The connection between Kipp Christ and Adam Klein went back twenty-five years. At that time, Kipp was a college student, and Adam was already a well-known scout in the industry. Their first encounter was related to the draft.
At the time, Kipp was a student at Princeton University and played both football and baseball—a situation that is still very common today in 2011. He was a linebacker on the football team, but he was not a top-tier player.
In Adam's scouting report, he sharply and directly stated, "Christ is more suitable for baseball than football, but he doesn't look like a good baseball player, either." This scouting report directly led to Kipp not being drafted. The young and fiery Kipp went directly to Adam to confront him, and the two had a falling out.
But as time went by, Kipp gradually understood that Adam was right: he was not a good football player, nor was he a good baseball player.
After decisively ending his career as a professional player, Kipp tried to become a coach and successfully discovered his talent as an offensive coach. He was often able to provide quarterbacks or tight ends with different perspectives and tactical arrangements as a defensive player.
At the same time, Kipp actively buried the hatchet with Adam, and the two became good friends. Three years later, with Adam's connections, Kipp became an assistant offensive coach for the Chicago Bears, officially entering the league and starting his career as a professional coach.
Over the past twenty years, Kipp has coached several teams, with ups and downs, but he was never completely unemployed. Last season, he was the tight end coach for the Carolina Panthers, but unfortunately, the team's record hit rock bottom, and they "won" the number one pick. So, Kipp was laid off.
After a few turns, Kipp came to the San Francisco 49ers, who were also trying to make a comeback, and became the quarterback coach.
Last season, the San Francisco 49ers finished with a terrible record of 6-10 and had not made it to the playoffs for eight consecutive years. The team's top management was furious and carried out a complete top-down overhaul. The team manager and head coach, the two most powerful figures, were both fired. Then, the power was given to the new manager, Trent Baalke, and the new head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who would decide the fate of all members of the coaching staff and the team's players.
Kipp was the quarterback coach personally selected by Jim.
The San Francisco 49ers, who were in dire need of a fresh start, were in a state of self-preservation and paranoia. The entire team was being restructured. The quarterback position was no exception.
The team's three current quarterbacks were Alex Smith, David Carr, and Troy Smith. Alex was the starting quarterback and was above average in terms of ability, but the two backup quarterbacks were not up to par. Trent and Jim were indeed interested in drafting a rookie quarterback as a backup to supplement the team's roster.
But after evaluating them at the rookie training camp, Trent and Jim both concluded that Lu Ke was not a good fit for the 49ers. They had already locked in on four other quarterbacks. In the draft, as long as they picked one of them, it would be enough to fill the team's quarterback depth. So, they didn't even send an interview invitation to Lu Ke.
Over the past six weeks, Adam had made over a dozen phone calls. "You have to come and see this young man." Over and over again, he never gave up. Finally, Kipp agreed, not to evaluate Lu Ke but for the sake of their old friendship. After twenty-five years of friendship, it was the least he could do.
After walking up to the stadium stands, Kipp was already out of breath. "I don't like college stadium stands. I never have. They're just so unfriendly to fat people." Before he even got to Adam, Kipp started to complain. But from his Buddha-like smile, it was clear he was just kidding.
"Sometimes, some people are worth it," Adam replied, his words not quite matching what was being said, but with a clear meaning behind them.
Kipp didn't argue. He just nodded with a chuckle. "I know. But the best isn't always the most suitable."
Kipp admitted that he personally had a good feeling about Lu Ke at the training camp. Even though his shortcomings were obvious, his passing ability and defensive reading were still impressive. However, in the blueprint that Trent and Jim had planned for the team, there was no place for Lu Ke, or more accurately, no place for a quarterback of Lu Ke's type. So, Kipp had no choice but to give up.
"Does he come to practice every day?" Kipp sat down next to Adam and looked at Lu Ke, who was doing basic passing drills on the field. He asked casually.
"Yes, every day since the rookie training camp ended, without a single day off." Adam's simple sentence made Kipp look surprised. A hint of a smile appeared in Adam's eyes. "And he hasn't let up on his training. You'll see for yourself. What's even more unbelievable is that he has gotten even better than he was six weeks ago."
"Haha, Adam, come on." Kipp burst out laughing.
