American Football: King of the Bay Area

Alex Smith stepped up, finding wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. with a quick, accurate six-yard pass for a gain.

Colin Kaepernick came up next. He took a bit longer to make his decision on an eight-yard pass, but his nimble footwork allowed him to scramble out of the pocket and find Michael Crabtree, also for a gain.

Lu Ke’s turn. A four-yard screen pass. He drew the defense to the left, and once the mismatch was created between the offensive and defensive lines, he delivered a precise and efficient pass to connect with Kyle Williams for a completion.

Scott Torsin stepped up. A five-yard short pass. His understanding of the play was fine, but his release was half a beat slow, throwing off Vernon Davis’s positioning. The ball was like a hot potato in his hands; he juggled it a few times before precariously securing the catch.

...

The four quarterbacks took turns, the tactical drills proceeding in an orderly fashion. A tense atmosphere permeated the practice field. Every player seemed to be aware of the importance of the day’s training, and with their focus razor-sharp, the quality of the practice was impressively high.

The most interesting part was that all four quarterbacks were performing steadily. Even Scott, the weakest of the group, had succeeded on all three of his attempts, showing some respectable competitiveness.

Healthy competition always brings out a player’s potential.

In the fourth round, Smith and Kaepernick once again completed their passes without a hitch. When it was Lu Ke’s turn, he followed his routine, heading over to Craig Roman’s side to get the play call before preparing to take the field. But he paused for a moment. ”Coach, this is a running play. We don’t have a running back. Or... do you need Marcus to go in?”

Craig’s eyes widened like saucers. ”Ah, my bad. I can’t believe I forgot. Guess my brain’s not fully awake yet this morning.” Then, Craig looked up at the player formations on the field and called a new play.

But this time, Lu Ke still didn’t leave. Craig looked at him, puzzled. ”What’s wrong? Another problem?”

”Coach, this is a red zone play. A high-pressure one. We’re on our own twenty-yard line. It’s not really the right situation to run it,” Lu Ke said, his gaze intense as he looked earnestly at Craig and voiced his doubt.

But Craig didn’t offer an explanation. Instead, he shot back, ”What, is there a problem? You can’t run it?”

”No problem.” Lu Ke didn’t argue further. He turned and jogged onto the field.

Craig turned his head and exchanged a look with Jim Hubble and Kip Kester, breaking into a wry smile.

Kip shrugged. ”I told you. When it comes to the playbook, Lu Ke’s got no issues. He knows what he’s doing, maybe even better than we do.”

It was a test—a deliberate flaw engineered by Craig. A team’s offensive plays had endless permutations, and a quarterback had to keep a clear head. It wasn’t about simply repeating a play; they had to truly understand it.

For a rookie quarterback, the amount of information during a game was immense. It came from the coaching staff, the opposing Defense Team, their own offense, the fans, the referees, and most importantly, the countless variables of the game itself. They had to make a judgment in the blink of an eye, which was no easy feat.

So, when the coaches sent in a play, a rookie quarterback’s head could get stuffed full of instructions. He’d know the play call and how it was supposed to unfold, but he’d neglect to read the game. What would he do then?

The most likely scenario: before the snap, the rookie quarterback would have already picked his target. He’d then lock his eyes onto his predetermined receiver—very likely the team’s number one or star wide receiver.

If the wide receiver managed to get open, the play would be an instant success. But if the receiver was covered, the rookie quarterback would panic. With no backup plan and no read on the game, he’d still throw the pass out of sheer reflex. The best-case scenario would be an incompletion. The worst-case could be an interception, maybe even a pick-six.

A lack of reads, and a lack of adjustments.

A rookie quarterback has a lot to learn to become a veteran. In truth, Lu Ke had this same flaw.

For example, in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, there were several downs where he had locked onto his receiver before the throw, strictly following the play call to make the pass. It was just that Lu Ke’s reads on the defense and tactical awareness were so exceptional that he managed the situation skillfully, and his receiver got open for the completion.

Compared to an average rookie quarterback, Lu Ke’s ability to adapt was already outstanding. Only one interception and one fumble in three games was the best proof.

Just now, Craig had deliberately revealed a flaw in the play call, and just as expected, Lu Ke had seen through it. Without the pressure of a real game, Lu Ke’s awareness was even sharper, better showcasing his strengths in tactical command and situational understanding.

Kip wasn’t surprised by this at all, and Jim wasn’t particularly shocked either. In less than two months, they had all witnessed the speed of Lu Ke’s growth.

