Frank Gore and the Spread Offense (Steve Young article) | Page 9

MRNINESEVEN · 2009-11-27T13:55:54-08:00

If this has already been posted then my bad. I haven't seen anything yet. here's the article from ESPN NFL Insider today from a KNBR interview: Steve Young's most recent KNBR interview is a must-listen for anyone hoping to master the issues facing Alex Smith and the 49ers' offense heading into the final six games. Alex Smith's numbers are much better out of the shotgun this season.Listening to the Hall of Fame quarterback's thoughts helped crystallize my own. All the focus on whether the 49ers should embrace more of a spread offense obscures a key point: Smith must become more proficient operating from under center if he hopes to become a winning quarterback for the 49ers or any other NFL team. Just as a scrambling quarterback must learn how to succeed as a pocket passer, Smith must learn to operate a conventional offense. As I have noted several times, Smith isn't Peyton Manning, so the 49ers can forget about asking him to carry the offense from the shotgun play after play. They can use the shotgun more frequently, but probably not predominantly. "If he is really only able to thrive in the spread, then that might not be the dilemma of the week, but it is the dilemma of the year and onto next year as to exactly how they are going to do that," Young said. "Now, I can't believe that if you can play competent quarterback in the spread that you can't transition to understand how to play quarterback in the I (formation). I did it and all of the above and it just doesn't seem like that is all that hard to do." This is where offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye's recent comments come into play. While supportive of Smith, Raye said game situations were far more significant than formations in the team's second-half offensive successes against the Texans and Packers. The 49ers trailed both games by wide margins. Lots of teams rack up yardage while playing from behind. "The quantity of the yards and quality of the yards has to be measured by the score and the time in the game," Raye said. "I don’t think the formation per se had a whole lot to do with it. The fact that we were in a semi-rally mode because we were down by four scores had something to do with it." If Smith cannot play well across personnel groups and formations, the 49ers cannot win with him over the long term. Young drove home that point. "They are stuck with an All-Pro running back (Frank Gore) that needs a certain formation and then up-and-coming stars that need another formation," Young said. "And they have no way to meld the two because they really aren't compatible." The way to meld the two is for Smith to adapt. He needs to do that over the final six games. "There is no reason why we can't get Alex to get under center," Young said. "It is a matter of time, if we can withstand the growing pains of doing that. But there is no reason he cannot get somebody under center in the offseason and really work it out." I think he's nailed it. We do have a mixture of talent that usually doesn't mold together or takes time. Can Smith adapt? How about Raye. Can he adapt? How's about bringing in Young for some 1 on 1 with Johnny Utah!

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:11 AM

#121

BSofSF
Veteran
Posts: 2,369

Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
This team needs to get the players that can run a normal offense ie QB! When we play under center we run the ball well but cant throw. When we are in the gun we throw but cant run. Its so stupid that we changed the offense so that Alex can thow it. They need to stop pretending that he is an NFL QB and move on already. Frank will be fine as long as we run a normal offense.

Brady and Manning throw from the shotgun A LOT. Are they pretending to be QBs too?

First of all they do it because they are both great and it takes advantage of their skill. They do not do it 90% of the game. They also win. Alex stinks. We only do it because he has to.

Alex does not stink, FanSince81 (the original bandwagon).

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:12 AM

#122

GoreGoreGore
10HourChicken
Posts: 61,437

Not when you run the ball 10 times a game, stupid, just plain stupid, Raye is a f**king idiot, extremely sick of this extremist.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:15 AM

#123

9erfanAUS
Veteran
Posts: 16,281

Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
This team needs to get the players that can run a normal offense ie QB! When we play under center we run the ball well but cant throw. When we are in the gun we throw but cant run. Its so stupid that we changed the offense so that Alex can thow it. They need to stop pretending that he is an NFL QB and move on already. Frank will be fine as long as we run a normal offense.

Brady and Manning throw from the shotgun A LOT. Are they pretending to be QBs too?

First of all they do it because they are both great and it takes advantage of their skill. They do not do it 90% of the game. They also win. Alex stinks. We only do it because he has to.

Alex Smith in shotgun takes advantage of his skill as well.

Tom Brady supposedly stays in the shotgun 60% of all snaps, IIRC. I believe Smith stays in the shotgun at a similar percentage as well.

-9fA

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:24 AM

#124

Silky
Veteran
Posts: 15,784

If we ever trade gore, we better not trade him within our conference

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:34 AM

#125

lod01
Veteran
Posts: 57

Originally posted by TheG0RE49er:
Not when you run the ball 10 times a game, stupid, just plain stupid, Raye is a f**king idiot, extremely sick of this extremist.

He's a worthless POS and loser wherever he has coached.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:34 AM

#126

ishkabibel
Veteran
Posts: 696

Originally posted by contrarios:
Our offensive line is not built for "power running." The guys are big but they have a hard time getting a push, sustaining blocks and opening holes.

