49ers Training Camp updates..... (1 Viewer)

[derek19]

The 49ers got back to business on Sunday with an afternoon practice in front of 3,000 fans that marked the first of the 2007 Training Camp.

“It was nice to get the fan support today,” said head coach Mike Nolan. “It gives the players greater energy when the crowd is here. The energy and spirit were good.”

Aside from defensive end Melvin Oliver who was placed on the team’s PUP (physically unable to perform) list after tearing his ACL during the OTAs, the 49ers opened camp with a very healthy roster.

Several key players returned to action on Sunday including cornerback Shawntae Spencer, offensive linemen Jonas Jennings and Justin Smiley and wide receivers Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie.

“It was good to be back,” said Jennings. “I’m glad to be amongst the boys and it’s great to just be back out there competing with them again and my body feels good.”

Smiley also enjoyed his first full practice after having shoulder surgery at the end of last season.

“It was so exciting because when I got out there I felt like I had just started playing football again after five years of retirement,” said Smiley. “I was afraid I’d be a little slow and not as quick in reacting but it’s amazing how you don’t lose that. I did have one busted play which was a mental error where I went the wrong way, but it’s really exciting to get back out there. To see the talent we have on offense, that’s really inspiring.”

A key player missing from the offensive line is perennial Pro Bowl guard Larry Allen, who did not take part in the 49ers off-season program. Nolan said he expects his starting left guard to report to camp first thing Monday morning.

Quarterback Alex Smith, already happy to see starters Jennings and Smiley back in the lineup, looks forward to Allen’s return.

“He’s a 12, 13 time Pro Bowler, so it’s tough to replace a guy with that type of experience,” said Smith. “He’s been through a lot, won a lot of games, won championships. It’s tough to replace him.”

Replacing Allen during Sunday’s practice at left guard was third-year lineman Adam Snyder, who continues to play a solid role on the line.

“With some guys not being here for the off-season, that allowed a lot of the younger guys to really get some work and experience,” said Smith. “There’s a lot more depth up front, guys are really competing and making each other better and that’s only going to help us this season.”

Sunday marked the first time Smith got to take advantage of a few other personnel upgrades since receiver as Jackson had been recovering from turf toe while Lelie went down in the first OTA practice with a quad injury.

“It’s nice to have so much more depth,” said Smith. “That seems like the biggest difference this camp because there are so many different guys out there who can make plans when you put the ball in their hands. We’ve got so many guys who can do a lot of things for you, especially from a quarterback’s perspective, that’s really nice. I’m excited about that, to not have to go out there and worry about who is in the game because everyone out there can make plays, so I can just go where I need to with the ball based on what the defense is.”

A few throws were off between Smith and his most recent targets, but with two-a-day practices for the next few weeks, there’s still plenty of time to chip away at the rust.

“It went pretty good, everyone was in high spirits, including myself and we came out and got some good work for a first practice,” said Jackson. “We made a couple of mistakes but that’s guaranteed to happen when you are getting in the swing of things. Timing and chemistry comes over time and you have to work at it. It’s a long training camp and we hope to get better every day.”

The only player who did not participate in practice was defensive lineman Bryant Young. Nolan said the veteran might miss a few days with a back injury, but indicated the injury is not serious.

ROOKIE SHOWING

While his teammates gathered at team headquarters for their first meeting with Coach Nolan on Saturday night, linebacker Patrick Willis sat on the couch of his Santana Row home waiting for new on his rookie contract and watching game tape waiting

“I just wanted to watch some games just to do something to make me feel like I was in football because my other teammates had gone through a meeting,” said Willis. “I finally got the call from my agent. He told me to be there in about an hour and not to drive crazy or have an accident, and so that’s what I did.”

Around 11:15 p.m., Willis arrived at the facility, signed his contract, and caught a few hours of sleep before arriving bright and early on Sunday for his first meeting.

“I would be lying to say it didn’t bother me to not be here last night because I’m a team player and going through mini camp and OTAs these guys knew I wanted nothing more than to be here for camp,” said Willis. “I knew it was a business so I just had to sit back and wait for it to be done and I am just blessed that everything got done so that I could be here on time. My job now is to come out and give the organization everything I’ve got.”

The 49ers other first-round pick, tackle Joe Staley, opted not to sweat it at all by being one of the earlier 49ers rookies to sign his deal.

“It was really important for me to be here and right when I signed my agent I told him I didn’t really care what happened, just to get me in camp on time and to get a deal done,” said Staley. “Offensive linemen have so much to do, getting our technique down and learning the playbook, so it was very important not to miss one day and I wanted to show my teammates that I was very committed to being here.”

Staley earned chants from the bleachers with an impressive showing during the one-on-one period between the offensive and defensive lines.

“I was really hyped because you want to perform well for the fans,” said Staley. “It was the first chance for them to see all of the draft picks and new acquisitions so you kind of had a little bit of nerves but once you got out there and got going, it was just like playing football when you were in pee wee.”

Rookie cornerback Tarell Brown also earned props from the fans and his coaches with a spectacular leaping interception.

“He was in there playing nickel and he made a great play,” said defensive backs coach Vance Joseph. “He showed great vision and explosion, broke on the ball, and really showed excellent vertical to get the steal.”

OTHER FAN FAVS

Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain also showed the crowd a little more than he bargained for. After stripping the ball loose from Darrell Jackson, the free acquisition from the Patriots had a little trouble before eventually recovering the turnover several yards downfield.

Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore looked light on his feet during several long runs, including a huge burst up the middle in the first team period of practice. Tight end Vernon Davis also made several grabs and spin moves to work his way up the field, while linebacker Jeff Ulbrich almost came away with an interception during the skeleton period.

http://www.sf49ers.com/pressbox/news_detai...ction=PR%20News

 

[derek19]

Q&A With Mr. Nolan...

RE: Opening statement:

“A couple things here just before we get started – Larry Allen will be here tomorrow morning, at eight o’clock for personal reasons. This is something that I anticipated, way back when he and I had first spoken. But it is strictly personal, and that is the reason for it.

“I do want to thank the fans. We had great fan participation today, some positive and some just ribbing. It was a good turnout, so hopefully that continues. Usually, that gives us better energy for the practice, so that was a good thing there. Melvin Oliver was placed on PUP/Active (physically unable to perform list). He is somebody that we’re likely to decide on mid-season, but when we get to that point, we will have to make that decision to put him on IR. We are going to do it this way rather than just IR-ing him through the training camp. We are going to leave that door open. But also realistically, that means that he will have a better opportunity to come back from the injury. It actually is our way of doing the player right, because he gets a credit on the season. Other than that, B.Y. (Bryant Young) is not injured, but he had an epidural shot in his back the other day. It’s just more of a preventative thing than anything. He had one, not last year but the year before. This year he said that, I’m not sure if any of you have had any back problems, but he said he felt something in there a little bit. So we wanted to do that now. So he’ll be back in a couple of days.”

RE: Was Young put on PUP?

“No, we didn’t even have to get an extension or anything. It will be just a couple of days until he is back out here. Like I said, it was more preventative than anything else.”

RE: Did Larry Allen ever talk to you about considering or contemplating retirement?

“No, I think it is deeper, in fact I know it is because it is more personal than that.”

RE: Do you have any impressions from the first day of practice?

“Tomorrow, we get the pads on. Today, obviously we had to run out in shorts. So it’s hard to tell. It was a little like an OTA today. But the energy was good, no complaints about that. Enthusiasm was all around. The enthusiasm was there, which it is always there on the first day. So nothing really stood out to impress me one way or another. Like I said, until we get the pads on, it is hard to tell. Tomorrow we are going to see a lot more.”

RE: What kind of a chance does Patrick Willis have at making an impact this season being here from day one?

“Well, it certainly gives him the best of opportunities because he is not cheating himself by holding out or anything. I thought his people did a good job of getting him signed and I thought we did a good job to some degree. It will help Patrick because it will give him every opportunity that you would like a rookie to have. It’s hard sometimes when a guy comes in a week late to know exactly what he missed from the standpoint of growth. But at the same time there is no room for questioning. He has every opportunity to make a statement and play.”

RE: Right now, is he running with the second defense?

“He is running in the base package in the second group and the third down package in the first group.”

RE: Would you rather he had signed a six-year deal?

“I’d rather he sign a 10-year deal. Five was the best we could do right now.”

RE: Is that what held up the contract signing?

“No, all those are just parts of the negotiations. It’s a give-and-take. I’d like to think there are some other things we got since we went to five (years).”

RE: What were the impressions from having both Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie on the field together?

