice limitations too.
Because we focus are game on the running portion, guys like Celek and VMcD likely get more time blocking than anything else.
Each year is a new challenge.
Hopefully VMcD and Patton take another step toward better production.
Agree too, the Screen game is a finesse thing.
RBs and QB need that work as much as WRs and QB do on other route options.
We’ll see where the ‘new’ Roman options take them this time around.
Ah……….Horse BLEEP!
This entire SCREEN debate is really, really moronic. And it comes from the top…. er…. the middle…..er, Greg Roman and Jim Harbaugh. In his recent press conference Roman said “We work screens and we always have them in our back pocket.” No you don’t. Don’t lie to us, Greg. You don’t work screens. You don’t spend time evolving screens. You want to work screens, do it in games – evaluate and improve. I can’t remember the last screen the 49ers ran. Roman couldn’t find his screen play ass in the dark with both hands. Know why? I bet it’s because as a player Harbaugh never ran screens. Forget all this bullshit about Kaep not having the touch, or our line not being athletic enough. All of that is complete horse shit. The reason the 49ers under Roman and Harbaugh don’t run screens is because Jim Harbaugh’s head coaches in Bo Schembechler, Mike Dikta, Ted Marchibroda and several others were all old school guys who were ground and pound. Harbaugh played for a few teams, and I don’t pretend to know all the coaches he played under, but it’s no wonder Harbaugh follows the old school approach.
Sure, Harbaugh has incorporated things on occasion outside the ground and pound mantra he lives by. We’ve seen the fly sweep, the pistol and other offenses incorporated into ground and pound. Harbaugh can adapt. There’s no question. But why adapt to the screen play now? We all know defenses are getting better at reading screens and defending against them. Screens become a consistent part of an offense (like the Saints and Eagles), with other plays setting them up. Harbaugh and Roman have other options.
The reason this keeps coming back up is because nobody really, in their heart of hearts, believes the reasons that the 49ers offer for not running screens. Kaep has no touch? Bullshit. Remember the touch pass to Gore along the sidelines against the Giants in the playoffs? (I think it was the Giants). Our O line isn’t athletic enough in space? Bullshit again. Remember Staley on the Alex Smith end around against the Saints? GRow asks our O line to pull and trap all the time. But they can’t block for a screen play. Total horseshit.
Maybe GRow and Harbaugh don’t want to squash the debate because they want defenses to have to account for the screen. But if that’s the case, why not run one on occasion?
Me personally? I think Greg Roman is going to be lost trying to create a new passing offense. The 49ers have more than enough tools. There are no excuses for this team not being the best offense in the NFL in 2014.
And to advance my point in my first paragraph…. Did Harbaugh run screens at Stanford? I don’t think he did. He had the team to do it there. Are you going to tell me Andrew Luck didn’t have the touch, or that the Stanford line wasn’t athletic enough? Maybe they weren’t smart enough….
That was a wheel route, but yeah, I’m debating NoFear in Skeeberland about the very limiting offense we use. Especailly the passing game. No deep routes, no screens, no slants. We don’t dictate anything on offense rather than the run game.
I get sick watching the boring-ass red zone offense. Continually settling for FGs.
Oh, and LMJ dislocated his elbow today. He’s out for a month.
The 49ers should have drafted two running backs. I only like three guys in our backfield: Hyde, Hunter and Millard.
The Niners don’t use screens because we don’t run deep enough routes with the WRs. Everyone’s up close anyway, so they can’t clear out room to roam.
I’d imagine that has something ro do with slants. with all the up close traffic, there’s no lane to throw through.
BS…. I’ve been to plenty of games where the 49ers were threatening or challenging the secondary with deeper routes. Your “clear out” argument is wrong.
The correct answer is that Roman doesn’t know how to design them, and he doesn’t know when to call them. That’s play calling 101. Pass the ball three consecutive times successfully with mid to deep level passes, then on the 4th play, when the D linemen are frustrated, let the D linemen get by and dump it over their heads. You have to have a feel for it. Roman is a college run game coordinator.
