Here are Lu Ke's latest physical test results: 40-yard dash, 4.79 seconds; 20-yard shuttle, 4.42 seconds; 3-cone drill, 6.88 seconds; vertical jump, 31.5 inches; and broad jump, 108 inches.
These results were still a little short compared to Colin Kaepernick, not to mention the first-round picks. They couldn't be considered amazing.
However, they were undoubtedly good enough for a quarterback to be drafted in the fifth or sixth round. With his passing skills and a perfect score on the Wonderlic test, it wasn't impossible for him to be drafted in the fourth or even third round.
What was most surprising was that these results showed a comprehensive improvement compared to Lu Ke's numbers at the rookie training camp five and a half months ago!
Such a big improvement in physical test results in just half a year? Steroids. That was the most direct, knee-jerk reaction in everyone's minds, which explained Jim's question earlier. But after Bobby denied that possibility, everyone slowly came to a realization: how much sweat and hard work did Lu Ke put in during that time to get here today?
Involuntarily, their eyes were all drawn to the "number 11, Alex Smith" on the field.
The number 11 was still focused, diligently practicing his passes. After completing a series of 30-yard passes, he was now trying 45-yard passes.
The coaching team, led by Jim, watched intently. His first pass was a hit, then the second, and the third... After four consecutive successful passes, he finally missed one, which "thumped" against the edge of the hoop and bounced out. But he didn't panic. He then hit two more in a row before missing the third one.
The number 11 stopped throwing and stood in place, doing simple stretching exercises to relax his arm muscles.
"Before this, he threw twenty 30-yard passes and hit all twenty," Bobby's voice explained, and everyone suddenly understood.
It was precisely because he had used up a lot of his energy on the previous passes that the accuracy of his 45-yard passes began to decline. In a game, a traditional pocket quarterback might throw the ball anywhere from twenty to fifty times. In practice, the number of throws would be even higher, but his accuracy would inevitably decline due to muscle fatigue.
Bobby wasn't done explaining. "Before that, he hit nineteen out of twenty passes under 10 yards, and seventeen out of twenty passes between 10 and 20 yards."
In other words, Lu Ke had already thrown a total of sixty passes and only missed four. Even with all that, his long passes of 45 yards were still six out of eight. His accuracy and control were truly outstanding.
It wasn't just Jim and the others; Bobby had clearly also noticed Lu Ke's passing skills, which was why he was paying him so much attention and could rattle off the numbers so easily. Although there were three quarterbacks training on the field at the time, no one could take their eyes off the number 11. Even his simple yoga poses seemed to be filled with an exotic mystery from the East.
When people think of China, they think of kung fu, traditional medicine, a large population, and... mystery.
"Do you think he knows kung fu?" Kip's random question, given the current situation, had a certain comical feel to it. But no one laughed. Instead, they started to seriously consider the possibility.
The sideline fell silent for a moment. No one spoke, whether they were observing the other quarterbacks or lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Bobby's voice rang out like a bell, interrupting everyone's train of thought. "This group's training is over for now. We're moving on to the next group, which will also be a passing drill."
Jim's eyes were still on the number 11. He was a little conflicted and impulsive.
Today was only the first day of the tryout. They would be evaluating and testing them in all aspects in the coming days. If necessary, they could even keep a few candidates and have them train with the team, then have a few practice games within the team for further evaluation. Even for a backup quarterback, they couldn't be careless.
But the problem was that there was less than a week until the preseason, and every day felt like an overwhelming weight of urgency. The team was running out of time.
Jim Harbaugh was a decisive coach with a strong, sharp personality, a short temper, and a no-nonsense attitude. As a player, he had already made a lot of enemies and often argued with reporters. As a coach, this was even more true. With his tough coaching style, he achieved great success at the University of San Diego and Stanford University before taking on the San Francisco 49ers this year.
Since taking office, Jim had shown his tough demeanor, and with the support of the team manager, he completely cleaned house.
First, only the running backs coach, offensive line coach, and defensive line coach were kept from the twenty-person coaching staff; everyone else was replaced. Second, he released seventeen players from the fifty-three-man roster, including two quarterbacks, clearing out nearly one-third of the player list.