“I didn’t get any quick impressions. I just got to watch them run around.”

RE: Will you monitor how much they practice?

“I’ll watch it now. They’ll go in and they’ll get treatment. I’ll meet with Jeff Ferguson (head trainer) this evening, and they’ll let me know how they came out of it. That was something we did talk about going into training camp. Those two being two of the players that we said we would watch how they did early on, and if we have to cut back on their two-a-days and give them one-a-days, we will. But, we’re going to meet on it, rather than just say, ‘This is what we’re doing.’”

RE: When the team practices in pads, are there any players who will sit out?

“Yes. There are three players, as we did last year, the same ones that only practice during one-a-days. That’s B.Y., Walt Harris, and Larry Allen. Those three guys will go one-a-day, regardless of what anyone else does.”

RE: One the “different smell in the air”

“I guess you’re talking about expectations, and as we all know, everyone has expectations. We live in San Francisco, so we get to hear about all the expectations here, and that’s all great. But if you live in St. Louis, they’re talking about a high-octane offense, (Steven) Jackson getting 2,500 yards. If you go to Seattle, you hear about them staying atop the West two more years. If you go to Arizona, you hear about a new staff, Russ Grimm, and all of a sudden, they’re going to be the best line that ever hit the field. Everybody is positive, and everybody is optimistic. It’s nice that we are as well, but we’re realistic also. This is not a just-because-we-beat-Denver kind of thing. If we’ve got expectations, and they’re realistic at all, they better be deeper than just one game. To me, they are. To me, this is going into our third year. We’ve been putting this together, building a foundation, putting walls on it, and hopefully we can put a roof on that thing this year. I hope that’s the difference for us. So, I like the expectations, but more importantly, I like the reasons that we have expectations, as opposed to just getting excited because there’s been a change.”

RE: Do you see more confidence in Alex Smith?

“You know, that’s going to be Alex. I hoped we were right when we drafted him, and I think we have been right. Alex is a steady guy. He just gets better and better. He’s not hot one day and cold the next. He doesn’t look like the stock market. He’s just a steady climb. That’s what I expect out of him. He’s intelligent, he’s smart, he’s tough, he’s all those things you look for. He comes to work every day, he’s the first one in and he’s the last one to leave. And for all of those reasons, I feel safe in saying that he’s going to get better and better and better. How good he’ll get, that, I don’t know. You didn’t ask me that question, but it’s something that I sometimes wonder. A guy that just shows steady growth all the time, if he plays 10, 12, 13 years, you like to think he’ll really be good at the top end of his experience. I think I know who he is, and for that reason, I think he’s a good fit for our team.”

RE: Do you think this team is more his team this year?

“I don’t really know what that means. I tell all my players that no one player can take us to the promised land and no one player is going to be bigger than the team. I wouldn’t want to really agree with you on that, because I don’t look at the team that way. I think it’s as much Frank’s (Gore), or the (offensive) line’s. It’s everybody together. Is Alex the quarterback of this team? Yes, he is. I would answer it that way—he is the quarterback.”

RE: Did Tully Banta-Cain provide a bit of a spark today?

“Yes, he does. I don’t know what spark you saw, but I like how he plays. He comes into our situation with experience. He has two or three Super Bowl rings, and that’s going to give anyone experience, even if you’re a backup on that team. The fact that he did play last year, was recognized among those guys as a player, when he comes here, he has some instant credibility that allows him to play with a little more looseness about what it takes to get on the field. Therefore, he can do what you’re saying. He can be verbal at times. He accomplished a little something before he got here. It’s not a great deal, because he was a backup there most of the time. But at the same time, he is a guy that we’re looking to start. I like his confidence. You want a player that has some confidence.”

http://www.sf49ers.com/pressbox/news_detai...ction=PR%20News

 

[derek19]

Larry Allen reported to camp this morning, as promised....

 

[Trap Play]

^ Phew!

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

How has Jason Hill looked so far?

 

[dudaman]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

 

[BigRed]

thx but does anyone have a reader's digest version of how key people looked ie to observers and not coachspeak/etc?

 

[saintfool]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

 

[derek19]

By David Bonilla

5:30 pm: Next up are some passing drills. Two wide receivers, a tight end, fullback and running back. Smith is actually looking very good today. Just as I type that, Mark Roman picks Smith off after Gilmore can't make the catch. While Maxwell continues to impress, Gilmore has not been impressive at all.Jason Hill just caught a beautiful deep pass be Getsy after Markus Curry fell in coverage. Hill has some real speed out there. Vernon Davis is doing well on this drill as well. Battle looks great. I don't think I have seen him drop anything yet.Darrell Jackson did not practice today.Brandon Williams just fumbled a pass and it was recovered by Jake Patten.With that, day 2 of training camp is in the books.5:16 pm: During a scrimmage, Smith passes to Davis who catches it, takes a shot from Moore and keeps on going like it was nothing.For those interested in knowing, Gore has not been practicing.Someone just asked me if Smith looks better, especially on the deep ball. He looks better than he did yesterday. His deep ball is looking better. He did hit that deep one to Battle perfectly.He just scrambled to his left to avoid a sack and got the ball off. Unfortunately, it was incomplete.At running back, Hicks looks good, but Clayton looks so much better.Dalanie Walker just dropped an easy pass that was not even 10 yards deep. He recovers by catching the next pass on a similar play.5:06 pm: They have moved on to some punt returning drills for a very short time.5:03 pm: Nothing really intersting to report here. The teams is just practicing by hitting the pads a bit.4:56 pm: The offense works against the defense again. Two wide receivers, tight end, running back and fullback. The first pass from Smith hits Davis in stride.While Shaun Hills throwing motion looks off at times, he is doing pretty well. Just as I type that, Patrick Willis picks off a Hill pass.Battle really is looking good. He catches everything Smith throws to him. Tarell Brown is looking pretty good in coverage as well.4:44 pm: With that drill over, the offense gets a little work in. Smith and Hill work with the receivers while Getsy works with the running backs and offensive lineman.Lelie appears to be catching the deep ball well.4:35 pm: Now it is the receiver against the corners. On the first play, Battle catches a Smith pass despite good coverage by Clements.My attention has moved to what appears to be the Oklahoma Drill. Basically, a defensive player against an offensive lineman or player in an attempt to get to the quarterback. Dilfer is practicing with this group. Willis and Lawson are looking great in this drill. Willis is just blowing by people.Back with the receivers, Smith just completed a very deep pass to Battle who was covered by Clements. Spencer is really taking care of side of the field.Back at the Oklahoma Drill, Davis and Moore are really getting into it, much to the fans delight. Davis even waves his hands to pump up the crowd. The crowd is eating this up.4:25 pm: The team starts with a full offense vs defense drill. Three wide receivers and no running back. The first pass is a Smith to Delanie Walker completion up the middle. The second is a short completion to Moran Norris from Alex Smith. Hill comes up next and looks good in his first play. On his second play, a completion to Maurice Hicks up the middle. Smith's next time up is an incompletion. Next is a completion to his left to Hicks. The defense is playing with only four defensive backs and three linebackers.Now the quarterbacks practice passing drills to the tight ends. Walker is looking pretty good as is Davis.I really can't see what the defense is doing from here.Davis catches a nice passabout 20 yards deep from Smith. Walker drops one. In his defense, it was not a great pass. The crowd cheers as Davis catches a pass about 30 yards deep. He catches another from Smith up the middle. So far, he is catching everything.4:07 pm: By the way, Larry Allen is here practicing with the team.4:03 pm: The entire team is stretching as a group. Alex Smith is right near us.3:58 pm: The entire team starts again by running sprints across the field. The smaller crowd of fans cheer as they start this session of training camp.3:54 pm: The rest of the offense and defense comes out onto the field, much to the delight of the fans. It is a much smaller group of fans here today. Maybe 30% of the attendance yesterday.3:50 pm: A few more players come out including guys like Kwama Harris, Maany Lawson, Shawntae Spencer and others.Dilfer is not in pads today. He is the only quarterback not wearing any. Just a jersey, shorts and a hat. No helmet like the others.3:48 pm: Smith, Hill and Getsy practice dropping back and then move on to some light passes. Dilfer joins them at this point. They are passing footballs back and forth to each other. Smith to Getsy and Dilfer to Hill.3:44 pm: All four quarterbacks are the next ones out on the field. Like yesterday, the start out with some simple stretches.3:42 pm: Bryan Gilmore is the first player on the field. He just looks to be relaxing a bit before camp.What was supposed to be just another fun day at 49ers training camp has been put into perspective by the news of the passing of legendary San Francisco head coach Bill Walsh. Walsh died at 10:45 am. However, I was unaware of the news until I checked the 49erswebzone front page while eating a late lunch at a restaurant near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Needless to say that the news of the passing of such an iconic figure was a shock to me. Walsh had been battling leukemia for three years. To fans like me, I never really thought about the worst case scenario. Walsh was a Superman in by eyes. He was to the San Francisco 49ers what coaches like John Wooden are to schools like UCLA.I must admit that I was too young to watch the majority of Bill Walsh's legendary career with the San Francisco 49ers having only caught the very end. I have to imagine that many of the fans in my age group or younger remember very little of "The Genuis" as well. Like many, they probably remember him better as a consultant and general manager with the team years after his departure as head coach. However, thanks to the media and the internet, fans of all ages are well aware of the man's influence in the NFL today. Not only did many current NFL coaches get their start by learning from Walsh, but his offensive system still influences many current NFL playbooks.Walsh's ability to draw a battle plan for games and draft key players turned the 49ers into one of the greatest dynasties in sports. He was loved by the Bay Area and respected by his peers. If Walsh said something, you listened intently. He was very approachable, down to earth and loved the game for what it was...a 100-yard chess match.It is tough to imagine that I now live in a world where there is no Bill Walsh. He will remain in my memories for a lifetime.