Making a breakthrough and improving in just six weeks? If he were in high school or early college, it would be possible. But for a senior who was graduating and entering the draft, their skills and talent were pretty much set. While there was still room for growth, it was very limited.
Adam's assessment sounded like a joke to Kipp. But then Kipp noticed that Adam wasn't saying anything or arguing. He was just looking at the field intently. The certain look on his face made Kipp pause. He didn't say anything else and turned his head to look at the field.
The excitement and thrill of a game always made people's blood boil, but the training in real life was incredibly dull and boring. Especially the basic drills, they were just repetition, repetition, and more repetition. There were no shortcuts, and there was no room for laziness. Only by going through this dull and boring training could a player shine on the field.
Gradually, Kipp's eyes lit up.
At this moment, Lu Ke was doing a pinpoint passing drill, but the whole drill was a little different.
There was an agility ladder on the ground beneath Lu Ke's feet. He had to constantly move left and right, correcting his footwork. At the same time, he also had to move back and forth around orange cones to develop his awareness of moving within the pocket. This required absolute concentration, as even a little lapse in focus could cause him to trip.
The passing target was a net about twenty-five yards away. It was a six-foot-long net, like a basketball net, but much longer. The opening of the net was even narrower than a basketball net, just enough for a football to be thrown into. The net was also set at a forty-five-degree angle, simulating the position and angle of a receiver catching the ball with two hands.
Anthony stood next to the net, observing and recording the trajectory, angle, and force of each pass. Then he would give loud feedback to Lu Ke and ask him to make adjustments for the next pass. After thirty passes from one spot, Anthony would change the position, either closer or farther away, trying to cover different corners of the field as much as possible.
For one whole hour, Lu Ke made so many passes that Kipp couldn't keep count. Kipp had carefully counted the first hundred, but he gradually lost track. But what was certain was that Lu Ke's passing accuracy was truly astonishing.
His completion rate for short passes was at least 90%. For medium passes, it was about 80%, which was a little inconsistent. As for long passes, Kipp couldn't even remember Lu Ke missing a single one. Was it 100%?
Just thinking about it, Kipp was already shocked. He had seen all kinds of fancy passes. Charlie Frye could even kneel on one knee at the middle of the field and throw a football through the goalposts, which was sixty yards away. That wasn't just about arm strength; it also factored in wind speed, angle, and control.
Today, Kipp saw an even more magical performance. Although it was a bit of an exaggeration to say so, the first player that came to Kipp's mind was Aaron Rodgers. Of course, Lu Ke and Aaron were not comparable at all; there were many levels of difference between them. However, Aaron Rodgers was the person who came to Kipp's mind at this moment.
This hard work and dedication were truly amazing!
More importantly, Adam wasn't lying. In just six weeks, Lu Ke's abilities had clearly improved again. It wasn't just his passing accuracy but also his footwork. His control and handling in the pocket were becoming more natural. This had nothing to do with whether a defensive player was involved in the practice or not. Instead, it was because of the stability, accuracy, and control of Lu Ke's footwork, all of which had improved, allowing his passing to become more effortless.
"God, how did he do that?" Kipp couldn't help but exclaim. He turned his head and saw the proud smile on Adam's face. No explanation or clarification was needed. The facts were right in front of his eyes: training, relentless training.
Kipp couldn't help but chuckle. After thinking seriously, he said, "Adam, I really want to pick him, and I really like him. But you know, the team has its own plan, and I can't make the decision." Even though it was a shame, Kipp had to say it with a heavy heart.
Adam nodded to show he understood. How could he not know after being in this industry for so many years? "I know. It's not just the 49ers; it's the same for other teams. Every team has its own considerations. I just feel like..." Adam let out a soft sigh. "Someone should see this, not just me."
The sigh and sadness in his voice made Kipp fall silent. In just six weeks, the world had changed, and it seemed that all destinies were already set. "I was just thinking, if I hadn't nagged you to come here, I would definitely regret it. But now that you've come, I've done my best. Professional sports are just that cruel. That's just how it is."
After a brief moment of silence, Adam looked up at Lu Ke on the field. "Tell me, are we missing a historical moment, or are we witnessing one?"
Kipp's mouth fell open, a little stunned.
NOTE:
New chapters drop three times a day, every Monday through Saturday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release three bonus chapters for every 100 votes! Let's get this story moving together.