Crash Course for Nate Davis?

Suppose that you were the coach responsible for getting Nate Davis up-to-speed and on the field as the Niner starting QB as soon as possible.

What would you be doing with Nate right now?

I ask the question because it seems to me that the club is being less than urgent in its efforts to develop Davis. Being an NFL QB is a 12 months/year job, yet we hear nothing about Davis being "fast-tracked". Only a few rumors about maybe working out with McNabb for a week or so at some performance center, with no Niner coaches involved. Weak!

Why isn't this guy being coached-up on a daily basis? Why isn't he "rooming" with Mike Johnson?

I would love it if Smith comes out and has a dominating, breakthrough year in 2010. I just don't expect it. I want to see the club's investment in Davis to be pressed with a real sense of urgency, so that maybe, just maybe, Davis is ready to challenge for a starting job by TC in 2011, and maybe, just maybe, Davis could actually contribute something in 2010, in the event of injury, etc.

I don't feel this way about any other position player, just young QB's who need development. Why not some out of the box thinking? Since NFLE is dead, why not take a page from soccer, and "loan" Davis to a CFL team, with Niner supervision, so that he can get some pro PT?

When can we expect the club to have the same amount of urgency about Davis' rapid development, that the club has about the June ballot initiative in Santa Clara for the new stadium?

I hate wasting time in the off-season, when there really should be no off-season for QB development.

alex smith vs. nate davis thread buckle up people

Nope, this is not about Smith at all. And its also not about Shawn Hill. This is about the Nate Davis investment, period.

Look, in the business world, you look for rapid ROI (return on investment). You don't stick an asset in the closet and take it out for a looksee only 2-3 times a year. You put that asset to work. You devote the resources to expedite and maximize the ROI.

Why isn't that happening with Davis? Heck, even myopic major league baseball teams send their raw developmental types to the Caribbean League fo keep learning and developing in the "off-season".

Originally posted by jimbagg:
Nope, this is not about Smith at all. And its also not about Shawn Hill. This is about the Nate Davis investment, period.

Look, in the business world, you look for rapid ROI (return on investment). You don't stick an asset in the closet and take it out for a looksee only 2-3 times a year. You put that asset to work. You devote the resources to expedite and maximize the ROI.

Why isn't that happening with Davis? Heck, even myopic major league baseball teams send their raw developmental types to the Caribbean League fo keep learning and developing in the "off-season".

Let training camp begin before you accuse the Niners of not developing Nate Davis.

No need to rush this kid at all


LOL and what developmental league do you want the niners to send Davis to

i had a dream last night that nate davis was our starting qb and threw a game winning td. weird

You're missing the point. Why wait until late July to begin re-coaching Davis on a daily basis? Why waste the next 5 months?

I mentioned the CFL as a possible developmental opportunity, on a "loaner basis", as is done with soccer players all the time. Maybe there is a QB guru who runs a special QB development camp during the off-season (example: Pete Newell's Big Man camp in basketball)? Maybe Mike Johnson should be running that camp. Just sayin......

Being content with trucking along with the same ol' NFL preparation schedule is NOT going to get the Niners back on track QUICKLY. Isn't it reasonable to question why the club isn't being innovative in its QB development program? I don't pretend to know all the answers or alternatives (I don't work in the NFL), but I do know enough to ask the question that more fans should also be asking.

Damn, I'm tired of losing! Let's get this QB development program in gear! NOW!

[ Edited by jimbagg on Feb 24, 2010 at 15:32:27 ]

Originally posted by jimbagg:
You're missing the point. Why wait until late July to begin re-coaching Davis on a daily basis? Why waste the next 5 months?

I mentioned the CFL as a possible developmental opportunity, on a "loaner basis", as is done with soccer players all the time. Maybe there is a QB guru who runs a special QB development camp during the off-season? Maybe Mike Johnson should be running that camp. Just sayin......

Being content with trucking along with the same ol' NFL preparation schedule is NOT going to get the Niners back on track QUICKLY. Isn't it reasonable to question why the club isn't being innovative in its QB development program?

Damn, I'm tired of losing! Let's get this QB development program in gear! NOW!

The time for crash-coursing Nate Davis (and I'm all for it!) was last season, when they could have at least gotten him on the field for a few plays. Several other teams in the league did this with rookie QBs, but not the 49ers.

The reason he's not being coached up in the offseason has to do with NFL rules which limit active coaching and practice sessions to OTA's, mini-camps, and of course training camp. All these are regulated with respect to their dates and length.

