Sometimes coaches see things we scribes, pundits and so-called experts fail to see.
Such was the case late last night, when 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Colt McCoy had done enough to win the backup quarterback job.
“I feel real good about Colt as the backup quarterback,” Harbaugh said after Sunday’s game, via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Meetings last week apparently put him on more stable footing.
“Jim (Harbaugh) and I had a great week. We talked and we met a lot,” McCoy said. “Between us, I think we figured each other out a lot better.
“I hadn’t performed the way I know I can’t perform. I hadn’t picked up the offense as well as I’d like to.”
It was a big weekend for the quarterback, who helped his chances of staying by agreeing to a pay cut as well.
“It really happened quick,” McCoy said. “This is a tremendous team. It’s well-coached. It’s a great organization from top to bottom. And when I was approached. This is personal, but I’m glad to be here. That’s new to me. I’d never done anything like that. But it’s all fine.”
Of course, to suggest McCoy is on stable footing would be a little naive. He was dangled in trade talks over the weekend, and his line from last night’s game (11-of-15 for 109 yards with an interception) wasn’t the kind of light bulb moment that made you see his true brilliance as a player.
Mostly, it seems about a temporary lack of better options. McCoy played the bulk of the game, with rookie B.J. Daniels getting some time, along with Seneca Wallace. Scott Tolzien didn’t play, which can’t help his chances of hanging on.