2009 49ers Training Camp: Day 1 Recap and Photos
by David Fucillo on Aug 2, 2009 8:00 AM PDT
in Training Camp
Email
PrintThe 49ers only have an afternoon practice session today so we won't have an open thread until later. In the meantime, we can certainly take a look at yesterday and start thinking down the road. While it was only one day of practice, there is plenty we can start to gleen from it (and overreact to as well).
As you can see we've got the first of what should be many photographs from practice. If you scroll your mouse over the picture you can check out a gallery of photos from the morning practice yesterday. For those who can't quite place the quotation below the picture, I watched the first Ace Ventura movie yesterday. Couldn't help but post the picture with that quotation. During the draft, one of the tidbits that was always mentioned was Nate Davis's habit of gripping the ball off the laces. Apparently he was making some laser throws yesterday, so I guess it's not the worst thing in the world. For the folks who know anything about the mechanics involved in throwing a football with and without the laces, would you mind commenting?
As for practice itself, Davis did get some playing time, but it wasn't much. He threw the first interception of practice, but otherwise he passes looked solid in terms of getting to the receivers. There wasn't any mention of Huard. The results of Shaun Hill vs. Alex Smith: Day 1, were intriguing. Hill took the first team snaps in both practices. With only one practice today, I don't know if it'll matter who is taking the first practices. Tomorrow they go back to 2-a-days, so we'll see who lines up at QB1. One of the more intriguing comments came from Matt Maiocco's facebook page (all references at the bottom), in which he said:
My quickie, 49ers thoughts from Day 1: Alex Smith and Shaun Hill already look better than at any point during '08 camp in Martz's offense.
I realize it's a single statement from a single report, but I still consider that quite a statement. I wouldn't really call it surprising. J.T. O'Sullivan was ready for that offense from day 1, while Smith and Hill were playing serious catch-up. So, is it really all that big a statement in the end? Who knows.
In the end, as some of the links this morning show, it was all in all a solid start to camp for both quarterbacks. The team may still be missing a potential important cog to the offense, but the folks that are in camp are their to take care of business. It may get a little cliched, but Coach Singletary is looking for guys willing to go the extra mile and make the sacrifices to become great. In a little over a month we'll start to find out how far they've come, or not come as the case may be.
After the jump, a quick look at injury issues heading into Day 2.
Injuries
Parys Haralson - Hip Flexor
Tarell Brown - Left Toe Sprain
One quick note: Marvel Smith started with the second team offense in the AM practice and sat out the PM practice. That was just the proverbial veteran consideration. It doesn't like there were any injury reasons, aside from keeping him fresh.
Sources
Maiocco Facebook
Maiocco Twitter
Maiocco Blog
Barrows Twitter
Barrows Blog
26 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
unorthodox
dude actually throws with the laces out, what a…nevermind. The laces are there for a reason. It’s probably a simple answer, but I imagine in times of lousy weather, say a monsoon or something, that the laces would provide more friction than wet pigskin/leather itself. If this kid wants to start for the Niners he’d better learn about the concept of laces, monsoon or no monsoon.
I do remember Steve talking one time about how he would place his index finger on the tip of the ball as he threw. So maybe the laces aren’t as crucial as I think; it’s just so unorthodox that it frightens me a little.
I wonder if there has ever been a successful qb that threw w/o the laces?
and up rode a camargue horse named Victory, upon the magnificent beast sat a triumphant rider, that rider's name: Noodle Arm.
My understanding of the laces is that
when you release the ball , if your fingers on on the laces the ball will have more “spin” on it as it leaves your hand thereby providing more a “rifle” effect giving the ball more velocity and improving. .
velocity
According to the stories from yesterday, velocity is not a problem for Davis. Apparently he threw one so hard to Micheal Spurlock, that Spurlock didn’t even have his hands up in time to catch it.
by David Fucillo on Aug 2, 2009 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn't think that would be a problem
if has made it this far in his career,
by WC-Ninerhead on Aug 2, 2009 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions
I've got it...
…he suffers from dyslacia.
and up rode a camargue horse named Victory, upon the magnificent beast sat a triumphant rider, that rider's name: Noodle Arm.
too many QB's..............
have learned to throw the ball in the conventional manner of gripping the laces. JTO and David Carr are the first two I thought of, and they both made it a habit of throwing to the wrong team. If Davis learns to hit a wideout in stride, I don’t care if he grips the tips of the ball.
by remembertheCATCH on Aug 2, 2009 11:30 AM PDT reply actions
I may be wrong
but I seem to recall that Kordell Stewart threw “laces out”. Not sure that’s a recommendation,.though.