 

[identikit]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

Lelie can't really do either very well; catch or run-block.Id

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

So how has Jason Hill looked though. Just wondering how he is fitting in, not so much for this year, but for dynasty purposes.

 

[toxicbees]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

So how has Jason Hill looked though. Just wondering how he is fitting in, not so much for this year, but for dynasty purposes.

From what I've been reading Hill is the WR4, the Niners are planning to bring him along slowly. He could overtake Battle at some point this year though.He caught a 45 yard bomb for a TD in training camp today.

 

[derek19]

Chrissy MauckJuly 30, 2007

The 49ers were put through their only day of camp with double practices in pads and head coach Mike Nolan guaranteed some fire when he began the first team period with the old fashioned Oklahoma Drill. “That’s a famous drill, and a good way to start out in when you put the pads on for the first time,” said guard Justin Smiley. “It’s special and Coach knew it would be a good drill to get us fired up and ready to go. Whenever you do that drill, tempers tend to flair and it gets everyone going.” The drill pits an offensive versus defensive player with bags laid out as lanes that a ball carrier must shoot through before the defensive player sheds the block and makes the tackle. Tempers and trash talking heated up amongst the players with Joe Staley and Sam Rayburn coming close to having the camp’s first brawl with a little extra push and shove after the play. Linebacker Manny Lawson and tight end Vernon Davis continued their usual verbal sparring when Lawson got off his block to bring down the ball carrier. “We knew when we were drafted that we’d be competing and it would be like that as long as we’re together,” said Lawson. “We like to give each other the best we’ve got and let the best man win. In that drill, I think it was me.” As a whole, the receiving corps also had a strong showing during the drill. “We take great pride in blocking because we’ve got an outstanding back in Frank Gore and the guys behind him and they need our help too,” said wide receiver Arnaz Battle. “The running game was a strength for us last year and we need it to be again this year, which only opens up things for us in the passing game.” All players were under close examination on Monday, particularly the new additions. Throughout the off-season, Nolan and Vice President of Player Personnel Scot McCloughan had made the statement that they wouldn’t really know what they’ve got until they saw them in pads. “Once the pads are on, it’s really more like game speed and that’s when we can really tell a difference in the players,” said McCloughan. “They get the pads on, they go much harder, and you can see which guys make plays. For a first day, it went very well but it’ll also be important to see how they hold up by the end of the week.” Rookie linebacker Jay Moore had no doubt that he and the rest of his draft class were being closely scrutinized during the two practices, and was eager to leave a solid first impression upon his evaluators. “It’s much easier to run around in sweats out there, but you put the pads on for the first time, you really want to make a good impression and show them that you are a ball player,” said Moore. The pads were also a good measuring stick for some of the returning players. “For me, it was kind of a test for my leg and to see how I felt back in pads which is much differentt than just wearing shorts,” said center Eric Heitmann. “I really thought we got better and looked a lot sharper in the afternoon practice and we really took some steps to better ourselves today. We’ve still got a long way to go, and that’s what training camp is for, but I was excited for this opportunity, and the chance to really hit people.” While Heitmann delivered a few blocks in his blocking attack, running back Michael Robinson, who took a majority of the reps after Frank Gore left with a fractured right hand said he actually appreciated receiving his first real hit. "The first time I get hit I always end up with a nose bleed, so I got that out of the way first thing this morning,” said Robinson. Plays of the Day Receiver Ashley Lelie looked sharp on a deep ball grab from quarterback Trent Dilfer during seven-on-seven in the morning practice. Newcomers Darnell Bing and Markus Curry came away with interceptions in the morning session, along with veteran corner Walt Harris who took one to the end zone during the seven-on-seven session. Rookie linebacker Patrick Willis and safety Mark Roman also notched picks in the afternoon. Summing Up the Competition “All the younger guys are doing a good job. Aubrayo Franklin is pretty stout in there, the thing that is impressive about him is he’s sharp mentally. He knows when we are blocking down or coming over the top. Ron Fields has gotten stronger and quicker, and he’s a force to be reckoned with as well.” – Justin Smiley More on the Injury FrontAs already mentioned, RB Frank Gore suffered a fracture in his right hand during the morning session. Head coach Mike Nolan said that Gore will sit-out the rest of this week and is expected to return to practice next week when they place a cast on his hand that will protect his hand during contact. DT Bryant Young remains out with a sore back. QB Trent Dilfer and CB Walt Harris are being held to just one practice per day and sat out of work in the afternoon. Rookie G Sean Estrada sat out in the afternoon with a knee strain. Rookie DT Ray McDonald suffered a dislocated finger in the first practice, but was able to work in the afternoon.

 

[derek19]

Q&A with Mr. Nolan, day 2

July 30, 2007 (Afternoon Practice)

RE: Opening statement:

“Well, I think it is appropriate to say that we lost somebody today in the 49er family, and not just the 49er family, but the entire league. Many of our players did not know Bill Walsh, but I think at the same time, it was important today to point out to them many of the different ways Bill touched their lives, not only on the field, but off the field. A couple of things come to mind. He was an innovator, not only in football, but also with the issue of player assistance and programs, furthering players’ educations, and also mental health. Bill had an awful lot to do with the diversity of the league, assisting minority coaches getting involved in the league, things like that, which in turn, has changed a lot of the lives, even in the players, or at least their careers after playing. There was so much that Bill did for the NFL and the 49er family. It’s a little bit unfortunate that a lot of players didn’t know him personally, but at the same time, I think it’s important that they recognize all that he did. It’s a sad day for that reason, but at the same time, we have a lot to be thankful for, for having the opportunity to have known him.”

RE: What was your relationship with him?

“I never worked for Bill directly. I worked for some coaches who had worked with Bill. Brian Billick was one in particular. More importantly, I always thought of Bill as a mentor, although I didn’t work for him, because like I said, he touched a lot of coaches who I had worked for. Certainly, they did a lot of things that Bill taught them. Indirectly, he was one of my mentors. When I took the job, I spoke with Bill periodically in the off-season. But, once the season began, I spoke with Bill not every Monday, but I think every other Monday. He was always very helpful and very positive, reflected often on his early days here as a 49er head coach, and the struggles and difficult times he went through, but at the same time, what his focus was in trying to get the 49ers to where they ended up being, and that’s Super Bowl champions. He was very helpful to me. It’s unique that someone will take that much interest in a new coach, but I do believe that Bill always felt this was his family, and that the 49ers were his organization, or at least something that he had a tremendous part in building. He wanted to see it back there. There are certain individuals who maybe are a little more selfish, but that was not the case for Bill. He was very much into getting the 49ers back where they had been. I appreciated that, because that’s not always the case for the new guy.”

RE: Have you tried to carry on his legacy?

“It’s an interesting question for this reason: I look at Bill in a football sense a little bit like I look at my father in a football sense, because both of them have obviously done so much for me in my career. But off the field, he’s in the same category as I put my father. My father always really wanted me to exceed anything he could do. That’s a credit not only to him, but I think Bill is the same type of guy. A sign of a great leader, as Bill was, is that when they leave, somebody carries the torch. That’s a great leader, and Bill knew that, because when he left, it stayed quite hot for a long time. It’s unfortunate that it fell off in later years, but when I came on board, he was still trying to get it back where it was. That’s very unselfish, but I think it’s the sign of a really great leader.”

