Why are rookie players always called "rookies"? Why are rookie quarterbacks, in particular, always met with more scrutiny and challenges?
Is it because rookie quarterbacks lack ability? Obviously not. After being polished and trained in the college leagues, many rookie quarterbacks' abilities have actually reached or even surpassed the league average. But there's a reason why their performance isn't outstanding after they enter the professional league.
On the one hand, there's a lack of experience. The intensity and ferocity of the NFL are far higher than in the NCAA. For a quarterback, a lack of sufficient experience often leads to panic, tension, and a sense of being overwhelmed during a crisis, which means making mistakes. In football, mistakes and turnovers are often fatal.
On the other hand, there's the difference in strategy. The strategies in the NFL are constantly changing. A simple screen pass can be executed in a multitude of ways. The details of a single play can involve multiple positions such as the running back, wide receiver, and offensive line, while also requiring the quarterback to read the defense, including the linebackers, cornerbacks, and the offensive line, which can be very complex and confusing.
A notable example is Cam Newton. After he entered the Carolina Panthers, the thick playbook became a major headache for him. He was even scolded by the coaching staff several times for not being able to understand the playbook. Misunderstanding and making mistakes with the playbook can lead to many different outcomes: a communication breakdown between the coaching staff and the quarterback, poor communication between the quarterback and the offensive line, and miscommunication between the quarterback and the receivers.
The Wonderlic Test is not just a formality.
However, Cam wasn't the only quarterback in the league who had problems with the playbook. In fact, in the league, not to mention rookie quarterbacks, even many veteran quarterbacks were still clueless after two or three seasons and were prone to making mistakes at key moments.
Furthermore, there are many cases where rookie quarterbacks, unable to fully grasp the playbook and unable to understand the team's tactics, quietly leave the league after just one or two seasons. The most famous example is Ryan Leaf.
The famous Ryan Leaf was on par with Peyton Manning in the NCAA. Their abilities, experience, performance, charisma, and physical fitness were all very similar. Even their Wonderlic Test scores were only one point apart.
In the 1998 draft, the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers had the first and second picks, respectively. At the time, it was widely believed that this was one of the most predictable drafts. One team would pick one quarterback, and the other team would pick the remaining one. It was that simple.
After the rookie training camp, the Colts were in a happy dilemma over whether they should pick Leaf or Manning. Until the draft, the experts, veteran scouts, and team coaches were all at odds, unable to choose between the two quarterbacks. Of course, they also believed that no matter who they chose, it would not be a wrong choice.
In the end, the Colts chose Manning, and the Chargers chose Leaf.
After joining their respective teams, both rookie quarterbacks became their teams' starters. But that's where the disaster began. Leaf was never able to fully read the playbook, and his performance on the field was terrible. He couldn't keep up with the rhythm of the professional league. His personal attitude was even more of a nightmare. He played in the same way he did in college and even gave up on games on the field.
In the end, Leaf's rookie season quarterback rating was only 39, which was almost the lowest in rookie history. In the three seasons he stayed with the Chargers, he was still never able to fully grasp the playbook and adapt to the rhythm of the professional league. After the 2000 season, the Chargers cut Leaf.
Later, Leaf went to several other teams for tryouts and stayed on the practice squad. But even then, his abilities still couldn't meet the requirements of the professional league. After hitting a wall everywhere he went, he had no choice but to retire. After that, he was sent to prison for drug and alcohol-related problems.
Ryan Leaf is widely considered the biggest bust in the history of the NFL draft.
The playbook, the league's intensity, the game's rhythm…these are all the weaknesses of rookie quarterbacks. So, during the offseason, teams organize multiple training camps, including a special training camp for quarterbacks and receivers, to fully understand the playbook. In addition, teams tend to let rookie quarterbacks learn behind a veteran quarterback for a few seasons for the same reason.
In football or basketball, rookie players can often inject new vitality into a team, and many coaches even prefer young players. But in football, the complex tactics put rookie players at a disadvantage.
Generally, when given a choice, most teams will choose a veteran quarterback.