(BTW, first time commenting but I’ll be around during the season)
"I know a place where life is a game, and Baseball's really real"
I thought the laces
were there to tie the pigskin together ;)
that's a very common misconception
and up rode a camargue horse named Victory, upon the magnificent beast sat a triumphant rider, that rider's name: Noodle Arm.
Laces vs No Laces
I’m one of those that believe Nate Davis somewhere in his football career at the HS/College level he at least tried to throw the ball with the laces.(This should be obvious)
From what I’ve read his fingers are too big, so it’s uncomfortable when he holds the ball with the laces. If he isn’t comfortable holding the ball that way he isn’t going to be as accurate throwing the ball, because he isn’t as confident throwing the ball. Ball sercurity though is an issue if you hold the ball without the laces, since you have less grip on the ball.
So now we have a QB whose hands are too small and another whose fingers are too big.
Why can’t we just get a QB with normal-sized hands?!
And honestly, I'm down like the economy
Clearly, Shaun Hill is the bowl of porridge that’s just right.
GROUGTHINK ALERT
by groug on Aug 2, 2009 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
In the NFL normal is not about the size of the hand, rather it is about the size of the heart.
In the NFL we do not measure the size of ones hand but rather the size of their heart.!
No, I'm pretty sure the NFL measured players' hands and not their hearts.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Aug 3, 2009 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions
If the hands thing is true
If the guy has giant hands it won’t matter how he holds the football. His fingers will cover enough of the surface area of the ball that his grip will be strong whether he holds the laces or not
What happened to Huard?
If Nate Davis is so good I expect an exit for the vet.
by Bob In Beaverton on Aug 2, 2009 4:25 PM PDT reply actions
Huard
Huard was getting what I think equates to 3rd string snaps and Davis was getting 4th string snaps. I think with Davis, he’s had some zip on the ball, but I wouldn’t describe it yet as “so good.” We’ll see in the coming days.
by David Fucillo on Aug 2, 2009 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Throwing without the laces.
If your hands are big enough, and its not raining, it should actually make your more accurate. Throwing without the laces would provide a more consistent grip on the fly. That is, you would not have to put your fingers on your preferred laces. Accuracy does not seem to be Davis’ dilemma. The questions for him are clearly his ability to move effectively in the pocket, to recognize schemes and coverage, and play at NFL speed.
MICHAEL VICK
I may be in the minority here. WE need to cut Huard, put Davis on PS and sign Vick. I believed that if we were to sign Vick it would make us a 10 win team easily. It makes sense…
"Niners Are Back!!!"
by mississippininer on Aug 2, 2009 6:25 PM PDT reply actions
why does it make sense?
Aside from his scrambling abilities (which could be seriously diminished after serving time), what about him would make us a 10-win team? He did have a strong arm but his accuracy was atrocious. His career high completion percentage 56.4%. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I’d like to know what about him makes you think he would be good for this team.
by David Fucillo on Aug 2, 2009 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not a mind-reader
But I think he’s referring to the popular thought of utilising Vick not as a starting QB, but the “Wildcat QB”. Basically, design him packages so that he gets five to ten snaps a game. Assuming Vick still has the scrambling ability he had when we last saw him play, it theoretically should be a natural fit: he can complete short passes and he can obviously scramble for big gains, etc. Obviously, if a straight RB like Ronnie Brown can run it well, who knows how well an actual QB like Vick could accomplish.
The only problem I personally have with this thinking is that this is the NFL, not college ball. NFL defenses catch up to these things a lot more quickly. Hell, other than the first Dolphins-Pats game last year, when Sporano caught the Pats completely off guard, it never really was a game-changer (although that didn’t stop every single other team, Pats included, from attempting to running it).
And honestly, I'm down like the economy
VICK
Fooch, I know that his completion rates were low, but him as a threat made the running game even better. Let’s be honest…is Smith an accurate passer? what about Hill? So we are not losing in accuracy but we will gain in his ability to make linebackers hold their ground. Coach Johnson helped him get 100 qb rating a couple of games so the potential is there. he makes a good running game great…and a great running game usually translate into a great defense.
"Niners Are Back!!!"
by mississippininer on Aug 2, 2009 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Too soon?
Well since he reads backwards maybe he throws backwards?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