RE: What was your most recent contact with him?

“Most recently, about four weeks ago, I guess. I had lunch with him. It was about two and a half or three hours.”

RE: What did you talk about?

“I had been trying to get lunch with him, and then finally, out of the blue, he calls and he has the time to fit it into his schedule and we had lunch together. We talked about a lot of things. We started out talking a lot about the history. My father is about the same age as Bill was. We talked about his health, and both of their health—just a lot of personal things before we ever talked about football. We talked about the 49er organization a lot, and where it was headed. Part of his objective in getting together was not only to talk about friendly things, but also, like I said, he cared about the 49ers. He wanted to talk about what we were doing, and he wanted to add his advice to what we could do to do things well.”

RE: What do you think he will continue to mean to this team and to this organization?

“I think he will continue to mean the same things he means today, and the time I got here. I think he had a tremendous amount to do with building the 49ers and what they stand for today, and I think it’s that he had a tremendous amount to do with building the 49ers and what they stand for today. Obviously, the trophies out front, he was the coach for three of them, but he had a lot to do with all five. And, I’ll be honest with you, when number six shows up, he’ll have a lot to do with number six. He doesn’t have to be here.”

RE: What did you tell your players?

“When I started, I just made a comment about it, and I just pointed out, in a brief sense I’ve already said it, but I just really pointed out the things that we have to benefit from, on and off the field, a lot of those benefits came from Bill Walsh. Whether it’s the offense, whether it’s the player assistance program, the diversity in the league, really, a lot of the diversity has to do with coaches. There were a lot of things he touched. He really bettered the game.”

RE: Do you draw any parallels between your first three years and Bill Walsh’s?

“I’ve thought about them. It’s a little presumptuous, because of what happens in year three. You’d like to think that’s it. But, I’m certainly not going to bank on history repeating itself just out of the blue. It would be nice if it happens. But, again, it is a different three years. I will say this: Bill, in our conversations, did refer to that a lot of times, in that the first year was alike, the second year went kind of similar. To be honest with you, I think he was just as hopeful as anyone that the third year looked the same. And, I appreciated that, because he just as easily could say, ‘I don’t want anybody to match what we’ve ever done.’ Again, it’s presumptuous to think that will happen.”

RE: What are some of the things you think of with his passing?

“Obviously, this is something very important to their family, first and foremost. I’d like to think that the pains that somebody like myself goes through losing a friend doesn’t match at all what the family (feels). All I can say is, it’s sad because we’ve lost a friend, the 49ers lost a friend, and I’ve certainly lost a friend I can trust and count on. He was very much in our corner. At the same time, I’m very appreciative of the time we had. If there’s anything that I quickly feel, it’s to appreciate what we have. With the help he gave us, that will continue on.”

RE: Frank Gore’s hand:

“Frank has a slight fracture. It’s in his right hand. He will not practice any more this week. They’ll cast it up in a week. He will begin to practice again in another week. As far his participation in pre-season, we will wait and see. It’s a little too early to tell on that. At the same time, we expect him back, but like I said, we’re not going to do anything with him for the rest of the week. Next Monday, we will re-evaluate it and hope to get him on the field. But, he will probably have a cast on.”

RE: Do you expect that it’s a four week injury?

“It could be something like that. In a week, they’ll put something on that, and they’ll keep it on there for a few weeks as well. But, he’ll be ready at the latter part of pre-season, I’ve been told.”

RE: Will this help you learn more about Frank Gore’s backups?

“I always like to see the silver lining to everything that happens. Hopefully, that is the case. We will see, but I hope that is, because it will give a way for Michael Robinson and (Maurice) Hicks and the rookie, Thomas Clayton, all an opportunity to get more reps. And, there could be the possibility that we might bring somebody else on board to give us some depth there.”

RE: When did it happen?

“It was in the ball handling drill. It wasn’t like he slammed it into somebody. It was not a contact drill. Just a ball handling drill.”

 

[saintfool]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

So how has Jason Hill looked though. Just wondering how he is fitting in, not so much for this year, but for dynasty purposes.

From what I've been reading Hill is the WR4, the Niners are planning to bring him along slowly. He could overtake Battle at some point this year though.He caught a 45 yard bomb for a TD in training camp today.

Bonilla's write up of yesterday's camp was practically a love letter for Battle. Read it and tell me why you think Hill could overtake Battle. Hill could overtake Lelie but Battle seems to be proving himself quite nicely.

 

[There it is]

Q&A with Mr. Nolan, day 2

July 30, 2007 (Afternoon Practice)

RE: Will this help you learn more about Frank Gore’s backups?

“I always like to see the silver lining to everything that happens. Hopefully, that is the case. We will see, but I hope that is, because it will give a way for Michael Robinson and (Maurice) Hicks and the rookie, Thomas Clayton, all an opportunity to get more reps. And, there could be the possibility that we might bring somebody else on board to give us some depth there.”

RE: When did it happen?

“It was in the ball handling drill. It wasn’t like he slammed it into somebody. It was not a contact drill. Just a ball handling drill.”

I don't like that "bring somebody else on board" statement.

 

[toxicbees]

Excellent! Keep the spotlight off Arnaz Battle and on the oh-so-disappointing Lelie.

My thoughts exactly. I see Lelie being the deep, downfield threat. Battle will get the underneath. Battle stays on the field more, though, because he can catch and run block.

So how has Jason Hill looked though. Just wondering how he is fitting in, not so much for this year, but for dynasty purposes.

From what I've been reading Hill is the WR4, the Niners are planning to bring him along slowly. He could overtake Battle at some point this year though.He caught a 45 yard bomb for a TD in training camp today.

Bonilla's write up of yesterday's camp was practically a love letter for Battle. Read it and tell me why you think Hill could overtake Battle. Hill could overtake Lelie but Battle seems to be proving himself quite nicely.

I completely agree with you, Battle is better than Hill right now. I also believe that Hill will be brought along slowly and probably won't get much action this year. My comment was a little out of context, in that I meant that if there was a guy he would overtake it would be Battle at flanker.

 

[derek19]

The 49ers had their third padded practice in a row this morning. This afternoon's one-hour workout will be devoted entirely to Al Everest's special-teams unit.

* * *

After the morning workout, linebackers Patrick Willis and Manny Lawson remained on the field for a while, along with receiver Marcus Maxwell. Willis and Lawson were working on their coverage skills by pushing themselves against a wideout.

"I'm not saying I can cover tight ends and running backs great, but if you learn to cover a wide receiver, you should be able to cover a tight end or running back," Willis said.

Willis had his best day of practice in a 49ers uniform. He drilled WR Brandon Williams, who came across the middle to catch a pass. Then, Willis made a big stop on RB Thomas Clayton. He showed perfect form on his tackles. His goal on every hit, he says is to "wrap and grab cloth."

When the 49ers did some "live" 11-on-11 work that featured the reserves, Willis was all over the place. He made a tackle of Clayton at the line of scrimmage, and leveled FB Steve Dildine after a 2-yard completion from QB Luke Getsy.

The morning practice concluded when Willis recorded an interception off a pass that CB Sammy Joseph deflected that was intended for C.J. Brewer.

Willis said he will be involved in all the 49ers' special-teams units. He did not play special teams as a senior at Ole Miss and did not play much in that phase as a junior.

Here's some other notes from practice:

--RB Michael Robinson went down with dehydration and rode a cart off the field late in the morning practice. He was taken to Stanford for IV. The condition is not expected to keep him out of action for long. He might be back for tomorrow's practice.

--When asked whether Frank Gore might miss the entire exhibition season with a broken right hand, coach Mike Nolan said it is possible but that he'd like to see him get some game action before the start of the regular season.

--The 49ers will bring in "a few" running backs to tryout tomorrow. All the players will be at least a year out of school, Nolan said.

--Arnaz Battle was holding for kicks from MacKenzie Hoambrecker. Now you know the identity of the team's backup holder, if Andy Lee has a hangnail.

--Getsy and WR Taylor Jacobs hooked up on a deep pass, beating the coverage of CB Donald Strickland. Jacobs looked very good in the offseason program, and he's carrying that over into training camp. He is playing split end. In three-WR sets, Jacobs is playing flanker.

--TE Vernon Davis and S Michael Lewis had a few run-ins on back-to-back plays. Davis could not catch a high pass in the end zone, with Lewis breathing down his neck. The next play, Davis caught a TD pass, took a shove in the back from Lewis, then got up and starting jawing.

--OLB Mark Washington and LB Colby Bockwoldt stopped Clayton at the line of scrimmage. A couple plays later, Clayton broke to the outside and gained 12 yards.

