SANTA CLARA — Compared to the transition from Trey Lance to Jimmy Garoppolo, the latest change at quarterback should be a lot less complicated for the 49ers and their coaching staff.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and his largely new offensive coaching staff built the entire offseason around the dual-threat skills of Lance.
When Lance sustained a season-ending injury in Week 2, the 49ers turned back to Garoppolo and the way things were done in the past. But because few of those coaches were around in previous seasons, it was all new to them.
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Now, the move from Garoppolo to Brock Purdy will mostly be a carry-over of the past nine weeks of preparation.
“We’re trying not to make it a drastic change,” Shanahan said of Purdy and Garoppolo. “They have a similar skill set. We got a lot of confidence in Brock. We’ve seen him in practice, the players have, we have, and that’s why we’re confident in him.
“But he hasn’t played a ton of football, so there’s some unknown out there. We know he has the ability to do it. I know he has the mentality to do it.”
Garoppolo did not take part in the offseason program or training camp as he went through physical therapy this summer to get his surgically repaired right shoulder back into condition to play.
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First-year quarterbacks coach Brian Griese had barely spent any time with Garoppolo until the week leading into the season when the veteran quarterback accepted a dramatic pay cut to remain with the team.
After Lance’s injury, the 49ers reverted back to their offensive style of past seasons with Garoppolo.
Now, very little changes as the team goes with Purdy as the starter with Garoppolo out for at least the regular season with a fractured left foot.
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“I think it (the challenge) was a little bigger from Trey to Jimmy, just in terms of the running element that Trey had,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan said so much of the game plans with Lance at quarterback was focused on formations, shifts, motions and play calls to provide openings for Lance to utilize his running skills.
“Jimmy and Brock aren’t necessarily running threats, so you don’t sit there and design stuff like that,” Shanahan said. “But they’re both definitely mobile enough to make plays with their legs.”