The reason why Lu Ke was able to become the team's starting quarterback was not because he had won the coaches' approval. It was because the regular season was just around the corner, and the coaching staff had no other choice. Now that Alex Smith was back on the team, the coaching staff once again had a choice, so what should they decide?
Is Alex a top-tier quarterback? At least in the past few years, he hasn't shown the potential to be a top-tier player. He's a quarterback who is slightly above average. His accuracy on short passes and lack of turnovers are his strengths, while his lack of deep passes, with the lowest number of attempts in the entire league, is his weakness. So, the San Francisco 49ers have always lacked the spirit to win tough games.
During the offseason, Alex first left the team, but then Jim decided to sign Alex back.
The reason was simple: one-third of the San Francisco 49ers' players were new, and they needed time to gel and get organized. A quarterback with a low turnover rate and a steady style was a positive factor for the team. At the same time, they also hoped that Alex could become a mentor to Colin Kaepernick and help the rookie quarterback grow. Maybe after a season of transition, the 49ers' quarterback position could be passed down.
By all accounts, choosing Alex was a natural choice. But after two games, the situation seemed to have subtly changed.
"Personally, I think…we should still choose Alex. Lu Ke's performance has amazed many people, and that's a fact. He does have a lot of strengths. But I think he's a little too aggressive. Especially the few passes in the second game, including 'that catch,' those passes were like walking a tightrope. It's not possible to succeed every time. One mistake could ruin the whole game. So, uh…Alex?"
"I don't think that's a problem we need to worry about. I think the most valuable thing about Lu Ke is his ability to read the game on the field. He still has some shortcomings in his ability, but he can make up for it with his intelligence. The process of the two wins was different, but the pattern was somewhat similar. I think this is the spirit our team needs."
"Then how do we solve the problem of inconsistent performance? A rookie quarterback's performance is always a roller coaster, and Lu Ke is no exception. This happened in both games. He completely lost his rhythm in a certain quarter and was completely shut down. As the season progresses, more and more people will start to study Lu Ke, and his weaknesses will become more and more apparent, and our games will become more and more difficult."
"The disadvantage of a rookie quarterback is inconsistent performance, while the advantage is a different use of tactics and interpretation of the game. I think this is acceptable. Alex's steady passing might not lead to turnovers, but at the same time, it might also make it difficult to win. We are a brand new team, and we need some courage."
"But what about Lu Ke's relationship with the other players? I'm not sure what's going on exactly. Is it because he's a rookie? Is it because they support Alex more? Is it because Lu Ke lacks charisma? Or is it because of Lu Ke's Chinese-American identity? Please, guys, we can't pretend we don't see the elephant in the room. If Lu Ke continues to be the starting quarterback, the locker room problems cannot be ignored."
Kipp was the last one to speak, and he finally said what was on his mind.
Football is a team sport, and they need the entire team to be united.
Kipp had originally thought that since this was San Francisco, one of the best cities for cultural integration on the North American continent, and also a city with one of the top three Asian and Chinese populations in the United States, no team in the entire league was more suitable for a Chinese-American quarterback than the 49ers.
Just imagine, if it were in one of the conservative areas in the Midwest, a Chinese-American quarterback might be met with beer bottles, rotten tomatoes, and garbage.
But in reality, the situation was not optimistic. Kipp couldn't be sure if Lu Ke's Chinese-American identity was causing controversy or if it was the fuse for the locker room conflict, but they had to be aware of the problem and face it head-on, or things would only get worse.
Kipp's words made everyone in the locker room fall silent. They exchanged glances but didn't say anything and instead looked at Jim.
This scene felt familiar. Back then, after the tryout, the coaching staff gathered to discuss who should stay. But the situation seemed to be a little different. At that time, the opposition was dominant, and everyone was red-faced arguing, but today it was a draw, and everyone was calmly expressing their opinions.
You could tell that even they were a little unsure. No matter whether they chose Alex or Lu Ke, they all had a little hesitation. The two wins were incredibly exciting, but they weren't enough to completely turn things around.
Back then, Jim Harbaugh was the one who made the final decision. Today, the decision-making power was also in Jim Harbaugh's hands. However, now they were also facing another problem: the locker room conflict. How should Jim handle it?
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