--It was another practice in which Clayton received an earful from RB coach Bishop Harris. When asked if Clayton dances a little too much, Nolan said, "He's a good dancer. He dances a lot. I saw Bish on him pretty hard. If he doesn't get it right, he's going to answer to Bish a lot."

--The subject of WRs blocking came up. Nolan said the Steelers' Hines Ward is the best in the league. He said if Ward is a "10," then Arnaz Battle -- the 49ers' best blocker -- is an 8.

http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=658554

 

[derek19]

vernon davis vs brandon moore

 

[derek19]

This was posted on 49erswebzone.com:

just got back from camp, practice was in shorts, so I only got to see the skill guys show their stuff:QBS:-Alex looks skinny in real life-Alex showed zip on all his balls-Alex showed good accuracy on his long ballsRBS:-Frank sat out most of practice.-Maurice hicks looked quick and shifty, also caught everything in the flat.-Clayton is ripped. He looked quick, but he dances too much. He kinda reminds me of a former rb we let go.WRS:-Brandon williams impressed me alot. He looked very quick and explosive. Caught alot of balls in traffic. looks to be a promising slot reciever.-Marcus Maxwell is huge. He runs hard and he's fast. caught everything thrown to him.-taylor jacobs impressed me the most. he caught everythingm showed good speed and footworkl, plus he was matched up against clements aka the 80 million dollar man all day.- Ashley Lelie dissapointed me. I dont know if he's still injured, I know hes our speed guy but he looked like one of the slower wrs out there. He didnt catch many passes either.TE:-Vernon looks like a beast. One thing I noticed, in the warm up drills he hustled and was always first. Lookes like vd is gonna be our main redzone threat, caught alot of balls in traffic. lloks like a man amongst boys.miscellaneous: I didnt see d smith out there, pwillie took his spot, nate was matched up with taylor jacobs and jacobs got a catch everytime. kwame still sucks. dashon goldson looks big and agressive. manny lawson has chicken legs. and trent dilfer doesent even practice he's basically a coach with a helmet on.and the highlight of the day, some broad was yacking it up on her cell phone, punter shanked a punt 20 yards into the stands, SMACK, knocked off her glasses and busted her nose! thats what you get for not paying attention lol. and she needed emt's there to treat her bloody nose lol.

 

[derek19]

Live blog By David Bonilla

5:35 pm: They are practicing their red zone offense now and Davis just caught what would have been a touchdown from Smith.Clayton is catching the ball well out of the backfield for some short gains.Williams just had the ball stripped. I could not tell by who.That is the end of today's practice.5:29 pm: By the way, Frank Gore is on the field watching with a cast on his right hand.5:28 pm: The team seems to really be focusing on the short passes to running backs and tight ends during the last couple of drills. Right now they are practicing offense against defense with no lineman.The crowd claps as Strickland bats down a pass intended for Zeigler.Brandon Williams sure did show up to play today. He is making some nice catches. And as soon as I type that, he drops an easy one...and Manny Lawson goes over to jokingly give him a hug.5:19 pm: Taylor Jacobs is looking pretty good on slant routes, even when covered well.When they get playing time, Tully Banta-Cain and Colby Bockwoldt are looking good in pass coverage when lined up against the tight ends.Bing was in there on the last scrimmage but did not do much.5:04 pm: Now practicing kicking, Nedney looks ready for the season to start.5:01 pm: During punt practice, it looks as though Willis blocked an Andy Lee punt.Ken Parrish just kicked an awful punt hitting a woman in the stands who is now bleeding from the nose. And they still took the ball from her.Parrish just made another weak punt. Everyone in the stands kept their eyes on the ball this time in case that baby came flying at out heads. Thank goodness we have Andy Lee who has looked amazing these past few days.4:56 pm: Scrimmage time again. Clements is looking solid against the run. Kwame Harris is getting beat on a lot of plays out there. He always seems to be out of position. Davis' catching has improved greatly. He is still catching everything out there. The defense is practicing with six defensive backs.4:40 pm: The offense is just practicing blocking techniques against the defense now.4:34 pm: Now the receivers are going up against the corners. Jacobs beats Clements on the first play. Walt Harris is holding his own. Maxwell is looking good against Vaughn and Hill just beat Brown.I can't see Zeigler making this roster. He does not look good at all.Clements on press coverage against Jacobs got beat despite a little jersey grabbing at the end.Someone just asked me about Bing. He is not getting much practice time. Ok, I have to state again that Smith's deep ball looks great.4:25 pm: The quarterbacks now practice passing with the receivers. The defense moves to the far field. Smith looks very good passing while running to his right. Lelie is looking fast and even caught a badly thrown pass. Smith's deep ball is looking very accurate.4:15 pm: Drill #1 is a scrimmage. Offense has three reveivers and a running back. Vernon Davis jumps offsides.Patrick Willis is in there with the starters. The first pass is to Hicks from Alex Smith. The second is to Brandom Williams. Neither Darrell Jackson or Arnaz Battle are practicing.Davis makes the catch on the third play. The defense is playing with four defensive backs.Williams drops a pass from Hill.Ulbrich breaks up a pass intended for Walker. On the next play, Walker runs the wrong route.4:00 pm: The team is stretching as a group.3:59 pm: The rest of the team comes out onto the field to the cheers of the smaller Wednesday crowd. They start again with sprints across the field.3:50 pm: Some of the defensive guys have come out including Michael Lewis, Isaac Sopoaga and Bryant Young.3:47 pm: More of the team comes out. Mostly offensive lineman. Tight end Zac Herold is now passing back and forth with Shaun Hill.3:45 pm: The rest of the quarterbacks have come out and are stretching. All are wearing their typical black QB jersies.They are now practicing dropping back and some light passes to each other. Smith to Getsy and Dilfer throws to Hill.3:41 pm: Trent Dilfer is the first one out on the field. Again, he is just in his jersey, shorts and a cap. He did not bring out a helmet. He likely will not practice much giving Hill and Getsy plenty of snaps.3:09 pm: We just stopped by the growing memorial remembering Bill Walsh that is out front of the headquarters. Flowers, pictures and more have been left by the fans. We've left a 49erswebzone.com sticker on some flowers that reads "Bill Walsh, you made us all feel like champions" signed by "The 49erswebzone family."It's day four of 49ers training camp and the team's third "open to the public" practice is only a couple of hours away. This will be my final day of covering training camp. I got a great Bay Area perspective following the shocking death of legendary 49ers coach Bill Walsh prior to Monday's open practice. Yesterday was declared Bill Walsh Day and we all learned that John York, the 49ers' owner, will honor Walsh in at least three ways. The first will involve the team wearing "BW" decals on their helmets for the entire season. The second will be a moment of silence during the preseason game against the Denver Broncos. The third will be some sort of tribute coordinated with ESPN and the NFL during the team's home opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. York also stated during an interview on KNBR that the team would do something to honor Walsh with their new stadium but stated that it was too early in the planning process to discuss details. York said that something involved with the stadium would have happened even if Walsh lived to be 100. As much as fans loved to bash York's methods of running the team in the past, I really think he has changed over the years. Since his hiring of Nolan, he has made all the right decisions and I find it tougher and tougher to dislike the guy. I still believe that there is a lot of hate for York among the fans but that his decisions and moves in recent years have been good ones for the team and its fans. Hopefully, the planned tribute for Walsh is something that fits the greatness of the man himself.Unfortunately, I was not able view most of the defensive players on Monday since the defense spent the majority of the time on the far field. Hopefully today will not be the same. I will attempt to take a look at as many of the rookies as I can.As most of you already know, Gore suffered a broken hand on Monday and will miss at least three preseason games. This will give Michael Robinson, Maurice Hicks and Thomas Clayton more practice time. All have looked good but Clayton seems to have more upside, despite constant lectures from his coaches.Other solid performers include Marcus Maxwell, who is fighting for a roster spot. Jason Hill and Asley Lelie have looked solid at wide receiver as well. I have not been all that impressed with Taylor Jacobs. The most impressive by far has been the improvement of Arnaz Battle who looks to be developing into a real threat having caught a number of deep passes from Alex Smith.On the offensive line, Joe Staley has been a fan favorite and been performing very well. He seems to have his blocking mechanics down.At linebacker, Patrick Willis and Manny Lawson really impressed on Monday when the battled one on one with offensive blockers in an effort to get to the quarterback. At defensive back, either Nate Clements is not trying as hard or Arnaz Battle has improved that much. Battle beat Clements almost every time he lined up against him and Clements is considered one of the best shut down corners in the league. Terell Brown has looked solid as well.