Such a bold, decisive, and straightforward move was rare in the entire league, and it showed Jim's coaching style.
In a flash of inspiration, Jim made a decision. "Bobby, call Greg Jackson and tell him to bring the scout team's defense over, and then..." Jim paused for a moment. "Bring the scout team's offense over too."
Greg Jackson was the assistant to the second defensive coach. Because there were two Gregs on the coaching staff, they made a point to differentiate them.
"Jim, what are you planning to do?" Greg Roman, who was standing next to him, looked surprised. He clearly hadn't expected Jim to do this.
Jim's expression was serious and unsmiling. His sharp eyes were fixed on the field, like a hungry wolf. "Training Day."
"Training Day" was a term used by the police department to refer to a rookie cop's first day on the job.
Because police work is full of danger and unexpected events, inexperienced rookies can often mess things up and even get their partners in trouble, which can be a matter of life and death. So, on the first day, the police department would send an experienced veteran to guide, teach, and train the rookie.
These veterans would intentionally take the rookies to the most dangerous, sensitive, and complex areas of the city to create small incidents and give them a jolt. After being thoroughly scared, the rookie would quickly grow up. So, this day was internally known as "Training Day," a simple term that held a playful and mocking tone.
Greg and Kip exchanged glances, and they, too, began to look forward to it.
Standing on the edge of the training field, Lu Ke began to do some simple stretching to relax his arm muscles.
He still wasn't in his best condition today. His muscles were a little tight, and his nervousness and impatience had inevitably affected his muscle condition. However, after more than six months of consistent yoga practice, the results were starting to show. His muscle activity, flexibility, and endurance had improved significantly.
For example, at the rookie training camp, the soreness in his muscles after a series of long passes was indescribable. But now, they were only slightly sore, and after a little massage and relaxation, the feeling gradually subsided.
"Beep!" a whistle sounded. Bobby, who was standing on the edge of the field, called out, "All quarterbacks who are trying out, come here."
"What's going on?" Scott quickly walked over and stood next to Lu Ke, looking curiously at his surroundings. "Did you notice? There are players coming over from the official practice facility. What do you think they're going to do?"
Lu Ke also noticed the players coming over, but their expressions didn't give away much information. "Tryouts are always the same. It's either tests or practice games. No matter what, numbers are just numbers. We'll have to get on the field to see how it goes."
"But it's only the first day of the tryout. So fast?" Scott frowned, and he and Lu Ke walked together to join the main group, heading toward where the coaching staff was.
"Thank you, players, for coming to the 49ers' tryout. I won't waste time with pleasantries." Jim Harbaugh, the head coach, stepped forward. He didn't greet them or even introduce himself. He just got straight to the point.
"Next, we'll have a simple practice game. The offensive and defensive players will all be from the same group of players. Each quarterback will use the same offensive line and face the same defensive players. You will have ten offensive downs." Jim simply explained the situation in a few words, and Lu Ke and Scott exchanged glances. It was as they had expected. "You must complete all ten offensive downs. Whether it's an interception or a touchdown, no matter what the result, you can't leave the field until you've completed all ten downs. Any questions?"
Unlike at the rookie training camp, an interception or a touchdown wouldn't end the game. Each quarterback had to complete all ten offensive downs. This meant that the coaching staff wanted to get a more comprehensive look at the quarterbacks' ability to handle pressure on the field.
For example, after just throwing an interception, how would the quarterback choose to pass the ball again? Would they challenge the player who just intercepted them? Would they change the play? Or would they choose a running back?
"Also, there are no running backs," Jim added. "In turn, the defense will remove one safety."
Without the cover of a running back, the quarterback's offensive options were immediately reduced by one-third. This was good for running quarterbacks but a big test for passing quarterbacks.
Furthermore, using the same group of players meant that the earlier a quarterback went on the field, the more energy and stamina the other players would have, and the more intense the game would be. The later a quarterback went on, the more of an advantage they would have. Of course, going on first also had its advantages, such as catching the opponents off guard before they were fully warmed up.
The key was how to choose and what to weigh.
"Anyone want to volunteer to go first?" Jim scanned the crowd.
"Me!"
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