Observations from Camp III
More observations from training camp. This time Day 5. Again thanks Vin.
- Alex Smith displays great footwork and the team is looking to capatalize. He threw several passes well on the run down and looked the most fluid of all the QBs during the roll out passes.
- Alex Smith also put a juke on a pass rusher and cut up the middle. Nice move, even though he'd have been clobbered by a mean LB if it were a real game.
- Cody Pickett hasn't gotten many reps like Smith, Rattay, and Dorsey have. Today was no different, although he throws some good looking balls.
- Speaking of Ken Dorsey, today proved that footwork isn't his specialty. When he rolled out, he looked like a big clown or lug just turning around.
- Tim Rattay had lesser reps today versus Smith than I can remember in previous practices. Has Smith already locked down that #1 position? Full Story...
- Eric Johnson caught the highlight pass of the day. A nice, one handed grab in the end zone. Johnson looks really strong and ready to play a role in the offense. And judging by the lack of production by the other WRs, it looks like we'll be throwing Eric Johnson's way a lot.
- That d-line looks better and better everytime I see them. The duo if Douglas and Bryant Young at the ends and Anthony Adams, Issac Sopoaga, and Ronald Fields in the middle is starting to look rock solid. Those are some monsters up front. The back ups, Chris Cooper and Tony Brown, don't look too shabby either.
- Ahmed Plummer played some nice coverage today, swatting down a would be reception from Brandon Lloyd.
- Derrick Johnson and Daven Holly also look good out there. But they don't look like they'll play nickle DB once Shawntae Spencer gets back. Rayshaun Reed has outplayed them.
- Everyday, Rumph looks closer and closer to a FS.
- Today's practice ended with Dorsey in shotgun, moving up when he takes the snap (which could be illegal) and then having the direct snap go to Frank Gore, who confused the D and took it up the middle for a TD. If the play is legal (depending on Dorsey's manuevering) it could fool some defenses sporadically.
- That play drew cheers from the offense. It was the few signs of cheers. That offense is looking like a real work in progress. There's just not much to work with at WR.
- Joe Nedney is bigger than our WRs. And he was hitting field goals consistently between 40-50 yards with a pretty good wind today.
- PJ Fleck was holder on some of those field goal snaps.
- This was probably the least energetic and lethargic practice I've seen yet. Maybe the team worked extra hard in the morning, because everyone seemed a bit less motivated or enthusiastic during drills. This was especially evident with the offense, where Rattay underthrew some passes, Smith overthrew a few, and Dorsey floated some in there.
- Maybe the reason for the lack of intensity had to do with the fact that the players had the night off immediately following practice. At least, that's what PJ Fleck said.
- It wasn't just the players that seemed less enthusiastic, it was also the playcalling. There was not a single deep ball thrown all practice. Just a ton of dinks and dunks and short 2-3 yard passes (many which the D sniffed out). Maybe the team has gone back to the basics to get some play out of the WRs, who seemed more comfortable with those than the deeper passes they were dropping all weekend long.
- Willie Middlebrooks looks okay at corner, but if one of our DBs goes down I'm concerned about depth there. Between Holly, Johnson, and Reed we have some guys but I don't know if any will make a splash.
- The team spent a lot of today practicing red zone offense at about the 10 yard line. It made me wish we had signed David Boston even more.
- PJ Fleck still hasn't dropped a pass all camp long, even though today's routes were easier.
- Rashaun Woods was not practicing, either was Shawntae Spencer.
- I saw the LBs speaking and talking to Mike Singletary after practice. Good to see him be a mentor and coach to those guys. It can only make them better.
- After every practice, Smith, Pickett, and Rattay run wind sprints together.
-Arnaz Battle had a nice one handed catch in the back of the end zone today. Good to see him catch on.
-Terry Jackson showed good explosion, going right through a hole. Now if only Barlow did that....
- Overall, this practice was probably the least energetic and slower of all that I have attended. The offense looks like it has a ton of work ahead of it while the D has certainly had its way with our O. We just need more firepower at WR. The way things look now, our offense will feature a lot of passes in the flat, and a ton of running. We have some big bodied FBs and TEs who we can work into some running formations.
Who's Hot:
PJ Fleck --- Catches everything his way, does everything he's asked to do (including holding for field goals). Somehow, some way, he looks like a contributor on this team.
Frank Gore --- Every practice he shows his quickness and explosion. He's going to be a good compliment to Barlow.
Joe Nedney --- Most confident kicker I've seen in San Fran in a while. He has a very strong long as well.
Alex Smith --- Showing some footwork and ability to get outside when plays break down. That'll come in handy given the unproven receiving core we have.
Eric Johnson --- Most confident offensive player we have.
D-Line --- Huge guys. Finally.
Who's Not:
Rashaun Woods --- Not even on my top 6 WR list and every practice he misses is another inch closer to being cut.
The WR corps as a whole --- This is going to be a mish-mash unit if Arnaz Battle doesn't become the player we hope he can.
Andrew Williams --- Just doesn't look fluid enough to be a LB in that 3-4. Could be an okay backup.
Offensive Plays --- Nothing past 10 yards today. I hope there was a reason for this. I haven't seen too many deep plays to begin with, but this was just depressing. If we called these sets of plays that we ran today, we'd have been in 4th and 4 a series of times.