 

[OldMilwaukee]

Thanks for the post!

 

[derek19]

Pic Gore wearing cast..

 

[derek19]

I tried to find the link to this but I couldn't...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – There's a little irritation brewing between the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff and wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who was acquired in a trade from Seattle during the NFL draft. Not enough to be a big problem right now, but certainly noteworthy.

In short, the 49ers haven't been all that impressed with Jackson's practice habits. Jackson, who has been battling turf toe and missed the afternoon practice Wednesday, has been productive over his career. He has had at least 60 catches in five of his seven seasons in the NFL and worked very well with Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselback.

"He doesn't always finish the routes out the way you want and he's not always the first guy in line to listen, but he has always produced," said 49ers Vice President of Player Personnel Scot McCloughan, who worked with Jackson in Seattle. "From Day 1 as a rookie, he has produced and for a guy to do that, he has to be doing something right."

However, Jackson irritated Seahawks management by asking out of practice consistently.

Or as Seahawks president Tim Ruskell put it last week, "Eventually enough is enough."

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Now, 49ers coach Mike Nolan is hoping to get Jackson to buy into San Francisco's way.

"Anytime you get a player from another team, there is an adjustment period. (A player) comes in with habits about how he did things in another place. I don't want to say ours are real strict, but there's a way you do things," Nolan said.

"A little thing is that a lot of guys just catch the ball and go back to the huddle. What we do is you catch it and go 30 yards no matter what. Even if the defensive guy holds you up, you see that when they break free they go 30. That has been a 49er way since Jerry Rice. It's tradition."

So much so that the 49ers have a bright red traffic light they move around the practice field to show receivers how far they need to run.

So how are Jackson's practice habits?

"OK," Nolan said.

OK as in good or OK as in bad?

"It's just OK as in okey dokey," Nolan replied. "It hasn't been bad, but it hasn't been to my expectations … It's that way with a few of the other guys. I like to think that a guy has to earn a right to be on a team. We're not asking you to do anything that won't make you better. I'm not too nitpicky. I just ask that you finish the drill because that's how you play the game."

All of that said, Nolan did have Jackson do the "breakdown" segment at the end of the morning practice Wednesday. That's when the players do a brief talk amongst themselves without coaches, led by one person.

"I thought he needed to it," Nolan said. "The team needs to find out who he is."

Running back Frank Gore has a broken finger in his right hand and is expected to be out of practice for at least a couple of weeks. However, he wasn't happy with the decision to be sidelined.

"I told him this is going to be a blessing in disguise," McCloughan said. "You don't need to take any shots in practice. We'll get you in the last preseason game and get you ready for Arizona. He started crying, 'I need to practice. I need to be part of the team.' You love him to death and he's sincere. It kills him to not be out there."

A lot of that is based on the fact that Gore injured both knees while at the University of Miami, once losing his job to Willis McGahee. As a result, Gore continues to worry about his status despite the fact that the 49ers gave him a new contract in the offseason. The team guaranteed Gore, who led the NFC in rushing last year in just his second season, $14 million in the process.

Shortly after rewarding Gore with a new deal, the team drafted fellow back Thomas Clayton in the sixth round. The franchise was very delicate in its handling of the situation.

"I told (Gore) before the draft, 'Look, we're going to draft a running back in the sixth round.' I called him two days after the draft and said, 'You're p**sed, right?'" McCloughan recalls. "He said, 'Yeah, I don't really want to talk to you.' He thinks we're drafting somebody to replace him. If he's not out here practicing with the team, he thinks somebody is getting better and is going to take his job."

In Gore's absence, Michael Robinson and Maurice Hicks will get most of the work. Robinson also hit a health snag this week when he had to go to the hospital because of dehydration. On Wednesday, Robinson said he was fine.

As for Gore, despite being upset about the situation, he has strong faith in McCloughan.

Before the '05 draft, McCloughan assured Gore the 49ers would draft him in the third round if he was available.

"The first day he gets here, he wants to find the guy who told him the truth and he gave me a hug," McCloughan said. "How many players do that? That's the way Frank is. If you're straight with him, he trusts you."

Speaking of Robinson, he talked a lot with fellow former Penn State running back Larry Johnson in the offseason, looking to pick up tips. Robinson was primarily a quarterback at Penn State before being shifted by the 49ers. He's still learning a lot of the subtle parts of being a back, such as improving his vision so that he can show better patience as he waits for the holes to develop.

"You see guys like (Gore), L.J. and (LaDainian Tomlinson) and you see how patient they are, knowing when to hit it and when to wait," Robinson said. "For me, it's about seeing the whole picture in front of me, but being able to do that without turning my head. As a quarterback, you're looking downfield on the throw and if it breaks down, you just take off. As a back, where you're looking is different."

Don't be surprised if first-round pick and offensive tackle Joe Staley is the starting right tackle by the opener. The 49ers would love to have right tackle Kwame Harris, a former first-round pick, serve as the backup tackle and Staley has been impressive in the early going.

Despite making several additions to the defensive line in the offseason (tackles Aubrayo Franklin, Joe Cohen and end Ray McDonald are the biggest additions), look for the 49ers to be looking at the position again come April. The team is solid with rotation players, but is in need of a top-shelf performer.

 

[Penguin]

This is excellent work derek19, I feel I have a decent handle on what's been going on at Niner's camp and I'm 3000 miles away. These reports from yourself, Grid, Rovers and others are invaluable to myself and others, much appresciated!

 

[PahtyTom]

Man, Gore is seriously gonna rip #### up this year. Love that kid.

 

[Ned]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

 

[ATC1]

I get that coach wants Jackson to practice like the rest of the team, but this is exactly why the Seahawks let him go. That knee of his can only take so much pounding a year and to have him running unnecessary sprints up and down the feild is crazy. As long as he is in shape, let him save the knee.

 

[LBH]

Vernon Davis is going to be a machine this year

 

[ImTheScientist]

I get that coach wants Jackson to practice like the rest of the team, but this is exactly why the Seahawks let him go. That knee of his can only take so much pounding a year and to have him running unnecessary sprints up and down the feild is crazy. As long as he is in shape, let him save the knee.

 

[Black Box]

thanks!

 

[PahtyTom]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

I think being insecure is a positive in today's NFL that is filled with players who have false senses of entitlement.

 

[derek19]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

I think being insecure is a positive in today's NFL that is filled with players who have false senses of entitlement.

I'd rather have a guy like gore than a guy like barlow..... Character wise...

 

[derek19]

August 04thQ&A with Coach Nolan...

