49ers' center Eric Heitmann injured

Can we get a break on these injuries.


Brooks and Heitmann down hurt this team badly.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
I hope Eric heals to 100% and can continue to play football, but I've got to admit, I think this is an opportunity for our O-line to get even better. I think Eric has strengths at the position, but I also think he is "weak" in terms of physical power compared to most NFL centers. If Baas can take this opportunity and make the most of it, I think our starting O-line has the possibility of being better... however, we'll miss the depth. Also, if Wallace can't step up, this will be his last year on the team.. that is if he even makes it out of camp.

Who knows. I mean confidence and comfortableness can do wonders and it seems as though Baas is most comfortable at Center. I mean, look at Barry Simms and the difference of his play from RT to LT.

What are you talking about...he's been backing up at Center for like a week....how do you know where he is comfortable at?

He was voted top center in college football his Senior year at Michigan and several teams had him rated higher as a center than guard, coming out of college.

didn't wragge play center before? a couple seasons ago

I just called my sources close to the team and they told me that he may miss a "significant" portion of the season.

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
I hope Eric heals to 100% and can continue to play football, but I've got to admit, I think this is an opportunity for our O-line to get even better. I think Eric has strengths at the position, but I also think he is "weak" in terms of physical power compared to most NFL centers. If Baas can take this opportunity and make the most of it, I think our starting O-line has the possibility of being better... however, we'll miss the depth. Also, if Wallace can't step up, this will be his last year on the team.. that is if he even makes it out of camp.

Who knows. I mean confidence and comfortableness can do wonders and it seems as though Baas is most comfortable at Center. I mean, look at Barry Simms and the difference of his play from RT to LT.

Exactly. Things aren't black and white. This might seem like quite a stretch, but I'm a lot better shortstop in my lousy men's softball league than I am third baseman. You'd think it would be the other way around, but hey, I'm more comfortable at SS. I have a feeling things are similar for Baas. Also, your Barry Simms example is perfect.

In his first season at the center position Baas was a consensus All-American a shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation's outstanding center. Baas started the season at left guard but moved to center at the outset of the conference slate and helped guide the Wolverines to a share of the Big Ten title. U-M's rushing offense gained 106 yards per game prior to Baas' position shift but finished the conference schedule third in the ground attack at 175 yards per contest. He was named the 2004 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and became the 12th player in U-M football history to gain All-Big Ten first team honors at least three times during his career

Baas shared the 2004 Rimington Trophy with Louisiana State's Ben Wilkerson. Baas was the only player in the country to be named finalist for two of the three awards presented to linemen. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and was on the list of candidates for the Lombardi Award. Baas was selected co-captain of the 2004 Wolverine team at the outset of fall camp. He entered 2004 rated as the nation's premier offensive guard entering the year by Lindy's Magazine and Athlon Sports Magazine.

Baas started 39 career games along the Wolverines' offensive line, including 38 straight to end his career. He helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rushers three consecutive years (Mike Hart in 2004 and Chris Perry in 2002 and 2003).

http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
I hope Eric heals to 100% and can continue to play football, but I've got to admit, I think this is an opportunity for our O-line to get even better. I think Eric has strengths at the position, but I also think he is "weak" in terms of physical power compared to most NFL centers. If Baas can take this opportunity and make the most of it, I think our starting O-line has the possibility of being better... however, we'll miss the depth. Also, if Wallace can't step up, this will be his last year on the team.. that is if he even makes it out of camp.

Who knows. I mean confidence and comfortableness can do wonders and it seems as though Baas is most comfortable at Center. I mean, look at Barry Simms and the difference of his play from RT to LT.

What are you talking about...he's been backing up at Center for like a week....how do you know where he is comfortable at?

He was voted top center in college football his Senior year at Michigan and several teams had him rated higher as a center than guard, coming out of college.

To add, we drafted him to be a Center but as everyone and their momma says about Alex Smith, it ain't easy being a rookie and learning a new offense every year. After QB, the Center is the next guy who must understand everything and I remember that being the main issue with Baas when he was worked at Center last year. Let's hope he understands the assignments better this year.

He may possibly come out on top in this one.

