Open practice, a few observations

Submitted by yossarians tree on

I saw a couple hours of the practice today. I ain't no ball coach but I think I can make a few solid observations...

QB: Speight seemed to be the first up with the ones. Did not see him do anything spectacular or bad. O'Korn was usually next up. He showed some flashes, especially with his feet. Dude can run. He threw one or two really nice deep balls, including about a 55 yarder to Grant Perry for a touchdown. He looks pretty dynamic. Morris did not show much. Malzone looked a little overwhelmed, but granted Morris and Malzone both were with the second unit. Peters is unbelievably smooth considering he should be in geometry class. He got a lot of work.

RB: Smith did not do much but look like an adonis. Almost seemed like he was just being kept cool. Clear from all the body language that he is number one. Kareem Walker got a lot of work and did not seem out of place. He hits the hole at full speed. Ty Isaac stood out. Big, fluid athlete who broke a few runs. Looks like he might be rising to his expectations...keep an eye on him. Drake Johnson looked really good when he got the ball. RB will be a strength with depth.

TE: Holy shit what a corps of players developing here. Jake Butt looks like an NFL player who stayed for another year, which is what he is. TJ Wheatley looks like a beast! Had the play of the day where he corralled a 30 yard ball over the middle with one hand AROUND THE BACK OF A DEFENDER and took it to the house. At that size, with that talent, in this offense...he is a star in the making. All the TEs looked great, Jocz, Bunting, even the frosh McKeon. Not too mention Gentry...holy shit if he gets it all together in a year or so he is going to be a matchup nightmare. 

OL: Not a keen enough eye to say much except that they held their own against what is going to be one of the best defenses in the country this year.

DL: Again, can't discern much, but did notice that Chase Winovich was with the ones a lot on end and he was disruptive. Very quick. 

LB: Gedeon, McCray, Peppers with the ones. Bush looked very active a completely up to the task physically. Furbush looks pretty fast and dynamic.

DB: Only things that popped to this amateur was Stribling looks like he's ready to move to the next level. Lots of Kineel and little Delano Hill though wonder if that was an injury thing. Kineel did have a nice pick six (think that was him).

PK: Kenny Allen looks to have by far the best leg, then David.

Other notes: Pretty sure a half-deaf boundary corner could hear Doc Brown in a washing machine factory on a Wednesday. You could send our OL and DL on a death-trip to sea for three months and both would survive but the world would die.

Was looking for...Moe Ways, Kingston Davis, Freddy Canteen (already discussed).

It was cool. Never saw a pro or college team practice. Oh, and man you could see how taxing a 4 hour practice was on the players, even just a couple hours in. These guys are workin'!

 

 

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RobM_24

March 27th, 2016 at 12:53 AM ^

You completely lost me with this paragraph ... "Pretty sure a half-deaf boundary corner could hear Doc Brown in a washing machine factory on a Wednesday. You could send our OL and DL on a death-trip to sea for three months and both would survive but the world would die."

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King Douche Ornery

March 27th, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^

"See Alabama..."

Yup, there is ONE FUCKING TESM out there--that has been able to do it year to year even when breaking in new quarterbacks.

So, that means IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!!!

The Message Board Guy loves his One Shining Example.

And--since you bring up Alabama--well--it's ALABAMA. Not Michigan. Not anyone else.

Best Coach. Best Players. The QB in Alabama is usually a guy who's been in the system, and IS good, anyway, and is surrounded by NFL talent.

 

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gopoohgo

March 27th, 2016 at 1:18 AM ^

I forsee absolute chaos for opposing defenses with our TE corps.

God forbid if our O-line demonstrates improvement, and Smith stays healthy/Drake Johnson is finally healed from the ACL/Ty Isaac lives up to his potential.

Opposing safeties heads will asplode.

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ThadMattasagoblin

March 27th, 2016 at 1:23 AM ^

Also keep in mind that the DL doesnt have Gary and Glasgow yet. A little bit concerned about qb unless Speight has improved a ton. Good thing we have Harbaugh coaching that position.

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Perkis-Size Me

March 27th, 2016 at 8:41 AM ^

Harbaugh turned Rudock into a gunslinger by season's end. And that was when Rudock only had a few months to prepare and pick up the playbook.

There might be some bumps to start off with while the field gets settled, but QB might be the position on this team that I'm least worried about. At least from a long term perspective. With the stupid amount of talent we have coming into the position over the next few years, and the best damn QB coach on the planet watching over them, we're in good hands on that position.



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San Diego Mick

March 27th, 2016 at 2:54 AM ^

Nice rundown, exactly the type of stuff I was eager to read, the QB position sure sounds like it's gonna be an interesting battle.

No matter who starts at QB the one thing we know for sure is that all of them will be improved no matter where they are on the depth chart because well.......Harbaugh!

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CoverZero

March 27th, 2016 at 4:15 AM ^

Thanks for the report!  Peters will continue to work in...especially if none of the other QBs step up and separates himself.  Harbaugh wants his guy in there and if none of the others shine, Peters will continue to get reps, with some eventually coming in games this season leading up to the starting job.  Harbaugh did this before with Kaeppernick (sp) and Smith in SF...replacing the steady Smith with more upside in Kapp.