Re: Opening statement:“It was a very well spirited scrimmage. The offense started out real fast, for about three or four plays and then they kind of fizzled off, and finished the first five without a score against the second defense. But they came back and did a great job as far as taking it down and scoring. Then, we put together a little mini series in the red zone after. I think they scored two out of the three times there. They also got the two point conversions. The offense picked it up and got better as they normally do. That was a good sign there. I also thought the first unit on defense did a good job as well in the scrimmage. I don’t know if they were scored upon. As a matter of fact, I kind of adjusted the ball, just to help the offense a little bit and keep it as competitive as we could. I was pleased with that. The fans’ participation was good. I was awfully glad to see a lot of people out here today. That always energizes the players. When I talk about spirit, I think the guys were pretty into it. They were competing. We had a little gathering off to the side at one point. A couple of guys got together and wanted to catch one another. Other than that, I think we were okay. By that I mean, I think they were wrestling or something. I’m not sure who it was. As a matter of fact, I was not on the field. But I turned around and heard a lot of names and screaming, but I don’t know who it was.”RE: Is it a concern to you when you have two offensive starters fighting each other?“Yes and no. I don’t like guys fighting for somebody to get hurt. If you’re fighting about something, it means something to you. That is really important. A lot of times, you will find teams where it is all warm and fuzzy all the time. Those teams, in my opinion, typically struggle to win games because something is not important to them. We didn’t score on that first drive, like our offense wanted to. I know that was the frustration of all eleven guys coming off the field. And with that, it lets me know that it is extremely important to get in the end zone. They were disappointed, and so when they were trying to motivate each other, some of them take motivation a different way. I think somebody didn’t like getting called out. The thing that I like about it is that it has to be important to you to fight about something. So, you take the good with the bad.”RE: Will you address them about it?“Yes, but I would much rather have our guys fighting at this point then having them go to the sideline with their heads down saying, 'Wow. We didn’t get it.' That’s not what we are looking for. When guys compete typically, that is what they do. It is important to them. I don’t have a problem with it as long as they don’t swing and somebody gets hurt.”Re: Did Larry (Allen) say something to Vernon (Davis) or did Vernon say something to Larry?“That’s the part I don’t know. I really don’t know. As a matter of fact I was trying to get straight on field. By the time I looked over, it was settled. So I missed it. I really don’t know. A couple of coaches, and I think Earl Smith was one, and a couple of guys settled them down. It might have been a shouting match. I don’t know if it was anything other than that.”RE: Are Tully Banta-Cain and Nate Clements the tone-setters on this team?“I don’t know if they are the tone-setters. They are tone-setters and that is the nice thing. They made plays. Anytime that somebody is a playmaker, they do that. Nate as you saw intercepted the ball in the red zone. That was a big play. When Manny (Lawson) scored a touchdown on the interception, that was a big play. They both were out of the first unit defense. So we had the two turnovers. One for a score. Like I said, anytime you make plays, I think that inspires people.”RE: What players played well today?“At this point, I’m looking at the total effort from the first week of training camp. I think it’s been pretty good. As a whole, I think our offensive line is getting better and better, which is nice. We’ve been a pretty good line, but we want it to be the very best. We’ve got high expectations for them. Without really knowing how we played, I’d like to think our offensive line did a pretty good job. I know the quarterbacks had a decent pocket most of the time. As long as that continues, our passing game should be where we want it to be. Outside of that, individuals, I’d have to watch it to really tell you.”RE: Why didn’t Jonas Jennings play in the scrimmage?“I just wanted to give him some rest. He didn’t do anything out there today. With tomorrow off, it actually gives him today and tomorrow, a two-day, back-to-back rest. Otherwise, during a normal week, you give him a day, and he’s back to work the next day. Since tomorrow is an off day, it gives him an additional 24 hours to rest.”RE: Patrick Estes’ injury:“You know, I didn’t see how he went down, but he did go down. We talked about it coming off the field. We’ll see. I know it’s an ankle and a knee that he twisted up. But, the extent of it, I won’t know until we go inside.”RE: How did Zak Keasey play today?“I was trying to play official as well as head coach, which is kind of tough. When I have only a whistle, I’ve got to get it out. But anyhow, like I said, Zak is tough, he’s smart, and he’s worked extremely hard since he’s been here. He’s an (Jeff) Ulbrich kind of guy. Jeff is the same way. I haven’t talked much about him, but those kinds of guys, I will say, although they may be peripheral from a fan’s perspective, on a football team, they’re every bit as valuable to your team, because it’s those guys that could set the tone. Whether it’s the special teams area, or a block on a fullback play, or a running play, whatever it may be. Those things will typically inspire your team.”RE: Did you stick to a script for the entire scrimmage?“No, because I changed the situations all the way. Not only was the scrimmage important from the player’s standpoint, but from a coach’s standpoint, I wanted to get Jim Hostler and Greg Manusky both in as many different situations as I could get. That’s why, when I got in the red zone, I tried to stay in there a little bit longer, and move the ball a bit, so they not only get some field work, but some red zone work, like I said, for the players and the coaches.”RE: Do you go back and evaluate the play calling?“When I look at it, we do talk about it. I’m confident that Greg and Jim will both evaluate their own calls. That’s a good thing. They even will talk to one another, and say, ‘This is what you do down there, is this a good play against you?’, or whatever it be.”RE: Did today mark the first time they were calling plays besides the script?“Well, I had moved the ball in our practices often, where I took them off the script.”RE: Coordinator on the sideline:“As a coordinator, for many years, I always felt the coordinator’s best position is in the box, but more importantly than what’s the best position for the coordinator, the coordinator has to go with the strength of his staff. So, in a perfect world, they would be up. But, it’s also important to recognize where your staff’s strengths and weaknesses are. For example, if you don’t have anyone that can pull together on the field, then the coordinator must stay down. If you have someone that can pull it all together on the field, then a coordinator, I think, is best up. Some guys will still stay down, but not in our case here. We’ll do what’s best for our squad and our coaching staff. I want to be down because I like being down.”RE: When you were a coordinator, where did you stand?“I was about half and half. When I was in Baltimore, I was up. But I had Rex Ryan, who’s now the coordinator there. I had Donnie Henderson, who was the coordinator with the Jets, Michael Smith, who’s a coordinator in Jacksonville. They were all down. It was good. I could sit in the box and call the game.”RE: In the pre-season, the coaches will do two games down and two games up?“We’re going to go two-two with our coordinators, up and down, two times. We’ll see how that works out. I’m going to guess that they will be up. I want to watch that myself. I want to see how the coaches are on the sidelines. I have a good idea about the offensive and the defensive guys both, because I’ve worked with most of them. I think they’ll be up, but we’ll wait to make that final decision.”RE: Did the ball boy give the ball back to the person in the stands?“I looked and saw, but I don’t know. That’s (Steve) Urbinak’s area.”RE: Have Michael Lewis and Mark Roman solidified the safety spots?“I do want to say this: I thought that Keith (Lewis) and Mark, at the end of last year, did a real good job for us. We had a couple of penalties in the game by the two of them, but they are very physical players. We really like that. Now, having both back, I’m glad, as a matter of fact, that Keith signed a contract and is coming back. Now, we have Michael Lewis with us. So, we’ve got more depth at the position. I also believe that Dashon Goldson is going to be a guy that shows up in the preseason games. If he does, we’ll see what he’s got in his tank as a rookie, what he can give us. But, there is good competition at the safety position. Comparing it to the past, I’d like to say, last year, at the end, I felt we at least had two physical guys that can do, at minimum, what we’re trying to get done all the time. The best in the league, maybe not, but they were two guys that could play.”RE: With how Michael Lewis and Mark Roman were let go by their former teams, can that be a motivational factor for them?“It’s different for every individual. Some guys are inspired by it, some guys, it might have taken them down to a point where it’s hard for them to get back up. Everybody is different. Some guys just come from a situation where they thought they should have had a chance and didn’t. If guys had the chance, they might have buried the guy. There’s a lot of things. Everyone is different. I feel that we got better with the addition of the guys we’ve added here. I’m not totally certain of what their emotions were leaving, but I’m confident that they’ll help us.”

 

[derek19]

A summary of training camp observations thus farThursday, August 2, 2007 at 21:48:05 PTBy David Bonilla

