The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat’s Grant Cohn took stock in the three 49er quarterbacks – Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and Jeremiah Masoli – and he said they’re all shotgun quarterbacks, based on the offenses they ran in the collegiate ranks.
“When you think of West-Coast-offense quarterbacks, you usually think of quarterbacks who operate from under center, yet Harbaugh hand-picked three shotgun guys,” Cohn said.
“What does that mean?”
Cohn said head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman will run a “new and innovative” West Coast offense, with “shotgun play-action plays and designed quarterback runs to keep the defense off balance.”
“Harbaugh and Roman will be able to get away with these trick plays for a few reasons – the pre-snap shifting will confuse the defense, and the rest of the talent on the roster is set up to succeed from the shotgun as well,” he said.
He noted that running backs Anthony Dixon and Kendall Hunter both ran from shotgun, one-back formations at Mississippi State and Oklahoma State, respectively.
Cohn said that running back Frank Gore “is certainly good enough to succeed in these formations as well.”
Masoli’s situation is very interesting. The 49ers signed Masoli to play running back, but when Smith wasn’t allowed to practice, Masoli’s quarterback talents were needed.
Harbaugh was so impressed by Masoli that he decided to keep him at third-string quarterback behind Smith and Kaepernick.
“All his reps are as a quarterback now,” Harbaugh said.
“He’s done a really nice job, and I’m excited to watch him in the preseason games. He’s fighting like a lot of guys to make the ball club. He throws the ball like a professional quarterback, and he’s played his way into that thinking.”
