How about Chad Pennington as the transition QB

The Niners aren’t going to spend money on a player that will come in for one game, go down with yet another injury, and then retire. At least hopefully they would be that dumb to make that gamble.

Any such plan?

He seems to be injured a lot.

…and his f***ing right arm might fall off.

A little WCO 101…

WCO’s are designed to stress the defense by stretching the field both VERTICALLY and HORIZONTALLY. This initially developed by utilizing the FB, HB & TE as pass catchers, not just blockers.

WCO principles still apply but are used in MANY different ways. Formationally, different personel groupings, etc. Single Back offenses for example can be WCO (UNR before the Pistol is a great example, Joe Tiller at Wyoming and Purdue, many others). No matter the scheme, stretching the field VERTICALLY and HORIZONTALLY is what opens up the short passing game and enables the YAC, etc.

And for those lucky enough to have either played in such offenses or to have watched the 49ers since 1979 (when I was 9), yes it’s an offense predicated on the short, “rythmic” passing game. But those teams all drive the ball down the field vertically as well.

Montana to Solomon, to Clark, to Rice, to Taylor. Deep Posts, Go Routes, Deep Corners, Sluggos. Seems routes down the pipe to Charlie Young, to R.Francis, J.Frank. Wheel routes to R.Craig. Young to Rice, to Taylor, to Owens, Brent Jones. Garcia to Owens & Stokes, to Streets & E.Johnson.

Make no mistake, pushing the ball down the field vertically is a VITAL component of any successful WCO. The short pass sets up the run in addition to setting up big plays down the field. Stanford in the Orange Bowl for example, they stretched the field both horizontally and VERTICALLY (Vertical – 2O yd. skinny post TD on a frozen-rope from Luck to Whalen (it was Whalen, right?); Horizontal – scramble and an out or a corner route + YAC for a TD to Fleener; Vertical – play-pass & a ball driven down the middle of the field to Fleener for yet another long TD pass).

Eh. He wouldn’t be my first choice. But he has a great reputation as a teacher and has been talked about as a guy who could coach quarterbacks immediately after retiring, so I wouldn’t be bothered having him on the roster to help mentor a younger guy. As long as those other two available QB slots are used to good effect, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have Pennington on the team.

Picking a QB in the first round is too risky.

All picks in the NFL Draft have an element of risk, but the QB position is especially true. Teams can’t evaluate how a QB will react to the faster pace of the game.

The NFL is a great college quarterback’s graveyard. Draft DB/OL and pick a QB in round 3+. Then let him hold a clipboard for a couple years while he learns.

Build the TEAM, and the QB position is less crucial.

Strengths:
1. Mallet brings confidence and a fiery passion for the game, this is something our signal callers have been lacking for quite sometime.

2. Mallet has the height and all the attributes of an NFL QB. You cannot teach his arm nor his size.

3. May i re-emphasize this mans’ arm, it is simply a cannon! He provides a knowledge of how to use his arm when necessary, a common mistake made by real gunslingers and QB’s with rocket arms. He provides touch, loft, speed, and pinpoint accuracy when necessary.

Weaknesses:

1. He lacks the ability to respond correctly to pocket pressure from up the middle. He gets flat-footed and his accuracy tends to lack when overly adequate pressure is provided from this area, and the pocket collapses.

This weakness reared its ugly head during their bowl game, and times throughout the season. With his big arm, he can sometimes make up for his inaccuracy, during these situations, but good NFL DC’s will gameplan around this weakness and expose it.

2. The previously mentioned weakness IS TEACHABLE, but cannot be emphasized enough, how this could be a big weakness if not fixed. (See Jay Cutler). Footwork for a QB is quite a major knock, but if he maintains the proper attitude and carries a coachability demeanor, this weakness could/can be fixed.

Overall, he holds great mechanics, but needs work with footwork. He holds all the characteristics of an NFL QB – size, arm strength, accuracy, and he correctly goes through his reads.

Will he need some work? Of course, most College QB’s do, with very few exceptions.

Can he step up next year and be the adequate QB we need? Most definately.

All in all, Mallet will take a little time to work on his pocket pressence flaws, but thats why we hired a quality head-coach which has extensively and exclusively worked with QB’s, in his past, and with good success.

As previously stated, if his fiery passion for the game, competition, and confident demeanor is just that, and not a god-complex, he could work-out very well. Teachability is a great character trait to behold, and if he has this unmeasurable trait, his ceiling is very high, and 49er fans can be looking at the next 49er great at the QB position. (Not implying he’s Montana or Young, but could very well be Big Ben 2.0, without the off the field issues)

I cannot speak, extensively, very truthfully, or with great confidence on B.Gabb, Locker, or other adequate college QB’s, because I have indeed watched them, but not in such great detail as Mallet.

With the correct tootleage, Mallet, should be our 1st round pick, and could flourish becoming another above average QB. Which is tantamount in this league, where a team is seemingly forgetful without a quality signal caller.

no way to Chad. I would rather stick with Alex Smith. Chad is a nobody plagued by injuries. This shouldnt even be a thought for the 49ers.