Originally posted by thl408:
@grantcohn Colin Kaepernick. Attempted just 13 passes during team drills, but completed 10 including three touchdown passes: one to Anquan Boldin, one Stevie Johnson and one to Vance McDonald. Kaepernick's first incomplete pass was intended for Bruce Ellington in the back right corner of the end zone during a red zone drill and Dontae Johnson broke up that pass easily. Kaepernick's second incompletion was a miscommunication with Stevie Johnson – Johnson broke off his route, but Kaepernick threw deep because he expected Johnson to keep running. Kaepernick's third incomplete pass was intended for Vance McDonald. He dropped it.
Very excited to hear the bolded. This means option routes are being used. I feel that this is a must for any dynamic passing attack. I also feel that this is the best way to utilize Stevie Johnson. Allow him to read coverage/leverage and have him run what he thinks is the best possible route to get open. In the play above, it appears SJ curled his route while Kap thought he was going to run a vertical route. In the past, Harbaugh had stated that he removed sight adjustments to lessen the risk of turnovers. That's all well and good, but eventually, a passing attack that adapts to the coverage being played is the best way to get a WR open. This is the second time a TC report has mentioned Kap and a WR not being on the same page, but that's why they practice.
Great news...also heard CK talk about how easy it was to read the "body language" of guys like Lloyd and SJ as well. That may be in line as well.
And it sounds like they absolutely "cleaned out the garage" with terminology and as a result, there has only been a handful of incorrect routes run, making it much easier to pick up for guys like SJ and rookies like Ellington and it's helped speed up the communication process as well. I posted yesterday on some of the offensive positives we're already seeing such as using Ellington out of the backfield and on deeper routes, lots of "seam routes" with the TE's, much more 3 & 4-WR sets, clearly incorporating the RB's into the passing game, utilizing Carrier and continually feeding McDonald (lots of drops but lots of big plays and TD's too), Patton shining, working on CK's mechanics and esp. his touch passes to RB's (Whitfield had him practicing on one knee), CK being called a "coach on the field," hearing that the entire offense has been installed, etc.
