49ers training camp practice recap, 8/9: Breaking down offensive line combinations

The San Francisco 49ers went into Sunday's training camp practice with the same offensive line flux they have had all camp. Joe Staley and Alex Boone are the solid starters while the rest remain fairly fluid. The pace of the practice was fairly quick so there may have been a sub or two I missed, but this should be fairly accurate. By quick I mean: Matt Maiocco was tracking the play calling time to field: Geep Chryst would call the play at :31, Steve Logan would radio to QB at :26, break the snap a second later, snap at :23. The team had very few shifts or audibles. The idea behind this kind of quick turnaround is to create the necessary urgency to get to the line quickly, providing time for audibles and shifts as needed.

Colin Kaepernick's offensive line, first series

Trent Brown LT
Alex Boone LG
Joe Looney C
Marcus Martin RG
Erik Pears RT

Brown was most likely in for Staley, who is taking limited reps. In this series, Kaepernick handed off twice, once each to Carlos Hyde and Reggie Bush. He also had one completion to each back. There were two incomplete passes, one throw out of bounds and one to Blake Bell who was being covered by NaVorro Bowman (who was making up for Bell's reception yesterday).

Kaepernick's second series

Joe Staley was in at LT instead of Brown for 5 plays, then Brown came back in. The rest of the line remained the same.

During this series, Kaepernick handed off to Hyde and had completions to both Hyde and Vernon Davis. He overthrew/threw away twice and was "sacked" once when Arik Armstead created a pile up behind the line and Kap got slightly tangled up in the mess and stumbled out of it.

Kaepernick's third series

Joe Staley LT
Alex Boone LG
Marcus Martin C
Ian Silberman RG
Erik Pears RT

This was pretty close to a red zone series. Kaepernick had two hand offs to Hyde, a completion to V. Davis, and two to Reggie Bush. On the final and 4th down play, he threw it away to the corner of the end zone.

Kaepernick's fourth series

Joe Staley LT
Alex Boone LG
Joe Looney C
Marcus Martin RG
Erik Pears RT

Kaepernick threw completions to Anquan Boldin and Bruce Miller. He threw four incompletions, one each to Quinton Patton and DeAndrew White with Shayne Skov on coverage for both, and two incompletions to Torrey Smith who was being covered by Marcus Cromartie.

The line looked a little different for Blaine Gabbert.

Blaine Gabbert's offensive line, first series

Andrew Tiller LT
Patrick Miller LG
Ian Silberman C
Brandon Thomas RG
Trent Brown RT

Dillon Farrell subbed in for Brandon Thomas and Justin Renfrow subbed in for Brown.

Gabbert's second series:

Patrick Miller LT
Andrew Tiller LG
Marcus Martin C
Ian Silberman RG
Trent Brown RT

Gabbert's third series:

Patrick Miller LT
Andrew Tiller LG
Dillon Farrell C
Brandon Thomas RG
Trent Brown RT

Gabbert's productivity was decent. If you are desiring play counts, let me know and I'll post them in the comments.

Dylan Thompson's offensive line, first series

Sean Hooey LT
Andrew Tiller LG
Ian Silberman C
Brandon Thomas RG
Justin Renfrow RT

Farrell subbed in for Silberman at C

Thompson second series

Sean Hooey LT
Andrew Tiller LG
Dillon Farrell C
Brandon Thomas RG
Justin Renfrow RT

Looney subbed at C for Farrell.

Thompson's third series lineup was the same as the second with Farrell snapping the ball, and no subbing. Again if you'd like play counts for Thompson, let me know.

As you can see, the line up was changing and shifting constantly. During media availability, Joe Staley talked about the transition from college to the NFL. He took some responsibility, saying they need to do a better job of showing the younger guys how to not miss assignments. He also remarked "It's a little bit overwhelming the change of pace from the college game to the NFL, how much more you have to learn, how much more you have to know." He was confident that the younger players would be settling in soon and letting their instincts and natural talents take over instead of needing to think so much first.

As for switching sides, which Staley did for his rookie season, and then back for his second, he said it's a transition, but for weeks, not years. It's a matter of getting time and reps in, which he says Boone has done during the offseason and during training camp.