For all this talk of smashmouth football you could be right. Rachel is the only one specifically drafted with that in mind. The rest are holdovers. They certainly didn't provide Gore with a lot of daylight yesterday. They looked great in pass protection.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:37 AM

#127

nickbradley
Member
Posts: 3,755

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
This team needs to get the players that can run a normal offense ie QB! When we play under center we run the ball well but cant throw. When we are in the gun we throw but cant run. Its so stupid that we changed the offense so that Alex can thow it. They need to stop pretending that he is an NFL QB and move on already. Frank will be fine as long as we run a normal offense.

Brady and Manning throw from the shotgun A LOT. Are they pretending to be QBs too?

But they're very capable under center as well. I think he makes a perfectly legitimate point that no one should be surprised that we're not able to run effectively out of the spread offense.

I think Brady plays 70%+ out of the shotgun -- highest in the league. And I guarantee you that if McDaniels had a strong-armed QB, Denver would do it too.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:38 AM

#128

pd24
Veteran
Posts: 9,407

Originally posted by ApatheticIAm:
If we ever trade gore, we better not trade him within our conference

Why not? He can fumble against us and give us a shot to win. He has been fumbling for 4 years now, it will never be fixed, it's too late.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:39 AM

#129

ninerfreak
Veteran
Posts: 5,354

some of you people need to stop blaming alex and start looking at the bigger picture...there are 10 other guys in the lineup with him....2 of them crabs and VD dropped game winning passes....

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:40 AM

#130

kstolai
Veteran
Posts: 11,313

Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
This team needs to get the players that can run a normal offense ie QB! When we play under center we run the ball well but cant throw. When we are in the gun we throw but cant run. Its so stupid that we changed the offense so that Alex can thow it. They need to stop pretending that he is an NFL QB and move on already. Frank will be fine as long as we run a normal offense.

Brady and Manning throw from the shotgun A LOT. Are they pretending to be QBs too?

It all comes back to the O line. We need to change that if we run the spread and our O line is good then any decent RB will make it work.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:41 AM

#131

nickbradley
Member
Posts: 3,755

Originally posted by BSofSF:
Originally posted by nickbradley:
Steve Young has Opined that Frank Gore does not fit the spread and, since he is our best player, we should not run the spread or we should trade Gore. Agree?

Well, based on the rest of the talent on our offense, we should run the spread and trade Gore. Sproles and Reggie Bush will both be FAs in 2010, and both would be amazing spread/shotgun/single back playmakers.

The problem with running backs, imo, is that they have the shortest careers of any position because of the beating they take. I bet you Gore doesn't have as much trade value as we commonly assume since he's been in the league about 5 years. For the same reasons, I would be a little weary of a splashy FA RB acquisition. Probably better to go with fresh legs in the draft. Lastly, while I generally agree with your premise that Gore might not be a great spread offense back, he's good at picking up the blitz, and that's important when the QB is exposed and we're chucking it 40-50 times a game. I come back to the OL. I think that is the key to keeping Smith upright and making any RB look good. Get a kick ass line and we'll be a top 10 offense for the next 8-10 years.

That's why I think Gore's trade value is a 2nd rounder and change. He won't be an over-the-hill back (defined as over 30) until the 2013 season.

Dec 7, 2009 at 8:42 AM

#132

49erman5692
Member
Posts: 4,657

Originally posted by nickbradley:
Originally posted by nickbradley:
Steve Young has Opined that Frank Gore does not fit the spread and, since he is our best player, we should not run the spread or we should trade Gore. Agree?

Well, based on the rest of the talent on our offense, we should run the spread and trade Gore. Sproles and Reggie Bush will both be FAs in 2010, and both would be amazing spread/shotgun/single back playmakers.

I'd like to add that Gore would be a great fit in Philly, New England, or Houston. I'll take a 2nd and a 4th.

oh yah then Coffee
will lead us

Dec 7, 2009 at 9:00 AM

#133

lod01
Veteran
Posts: 57

In 2007, 1 game, RB catches 11: Frank Gore. Total yards over 200.

If they use him yes. That game was won 37-31 BECAUSE of using Frank Gore.

Dec 7, 2009 at 9:03 AM

#134

MadMartz
Member
Posts: 3,319

I dont see how he doesnt fit. he 2nd on the team in receptions and he is our leading receiver since he has been here. Not only that but he can block with the best of them.

Gore is one of the best rbs in the league, he can play in any system!

Dec 7, 2009 at 9:15 AM

#135

VA9erfan
Veteran
Posts: 2,624

Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Originally posted by JBatta49erfansince81:
This team needs to get the players that can run a normal offense ie QB! When we play under center we run the ball well but cant throw. When we are in the gun we throw but cant run. Its so stupid that we changed the offense so that Alex can thow it. They need to stop pretending that he is an NFL QB and move on already. Frank will be fine as long as we run a normal offense.

Brady and Manning throw from the shotgun A LOT. Are they pretending to be QBs too?

Freakin' awesome quote dude.............love it.........