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
I hope Eric heals to 100% and can continue to play football, but I've got to admit, I think this is an opportunity for our O-line to get even better. I think Eric has strengths at the position, but I also think he is "weak" in terms of physical power compared to most NFL centers. If Baas can take this opportunity and make the most of it, I think our starting O-line has the possibility of being better... however, we'll miss the depth. Also, if Wallace can't step up, this will be his last year on the team.. that is if he even makes it out of camp.

Who knows. I mean confidence and comfortableness can do wonders and it seems as though Baas is most comfortable at Center. I mean, look at Barry Simms and the difference of his play from RT to LT.

What are you talking about...he's been backing up at Center for like a week....how do you know where he is comfortable at?

He was voted top center in college football his Senior year at Michigan and several teams had him rated higher as a center than guard, coming out of college.

That was like 4-5 years ago and for only 1 season

Fumbleaya

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
In his first season at the center position Baas was a consensus All-American a shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation's outstanding center. Baas started the season at left guard but moved to center at the outset of the conference slate and helped guide the Wolverines to a share of the Big Ten title. U-M's rushing offense gained 106 yards per game prior to Baas' position shift but finished the conference schedule third in the ground attack at 175 yards per contest. He was named the 2004 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and became the 12th player in U-M football history to gain All-Big Ten first team honors at least three times during his career

Baas shared the 2004 Rimington Trophy with Louisiana State's Ben Wilkerson. Baas was the only player in the country to be named finalist for two of the three awards presented to linemen. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and was on the list of candidates for the Lombardi Award. Baas was selected co-captain of the 2004 Wolverine team at the outset of fall camp. He entered 2004 rated as the nation's premier offensive guard entering the year by Lindy's Magazine and Athlon Sports Magazine.

Baas started 39 career games along the Wolverines' offensive line, including 38 straight to end his career. He helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rushers three consecutive years (Mike Hart in 2004 and Chris Perry in 2002 and 2003).

http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

And he was just replaced by a rookie

[ Edited by jreff22 on Aug 9, 2010 at 14:26:40 ]

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:
I hope Eric heals to 100% and can continue to play football, but I've got to admit, I think this is an opportunity for our O-line to get even better. I think Eric has strengths at the position, but I also think he is "weak" in terms of physical power compared to most NFL centers. If Baas can take this opportunity and make the most of it, I think our starting O-line has the possibility of being better... however, we'll miss the depth. Also, if Wallace can't step up, this will be his last
year on the team.. that is if he even makes it out of camp.

Who knows. I mean confidence and comfortableness can do wonders and it seems as though Baas is most comfortable at Center. I mean, look at Barry Simms and the difference of his play
from RT to LT.

What are you talking about...he's been backing up at Center for like a week....how do you know
where he is comfortable at?

He was voted top center in college football his Senior year at Michigan and several teams had
him rated higher as a center than guard, coming out of college.

That was six years ago!! And I don't see any support for the "more comfortable" comment yet.

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Kilgore_Trout:

Originally posted by Joecool:
Baas better step up. Good thing Alex understands the offense better.

Baas just lost his job to a rookie and knows the writing is on the wall, in other words, he better get motivated and prove he belongs. There is no doubt in my mind that Baas is much stronger than Heitmann, so I think this could bode well for the running game. I have far too many visions
in my head of Heitmann getting blown up and driven back into Gore at the LOS. Something tells me this all works out for the best... it was obvious Heitmann needed to be replaced in the
next year or two, so this might just speed up the process.

Can't fault your optimism. I would just mention that nothing has happened in the last six years to indicate that Baas is the man to replace him. Had Baas been a halfway decent option at guard I wonder if we would have taken Iupati. Baas lost his spot, and, as another poster has commented if I recall, you now expect him to excel at the more difficult position. I think this is more likely to accelerate his progress out of the team.

But I would like to be proved wrong. Not holding my breath, though.

Like you said, I'm mostly just being optimistic. But I know Baas has a mean-streak in him and I think this opportunity could prove to be more than ideal for him. As 49er fans, we better hope so!

f*ck!

Originally posted by boast:
f*ck!

Yup.

I was hoping Baas would unseat Heitmann this year anyway. Heitmann is a great backup and should be used that way. He has played ok over the years but has gotten stood up too many times blocking the hole instead of opening the holes.