That’s not my point. You’re a habitual point-misser. The point is that Roman is offering bullshit reasons to protect that the 49er coaching staff doesn’t know the subtitles of the screen game. And furthermore, if they wanted to know those screen game subtitles they could, but they don’t want to learn them because defenses are getting better equipped to stop screens. And how many screen teams have won the Super Bowl? The Saints were the last, I believe.
If the 49ers want to open up their offense, they need to use their speed skill position players on occasion and sit Q and Frank while they run spread formations. They also need to go “up-tempo,” and they need to sit Frank Gore 80% of the time. If you give Frank the rock a lot it destroys the potential for the in-game development of Kaep and his wide receivers. Kaep needs to learn to work with Vance, Patton, Ellington and Johnson. Another way you could open up the offense is with the use of some trick plays. The 49ers have tried a few with a lot of success (except when Frank Gore tried to throw the football, which was ugly). The 49ers need another guy who can throw the football. It’s not Vernon. It might be Q. I think, if I’m not mistaken, James rolled right last year looking to throw but tucked it away. I’m betting Ellington, being a former basketball player, could throw a football. Remember the old Tom Brady handoff and throw it back to Brady in the endzone trick that worked two or three times in a short span? The 49ers need to try one of those this year with Kaep streaking down the sidelines.
1.) Spread with quick guys
2.) Less Frank
3.) Give Kaep time in-game to develop repertoire with Ellington, Patton and Vance McDonald.
4.) More deep balls
5.) More trickeration
6.) Quit giving us bs reasons for why we don’t run screen plays. We can clearly run them if we decided it was a priority.
Your point is bullshit. Defenses regularly play up close on the line because we rarely run fly routes. How many bombs did Ginn catch in 3 years? None.
Why throw a screen when there are 10 guys within 8 yards of the LOS?
The only time they crowd us (with Kaep) is when most of our offensive weapons are injured (Carolina game). When we have the full stable, defenses play back.
That’s the issue with the Offense in SF.
Comparing it to NOLA or even the Montana years is apples to oranges.
We’re run heavy, they’re pass happy.
We need to find a balance.
Going back the Norv/Aikman days in Dallas would be something I could see us succeeding with.
When everyone was looking for Emmitt, Aikman would play-fake and kill you downfield.
I’ve been debating this with Berger on Skeebs’ site.
Can’t all be on play calling all the time.
I think there’s a certain degree of QB experience hampering what we can and can’t do Offensively.
Year 3 for Kaep needs to take a drastic step toward plays that include better vision and timing in order to get this Offense less predictable.
There is a lot of touch and timing associated with the Screen game too.
Would certainly like to see it utilized and featured more in game situations too.
I agree to an extent NJ, clearly they limit what Kap is allowed to do for whatever reasons they see in practice. However, to limit a guy like Kap to a single read, which they certainly have done many times is crazy IMO. Micro management to the max. Even Alex Smith complained about being held in check with this conservative scheme.
The pre-season noise is yet again about the new and improved offense, I will believe it when I see it.
Same here 12th.
I get the notion that Kaep is a Pistol-product with speed to burn.
He’s taken over games with his legs certainly.
Be nice to have them respect his speed but, I’d like to see him work a Defense with his arm too.
I guess I’m seeking something more in line with the WCO timing stuff.
I know all the facets discussed here about the limitations of the OC and Harbaugh but….we win more often than we lose, which isn’t hard to take.
Be nice to see a few wrinkles which aren’t so mundane or, easy to derail.
A nice rhythm passing game couldn’t hurt, could it?
Run when you’re ahead.
Put some points up, grind them down afterwards.
Where you been BTW?
Long time no see.
just busy with life. Like mosy I am happy to see the team knocking on the door 3 years in a row but ultimately that’s just not good enough so something has to improve.
most
Yeh life has a tendency to do that quite a bit.
Hopefully Crabtree in a Contract year, along with the addition of Stevie, can provide the impetus for Harbaugh/Roman to get something more creative going for Kaep this year.
We need it.
The problem I have is the formations dictate what we do a lot of the time. We aren’t very deceptive.
Well, that deep RB corps is now down 3 guys in the space of a week.
Try out Chuck.