Harbaugh certainly kept his promise to Bo that he would have a TE and a FB.

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Wolfman

March 27th, 2016 at 7:30 AM ^

Good run down. As to the qb, I don't see Peters as a viable candidate right now. All of the qbs made a lot of good throws today and it will be one of the three that have been around for awhile. If you recall last season, JH named Morris no. 1 after the spring game than Jake showed up and it changed immediately.

Reading various articles after the practice, Jim seems very composed when  speaking about the group - not worried - but, and I'm sure they have been hearing this daily, "All the QBs are making one big mistake a day." To me, and we all interpret things differently, he is saying, "Whichever of you three shows me you are going to treat that football with the respect it deserves and realize if we get to the level where the worst thing we do offensively is punt, I can live with that and when one of you shows me that, you will be no. 1. We just cannot afford to  give anything away."

He acknowledged they were all working hard and he stated that the results of the hard work is evident, so obviously he is not overly concerned, and if there is one position Harbaugh can absolutely get the most out of, based on the talent on hand, it's the qb. I think when Jake showed up last season, with O'Korn not even a consideration, the experience factor was so evident, as would be expected, there really was no battle. Although we would all like to have the answer now, I know if he knows he is not naming him for a reason and if that reason is to ensure that all three continue to work as they have been, then regardless of the starter the position, depth, confidence, each learning as much as they can in regard to all the receivers, developing chemistry, possibly building a comfort level with a given receiver, et. al., the position as a whole will be much, much stronger. 

As he said, "This team is better that last season's. Whether that translates into more wins will be decided on Saturdays." Kalis stated all three were extremely close, all showing leadership in the huddle, taking command, right on through snap counts, etc. All are performing with confidence, no matter who calls the plays the entire unit acts the same and expects the same, regardless. In his opinion, too close to call. That, in spite of one not just leaping to the front as the clear numero uno, is pretty damn good news to me.

And like last season, if they are that close come opening game, he will go with experience. If he feels like one is not going "to make that one big mistake a day," he will be the man. As we learned last season, he wants the one he feels will make the least amount of mistakes, knowing the more chances they get the two of them will figure it out.

The entire team though, with nothing changing physically but one year's experience and the additions of new teammates, seems to just exude a level of confidence most commonly found in teams that have been together for years. The coaching staff absolutely  believes they have a damn good team and the team knows it but, more importantly, they realize the reason for the drastic improvement and neither is close to being satisfied.

We have the best TE in the conference talking about Gentry and Wheatley like, "If  you think this is good, wait for these two freaks." I have been around some great coaches and have seen what they can do. I don't think too many of us have been around this level of greatness. No matter how much guessing we fans do, there is an understanding between that coach and those players. The goal is clear and the path is understood.  The team improved dramatically the day he walked out onto the field and players and staff understood immediately, we will be better today than yesterday. Hell, high school players are visiting our practices, almost all of them talking about wanting to see Coach Harbaugh in action. As strange as we might find some of the things he does, I have found it better to wait a day or two instead of immeditely casting judgement. He does nothing without a purpose, and the purpose is always the same.

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M Dude in Portlandia

March 27th, 2016 at 10:07 AM ^

I had more than one upvote to give.

I don't know a whole lot about football coaches - I mean not like an insider.

But I have felt the hand of destiny on JH for a very long time.

And I have wished that the stars would align and bring him here for a very long time.

Now that it's happened I am just amazed every single day the level of greatness and destiny in that role as the Meecheegan football coach that he brings and shares with us and teaches us what greatness is about.

My no.3 son broke the news to me that JH was coming last year and I refused to believe it - I was stuck in a corner refusing to get involved with any sports whatsoever for fear that it would disrupt my life as it has in the past.

But I listened to him with even more interest than when he told me about this great new guy - Jabrill Peppers - hey I foresaw the greatness of Harbaugh - Pep was just a pleasant surprise.

I have taken to documenting the reign of Harbaugh with all the meticulousness I possess - for my younger male relatives and those females which have sense to pay attention to such things (none of them seem too interested so far) but one day when their kids can only hear about the dark days before JH and can't imagine Meecheegan not dominating all foes including their so-called rivals - my documentation will be there - to (hopefully) show them how these things are done.

The last time I got involved in such a historic project was when I told everyone who would listen what that crazy rookie, Isiah Thomas, would do for the Pistons.

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Eastside Maize

March 27th, 2016 at 7:29 AM ^

but now we have 3 or 4 TEs who can make something happen after the catch. I'm just happy that our OL is holding its own against the DL. Whoever the QB is, he will have playmakers all over the field.

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M Dude in Portlandia

March 27th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

Thank you!

I'm disappointed to hear that Newsome needs work on pass pro - tough position to be lagging on there. I loved seeing him on the field last year, he just looks like a natural LT to me.

I'm not sure if you get this often - but my browser (Firefox) consistently misses large groups of words on your blog because the picture and column boundaries overlap. :(

But man, that is great detail you provide us - like I really can't get anywhere else.

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