- Alex Smith displays great footwork and the team is looking to capatalize. He threw several passes well on the run down and looked the most fluid of all the QBs during the roll out passes.
- Alex Smith also put a juke on a pass rusher and cut up the middle. Nice move, even though he'd have been clobbered by a mean LB if it were a real game.
- Cody Pickett hasn't gotten many reps like Smith, Rattay, and Dorsey have. Today was no different, although he throws some good looking balls.
- Speaking of Ken Dorsey, today proved that footwork isn't his specialty. When he rolled out, he looked like a big clown or lug just turning around.
- Tim Rattay had lesser reps today versus Smith than I can remember in previous practices. Has Smith already locked down that #1 position? Full Story...
- Eric Johnson caught the highlight pass of the day. A nice, one handed grab in the end zone. Johnson looks really strong and ready to play a role in the offense. And judging by the lack of production by the other WRs, it looks like we'll be throwing Eric Johnson's way a lot.
- That d-line looks better and better everytime I see them. The duo if Douglas and Bryant Young at the ends and Anthony Adams, Issac Sopoaga, and Ronald Fields in the middle is starting to look rock solid. Those are some monsters up front. The back ups, Chris Cooper and Tony Brown, don't look too shabby either.
- Ahmed Plummer played some nice coverage today, swatting down a would be reception from Brandon Lloyd.
- Derrick Johnson and Daven Holly also look good out there. But they don't look like they'll play nickle DB once Shawntae Spencer gets back. Rayshaun Reed has outplayed them.
- Everyday, Rumph looks closer and closer to a FS.
- Today's practice ended with Dorsey in shotgun, moving up when he takes the snap (which could be illegal) and then having the direct snap go to Frank Gore, who confused the D and took it up the middle for a TD. If the play is legal (depending on Dorsey's manuevering) it could fool some defenses sporadically.
- That play drew cheers from the offense. It was the few signs of cheers. That offense is looking like a real work in progress. There's just not much to work with at WR.
- Joe Nedney is bigger than our WRs. And he was hitting field goals consistently between 40-50 yards with a pretty good wind today.
- PJ Fleck was holder on some of those field goal snaps.
- This was probably the least energetic and lethargic practice I've seen yet. Maybe the team worked extra hard in the morning, because everyone seemed a bit less motivated or enthusiastic during drills. This was especially evident with the offense, where Rattay underthrew some passes, Smith overthrew a few, and Dorsey floated some in there.
- Maybe the reason for the lack of intensity had to do with the fact that the players had the night off immediately following practice. At least, that's what PJ Fleck said.
- It wasn't just the players that seemed less enthusiastic, it was also the playcalling. There was not a single deep ball thrown all practice. Just a ton of dinks and dunks and short 2-3 yard passes (many which the D sniffed out). Maybe the team has gone back to the basics to get some play out of the WRs, who seemed more comfortable with those than the deeper passes they were dropping all weekend long.
- Willie Middlebrooks looks okay at corner, but if one of our DBs goes down I'm concerned about depth there. Between Holly, Johnson, and Reed we have some guys but I don't know if any will make a splash.
- The team spent a lot of today practicing red zone offense at about the 10 yard line. It made me wish we had signed David Boston even more.
- PJ Fleck still hasn't dropped a pass all camp long, even though today's routes were easier.
- Rashaun Woods was not practicing, either was Shawntae Spencer.
- I saw the LBs speaking and talking to Mike Singletary after practice. Good to see him be a mentor and coach to those guys. It can only make them better.
- After every practice, Smith, Pickett, and Rattay run wind sprints together.
-Arnaz Battle had a nice one handed catch in the back of the end zone today. Good to see him catch on.
-Terry Jackson showed good explosion, going right through a hole. Now if only Barlow did that....
- Overall, this practice was probably the least energetic and slower of all that I have attended. The offense looks like it has a ton of work ahead of it while the D has certainly had its way with our O. We just need more firepower at WR. The way things look now, our offense will feature a lot of passes in the flat, and a ton of running. We have some big bodied FBs and TEs who we can work into some running formations.
Who's Hot:
PJ Fleck --- Catches everything his way, does everything he's asked to do (including holding for field goals). Somehow, some way, he looks like a contributor on this team.
Frank Gore --- Every practice he shows his quickness and explosion. He's going to be a good compliment to Barlow.
Joe Nedney --- Most confident kicker I've seen in San Fran in a while. He has a very strong long as well.
Alex Smith --- Showing some footwork and ability to get outside when plays break down. That'll come in handy given the unproven receiving core we have.
Eric Johnson --- Most confident offensive player we have.
D-Line --- Huge guys. Finally.
Who's Not:
Rashaun Woods --- Not even on my top 6 WR list and every practice he misses is another inch closer to being cut.
The WR corps as a whole --- This is going to be a mish-mash unit if Arnaz Battle doesn't become the player we hope he can.
Andrew Williams --- Just doesn't look fluid enough to be a LB in that 3-4. Could be an okay backup.
Offensive Plays --- Nothing past 10 yards today. I hope there was a reason for this. I haven't seen too many deep plays to begin with, but this was just depressing. If we called these sets of plays that we ran today, we'd have been in 4th and 4 a series of times.
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