In fact, of the San Francisco 49ers’ four quarterbacks, three were pocket passers and one was a mobile quarterback. But in reality, the styles of all four were quite distinct from one another.

Smith’s weakness was the long ball; he lacked both the arm strength and the courage to attempt it. However, his command of the short passing game and his ability to control mistakes were second to none—not just among these four quarterbacks, but ranking among the best in the League.

Unfortunately, this lack of a deep threat shackled their play-calling, making it relatively easy for a Defense Team to strategize against them. Especially in crucial moments, Smith lacked the ability to deliver a knockout blow. The San Francisco 49ers had lost many key games over the past few years for this very reason.

Kaepernick’s greatest strength was undoubtedly his mobility. Because of his long legs and nimble feet, the team’s rookies even jokingly nicknamed him ”Daddy Long Legs.” Under pressure, he could proactively leave the pocket to either run the ball himself or escape the danger of a sack to complete a pass.

However, Kaepernick’s passing accuracy and consistency were still lacking. Worst of all was his comprehension of the playbook; he had never quite managed to get up to speed.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t smart, but that his habits from his college playing days had carried over. He knew the plays, but when he encountered trouble, he would habitually rely on his mobility and physique to solve the problem, rather than the play itself. During the four preseason games, Kaepernick discovered that the professional league was overflowing with physical specimens, especially on the Defense Team. His physical advantages were eroded, and his offense got bogged down in the mud.

Lu Ke’s strengths, conversely, were his tactical understanding and application. His command of the on-field situation was so seasoned he didn’t seem like a rookie, and over the past three games, the coaching staff had repeatedly given him more control, yielding impressive returns. Of course, his ability to strike deep with the long ball was also his most potent weapon.

On the other hand, Lu Ke had gained some weight, but it still wasn’t enough. Furthermore, his explosive power, leg mobility, and accuracy in the short-to-intermediate range all required more work. Beyond that, Lu Ke’s decision-making was too risky. His all-or-nothing style was like dancing on a tightrope—a potential liability.

Over the past three games, Lu Ke had maintained impressive form, and opponents didn’t yet fully understand his passing tendencies, so these risky choices had almost all paid off. But in the long run, they would be facing increasing risk. If you play with fire, you’re bound to get burned.

Lastly, there was Scott Torsin. He possessed Smith’s strength of short-pass accuracy, Lu Ke’s strength of quick tactical comprehension, and Kaepernick’s strength of a relatively solid physique. However, none of these traits were elite. Combined, they made him seem mediocre. His decision-making and execution on the field lacked any highlight-reel potential.

Additionally, Torsin lacked a firm hand.

As Jim had said, he needed to choose the quarterback who was the best fit for the team. That was the core focus of today’s practice. ’Let’s see. Let’s see what Lu Ke decides to do.’

A red zone play, but they were being forced to run it from their own twenty-yard line. Time to see how Lu Ke would adapt on the fly.

This was an all-out passing play designed for the red zone, run from the Shotgun Formation. Four receiving options to the left, one to the right. According to the play design, the pass was meant to go left. The four receivers would split up; one player would cut inside toward the middle, while the other three would fan out left, with two running interference to create a block and one breaking deep.

After the snap, the quarterback was supposed to scan the four targets, find an opening, and complete the pass.

But this was a seven-on-seven drill, which meant the quarterback only had three available receivers. Two on the left, one on the right. They lost the advantage of layered routes and supplementary blocking.

Not only that, but a red zone offense is run from less than ten yards from the End Zone; the action is quick, and windows of opportunity are fleeting. But now, the entire field was open in front of them, filled with endless possibilities and just as many dangers.

Lu Ke didn’t hesitate. He jogged onto the field, and in that short distance from the sideline, he had already made his decision. He gathered his teammates and quickly relayed the play. They all looked at him in surprise—everyone knew this was a red zone play.

Lu Ke nodded firmly. ”I’m sure. I didn’t miscommunicate, and you didn’t mishear. So, let’s go out there and show them something!”

His teammates didn’t question him or say another word. Instead, they broke into smiles and nodded in understanding. After fighting alongside him for three weeks, they were slowly getting used to trusting Lu Ke. So far, their trust had paid off well.

After they lined up, Lu Ke stood in the Shotgun Formation, his gaze sharp as he surveyed the members of the Defense Team opposite him.

Parris Harrisson was among them. He was an outside linebacker, a versatile role that could have him blitzing the quarterback, stopping the running back, or defending against short passes. Right now, Parris’s eyes were locked onto Lu Ke, and he looked poised to rush.