What I'd like to see is, Nate getting a good share of the work in training camp, and being allowed to compete for the starting job with whoever else is on the roster at the position. You know, competition. REAL competition, not some rigged "we already know who our starter is" farce like the 49ers have had in recent years. I've gotten a little cynical so I don't really expect this, but that's what I'd like to see.

Well, what the Ball State coaches did with him in his freshman year worked, but would never fly in the NFL.

The starting QB was a senior who, while not great, was a very solid QB, especially considering what BSU normally had, and went into the season as one of, if not the, top QBs in the nation for completion percentage. But early in the season, Brady Hoke (head coach) would put Nate Davis in for a series or two each game, in certain situations. At first I, and many other Ball State fans, were sitting there thinking "What the hell is the coach thinking?" I mean, there were a couple of games where we were winning, and it had been a long time since Ball State had won many games, and the coach would pull out Lynch to put in this freshman? Serious WTF thinking going on in the stadium. But it only took a few games to realize that Nate Davis was going to be very, very good. Sure, he was making freshman mistakes occasionally. But not many, and fewer every game. Over the coarse of the season, he got more series to lead the team, and his play improved every game until he eventually took over the starting job all together. One of his first full games was against an undefeated Michigan team in the Big House. In the first half, it looked like it was going to be ugly, but they hung in there, and late in the fourth quarter, down by only eight to the #1 team in the nation, he led them to goal to go. They weren't able to get the touchdown (I still say the receiver was mugged on his last pass into the end zone, but no flag) but he showed he was not intimidated and could play with the big boys.

You could literally see him growing every single game. Both QBs ended the season tied with the single season TD record for Ball State, which he then shattered the next year. But I can't imagine a team in the NFL doing that with their QBs. I doubt it would work well even if a team tried it. You'd have to have a special kind of person as the starting QB that could handle that mentally. In college, it's playing time you're sharing. In the pros, you're talking about a paycheck. Also, in this case, you would literally be telling Alex Smith that his days are numbered, and if "being thrown to the wolves" ruined him, imagine what that would do.

[ Edited by mrgneissguy on Feb 24, 2010 at 15:53:14 ]

Offseason work out rules

Quote:
Clubs may conduct voluntary, but not mandatory, off-season workout programs for no more than 14 weeks, with no more than four workouts per week. Clubs may only hold 14 days of organized team activity during this 14-week period, and no contact work is permitted.

Other than staying in shape, it's not a 12 month a year deal.

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:
alex smith vs. nate davis thread buckle up people

i lol'd

Originally posted by jimbagg:
You're missing the point. Why wait until late July to begin re-coaching Davis on a daily basis? Why waste the next 5 months?

I mentioned the CFL as a possible developmental opportunity, on a "loaner basis", as is done with soccer players all the time. Maybe there is a QB guru who runs a special QB development camp during the off-season (example: Pete Newell's Big Man camp in basketball)? Maybe Mike Johnson should be running that camp. Just sayin......

Being content with trucking along with the same ol' NFL preparation schedule is NOT going to get the Niners back on track QUICKLY. Isn't it reasonable to question why the club isn't being innovative in its QB development program? I don't pretend to know all the answers or alternatives (I don't work in the NFL), but I do know enough to ask the question that more fans should also be asking.

Damn, I'm tired of losing! Let's get this QB development program in gear! NOW!

There is no such thing as loaning out to ANOTHER league-NFL Europe was the closest thing. Problem is players would come in from that league all banged up and tired. You may not think it possible but they do tire out. why do you think they had Brady on a strict number of tosses? Whiel Davis is not injured the arm does wear and grow tired.

Besides, how do you know they are not training him in their own way-why do they have to mention it to us? they probably feel comfy with his throwing ability, but may have him watch film. I wouldn't make a big deal of it.

Originally posted by aiiyiiyiii:
The time for crash-coursing Nate Davis (and I'm all for it!) was last season, when they could have at least gotten him on the field for a few plays. Several other teams in the league did this with rookie QBs, but not the 49ers.

The reason he's not being coached up in the offseason has to do with NFL rules which limit active coaching and practice sessions to OTA's, mini-camps, and of course training camp. All these are regulated with respect to their dates and length.

What I'd like to see is, Nate getting a good share of the work in training camp, and being allowed to compete for the starting job with whoever else is on the roster at the position. You know, competition. REAL competition, not some rigged "we already know who our starter is" farce like the 49ers have had in recent years. I've gotten a little cynical so I don't really expect this, but that's what I'd like to see.

no we dont need a competition. that just makes the team worse.

Originally posted by NinerFan408:


no we dont need a competition. that just makes the team worse.

Please use a smiley, otherwise someone might think you're serious!

set-up workout sessions with Donovan McNabb.