Singletary: Heitman's job in jeopardy

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by BrianGO:

Originally posted by dj43:
The reason a lot of people wanted Baas at center instead of Heitmann was because they thought Baas would get more "push" in short yardage situation. Well, that has not happened. In fact, statistically, running up the middle is the LEAST effective area for the 49ers to run. They are best on the right, next is the left, and LAST is up through the middle where Baas is supposed to be a beast.

I believe Heitmann should be at center because of his experience in calling blocking assignments, and because he won't be any less effective than Baas.

Move Baas to RG in place of Rachal if the team has truly given up on Rachal. I don't think so but I don't know.

However, another thing to remember, Baas is out of contract and the team has already as much as told him he will not be re-signed. Therefore, try Baas at RG, and if he succeeds better than Rachal, then try to re-sign him. If not, then Rachal is the RG.

Gore was getting stopped behind the line of scrimmage for losses last year at least 4 times as often (which is a huge underestimate, but I don't want to spend hours figuring the exact numbers).

When looking at runs of less than 10 yards, our running average up the middle is far better.

Heitmann can get to the second level better than Baas (maybe this is why Gore had so many home runs last year), but Baas certainly gets better push in the run game (which contributes to why our short yardage runs are far better).

It's probably a wash, but most importantly, you don't want to make changes to the line unless you have to. The line is playing better than it has in years, despite the fact that they are eternal scapegoats. There is no reason to move Baas; I am more comfortable with a line that gets small chunks of yards for Gore, then a line that gets him stuffed 20 times behind the line, with an occasional 50 yard run (which Gore had the other day BTW).

The "elephant in the room" is the fact that this offense has been playing better than it has in many years; its just that we have killed ourselves with unforced turnovers.

According to statistics on offensive line play at the NFL site, running up the middle is the LEAST effective area of the 49er offensive line. According to the numbers, running to the right has been the most effective area. Running left is second. Running up the middle is least effective.

I believe it was Barrows who noted that Smith has more confidence in Heitmann's blocking calls than Baas. That alone should suggest Baas move to RG and Heitmann to center. Observation also suggests that whatever the reason, the center of the line has OFTEN missed blocks, missed blitz pickups, etc. All of this strongly suggests that blocking assignments are either wrong, or the players themselves are not making the play.

Finally, Baas has been far less the bulldozer that everyone hoped to see at center. He has been getting knocked backward with some regularity this season.

I don't see the same thing. Most of the pressure has been coming from Rachal (on occasion) Davis and Staley (for the most part).

We also don't have a lot of negative rush yards and we have been strong in the short yardage.

Now, would you rather have a quicker more experienced player (Heitman) next to Anthony Davis to help him out or a player who was not a successful Guard period next to Anthony Davis?

Putting Heittman at Guard is more justifiable and benefits the Offensive line as a whole much more than putting him at Center.

How can Sing love CHilo?????? Hes sooooo soft he makes Nedney look like Conan the barbarian. Hes soft, worst feet I have ever seen, cant sustain a block when he makes one and is all upper body. All he did was use his size and upper body stregth in USC that doesnt work in the NFL

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by BrianGO:

Originally posted by dj43:
The reason a lot of people wanted Baas at center instead of Heitmann was because they thought Baas would get more "push" in short yardage situation. Well, that has not happened. In fact, statistically, running up the middle is the LEAST effective area for the 49ers to run. They are best on the right, next is the left, and LAST is up through the middle where Baas is supposed to be a beast.

I believe Heitmann should be at center because of his experience in calling blocking assignments, and because he won't be any less effective than Baas.

Move Baas to RG in place of Rachal if the team has truly given up on Rachal. I don't think so but I don't know.

However, another thing to remember, Baas is out of contract and the team has already as much as told him he will not be re-signed. Therefore, try Baas at RG, and if he succeeds better than Rachal, then try to re-sign him. If not, then Rachal is the RG.

Gore was getting stopped behind the line of scrimmage for losses last year at least 4 times as often (which is a huge underestimate, but I don't want to spend hours figuring the exact numbers).

When looking at runs of less than 10 yards, our running average up the middle is far better.

Heitmann can get to the second level better than Baas (maybe this is why Gore had so many home runs last year), but Baas certainly gets better push in the run game (which contributes to why our short yardage runs are far better).

It's probably a wash, but most importantly, you don't want to make changes to the line unless you have to. The line is playing better than it has in years, despite the fact that they are eternal scapegoats. There is no reason to move Baas; I am more comfortable with a line that gets small chunks of yards for Gore, then a line that gets him stuffed 20 times behind the line, with an occasional 50 yard run (which Gore had the other day BTW).

The "elephant in the room" is the fact that this offense has been playing better than it has in many years; its just that we have killed ourselves with unforced turnovers.

According to statistics on offensive line play at the NFL site, running up the middle is the LEAST effective area of the 49er offensive line. According to the numbers, running to the right has been the most effective area. Running left is second. Running up the middle is least effective.

I believe it was Barrows who noted that Smith has more confidence in Heitmann's blocking calls than Baas. That alone should suggest Baas move to RG and Heitmann to center. Observation also suggests that whatever the reason, the center of the line has OFTEN missed blocks, missed blitz pickups, etc. All of this strongly suggests that blocking assignments are either wrong, or the players themselves are not making the play.

Finally, Baas has been far less the bulldozer that everyone hoped to see at center. He has been getting knocked backward with some regularity this season.

I don't see the same thing. Most of the pressure has been coming from Rachal (on occasion) Davis and Staley (for the most part).

We also don't have a lot of negative rush yards and we have been strong in the short yardage.

Now, would you rather have a quicker more experienced player (Heitman) next to Anthony Davis to help him out or a player who was not a successful Guard period next to Anthony Davis?

Putting Heittman at Guard is more justifiable and benefits the Offensive line as a whole much more than putting him at Center.

I really don't care who is at RG. What I do care about is to end the perception of confusion among the OL on blocking assignments. IMO, Heitmann did a better job of that last year than Baas has done this year.