Writing a live blog is one thing, but describing the overall observations of the first week of training camp is another. In a live blog, a player that looked mediocre on one day may have an amazing practice on the next day. Or even a player that looked mediocre at the beginning of a practice session on one drill may have stepped it up and looked solid during another. While I tried to give a drill-by-drill account of what was going on at training camp, what was taking from those live updates may have been misinterpreted. So I will try to summarize some of the overall surprises and disappointments from the team's first three public training camp practices.QuarterbacksEarly on, Alex Smith looked very inconsistent. However, he looked much improved during the more recent practices. One spot that he excelled at was his deep passes. Many of them looked right on target and resulted in some nice completions down the field even going up against a cornerback like Nate Clements. He was putting the balls exactly where the receivers could get to them. Smith really seemed to be picking on Clements, which is probably a good thing. If he can make some throws in there against a cornerback of his level, he can probably do that against much of the league. His two favorite targets looked to be wide receiver Arnaz Battle with the deep ball and tight end Vernon Davis on some shorter passes.Dilfer looked really solid on Sunday. He did not practice much during the next two open practices, as he seemed to take more of a coaching role. You pretty much know what you get with a guy like Dilfer since he is by far the most experienced quarterback on the roster.It is pretty tough for me to get excited about the competition between Shaun Hill and Luke Getsy since they are fighting for the third quarterback spot on the team and neither will likely get much, if any, playing time. At least, I would hope that they don't because that would mean something bad has happened to both Smith and Dilfer. While very raw, I would say that Getsy probably has the more upside. At times, Hill does not look very comfortable in the pocket. Getsy made a few nice throws out there to players like Jason Hill and to some of the running backs.Running backsFrank Gore locks up the starting position. Michael Robinson likely locks up the backup position and looked good running up the middle. That leaves another third string battle on the depth chart. However, a third string running back is more likely to get some playing time than a third string quarterback. We already knew what we had in Maurice Hicks and he does not look any different from what we are already used to. He catches the ball well out of the backfield and is a solid runner outside of the tackles. Thomas Clayton seems very solid running up the middle or to the outside. He does a good job shaking defenders to get some more yardage from his runs and catching the ball out of the backfield as well. The only spot where he seemed very raw was his pass rush blocking and he seemed to be a little hot headed at times.Wide receiversThis is probably the most competitive position on the team. The 49ers will likely carry five, maybe six wide receivers this year and have ten players competing for those spots. The only players that are guaranteed a spot are Darrell Jackson and Arnaz Battle. Jackson only participated during one public practice, but looked good during his limited playing time. Although Battle missed Wednesday's afternoon practice, he looked very much improved on Sunday and Monday. He was catching everything thrown his way, even when going up against Nate Clements. Battle even beat Clements badly on a couple of plays deep. Everyone hopes that this will be Battle's breakout year and from what he displayed during practice with his good hands and solid route running, fans may get their wish. When Alex Smith threw the ball on any play to where Battle was supposed to be, he was there to haul in the completion.Another pleasant surprise was Marcus Maxwell. After having a phenomenal season in NFL Europe, he is continuing to perform here at home. When passes went his way, it was very rare that you would see the ball hit the ground. When it did, it was usually the result of an ugly throw. He is doing everything needed in his effort to make the team. However, with so few spots open, he will have to have some impressive plays to distinguish himself from the others in preseason.Jason Hill looked very raw at first but seemed to improve as the week went on. His pass catching and speed are good but his route running looks off at times. He is a lock for making the roster just on his potential alone.Ashley Lelie looks as though he could be a good deep threat for Smith and has the speed needed to do that. A little inconsistent at times, he appears to be listening intently to the coaching staff in an effort to improve.Taylor Jacobs has improved with each passing practice. While he failed to distinguish himself on Sunday and did a little better on Monday, he looked really good on Wednesday. He looks like a solid target for Smith up the middle even when he is well covered. He did a number on Clements a couple of times beating him once despite some pass interference and again on the outside getting to the ball despite some excellent coverage. He has certainly been more consistent than Lelie and much more reliable on shorter passes.As a receiver, Brandon Williams appears fair at best which was a disappointment because of all the praises he received during this summer's OTA's. He had a number of drops. After one easily catchable drop on Wednesday, linebacker Manny Lawson went over and gave Williams a big ole' bear hug resulting in some chuckles from the crowd of fans. However, being the return man on special teams may earn him a roster spot.Tight endsMuch to the delight of fans, Vernon Davis has looked really good out there. Sometimes he will juggle a few easy receptions but he almost always hauled them in anyways. Even more impressive than that was his ability to run after the catch often avoiding defenders for an even larger gain. With what appears to be more of a threat at wide receiver, Davis should be more open and primed for what could be a breakout season.Zachary Hilton has not impressed at all, but if he improves, he has the size to be a good target. Fan favorite Delanie Walker has been erratic. Sometimes he hauls in a nice pass and other times he will drop some easy ones. He dropped a few when there was a lot of pressure around him.Offensive lineThe only real competition at the offensive line is Kwame Harris against Joe Staley. Staley has looked like a force in there while Harris...has looked like Harris. Harris is fine as a run blocker because he has the size and the strength, but when it comes to the pass rush, he looks as lost as always. Defenders would constantly blow past him and put unneeded pressure on the quarterback. He is so slow to recover when he makes a mistake and was often seen out of place after the snap. It will be shocking is Harris is not reduced to a backup role. Hopefully Staley gets some more playing time with the starters.Jonas Jennings needs to find a way to stay healthy because having him and Larry Allen lined up at the same time is quite a sight. Those two add so much size to the offensive line despite the fact that Allen appears to have lost some weight. Allen is one of those guys that you just let do whatever he wants during training camp. The first thing that the team does during a practice is sprint across the field, return, and then shuffle sideways across again. Allen not only takes his time across on the first run, but if you look at him while the other players shuffle, he still just kind of jogs across at his own pace. But he is Larry Allen and you know what you have with a guy like that. He comes to play on gameday.Defensive lineRay McDonald is probably the guy many fans are interested in when it comes to tracking progress. He looks like he could be very impressive and was very solid against the run. Being a rookie, he is young and raw but he was still holding his own against the more experienced blockers.Isaac Sopoaga had the strength to shove people around out there but not the speed or swiftness to do much about it when he did.Bryant Young is Bryant Young so you know what you will get out of him. While he has little to prove to coaches, he still practices like he does. He was out there making plays and getting into the backfield.LinebackersWe'll start with Patrick Willis who I really tried to keep an eye on during these public practices. He and Manny Lawson were causing all kinds of matchup problems for blockers when they were practicing during pass rushing drills. Willis appears to be exactly what fans were hoping for when he was drafted in April. He is fast and strong and even though he looks a little confused out there during scrimmages, once his NFL level instincts develop, he has the potential to be a really scary player on defense. His pass coverage looked a bit shaky at times but that will improve.Another solid performer was Jay Moore who looked very good against the run during certain drills. Coupled with players like Ray McDonald and Nate Clements, it may be very tough to run against this defense.Defensive backsNate Clements seemed to be getting schooled by players like Arnaz Battle and Taylor Jacobs. He would often be seen shaking his head in disbelief when he was beat. Before fans start having flashbacks of Antonio Langham, Clements performed well during many other matchups and on certain drills. Two of the more entertaining matchups included the receivers against the defensive backs, where Clements had some nice pass breakups, and running drills where Clements looked to be a force against the run. I cannot stress enough how impressive he was against the run. When a running back came his way, he was the first one back there to attempt to make a stop. His ability to read what the offense is doing is uncanny. Clements looks like he was worth every penny...even if he was not giving it 100% during practice.Walt Harris was shutting down his side of the field during practices even when going up against some of the faster Niner receivers. Paired up with Clements, this is a pretty scary set of starting corners.Shawntae Spencer was doing very well when in at nickel and was blanketing his receivers on coverage.Another pleasant surprise was rookie Terell Brown. He appeared very physical against the receivers and seemed to recover very quickly when they tried to shake him. He even had a very impressive leaping interception off of Trent Dilfer on Sunday. No one, probably including Dilfer, thought anyone would grab that pass and that it would simply sail out of bounds. He was also in there a couple of times knocking down passes when they came his way.Michael Lewis looked good but didn't really stand out much during practices. He was quick to move over and help the corners when needed and seems to be faster than expected.Mark Roman made some nice plays this week. He seems to have good instinct and is always near the ball. During one play on Sunday, Shaun Hill fumbled the ball in what appeared to be a very chaotic play. While all the plays during that drill were chaotic resulting in fumbles and false starts, on this particular fumble, Roman scooped the ball up and took off. Had it been a real game, his run would have resulted in a touchdown.Marcus Hudson also had a few impressive plays for the defense and looked pretty good when assisting the corners on pass coverage.Some fans have been interested in knowing how well Darnell Bing, the former Raider and Southern California player, was performing. It's funny because no one really knew what number he was early on because he was not listed on the roster sheet handed out to fans that attended these open practices. But once we figured out where he was, I tried to keep an eye on him. He did not get much playing time at all and was pretty much just standing out there observing during most drills. When he was in there, he seemed a bit out of place and never really got to the ball all that quickly. He kind of looked like an extra in a movie.KickersThe 49ers are set at kicker. Andy Lee blasted his punts during every practice sending them high and far. Joe Nedney looks like Mr. Dependable out there sending his kicks right up the middle of the uprights from any distance. Neither has any need to be worried about their competition, which are simply camp fodder. Punter Ken Parrish looked absolutely terrible. At one point on Wednesday, he sent a punt not only out of bounds, but also into the stands hitting a woman in the head and causing her nose to bleed. Parrish seemed to be getting worse and worse with each practice.

 

[AnonymousBob]

I'd much rather have a player with Gore's mentality than a guy who thinks he doesn't have to work to keep his spot.

 

[cowboymouth]

So if your drafting now, which I am...who's Gore's cuff....Robinson, Hicks or Clayton?

 

[Jon_Moore]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

I think being insecure is a positive in today's NFL that is filled with players who have false senses of entitlement.

He actually moved up my board after reading that. If someone's that hungry, I want them on my team. Injury concern or not.

 

[derek19]

Q&A with Mike Nolan, August 7th.

RE: Opening Statement “Good practice this morning. The preseason game is coming up. We will start talking about playing time later in the week. I will give you a little bit of a heads up. The first group will play between 15 plays or a quarter. Sometimes if you don’t get enough reps in the first quarter, you will have to go into the second quarter with the starting group. That means Alex Smith as well. Both of our other two quarterbacks, Trent Dilfer and Shaun Hill will be repped in the game. Depending on how much – we will decide that later on. Trent will be first and Shaun will be the third guy to go. That is the way that we pretty much structure all of our preseason games. With Alex’s play picking up in the third one (game). Trent should be able to get in a little more work this year, simply because he is healthier than he was a year ago, regarding the preseason games. Outside of everything else the first group will most likely just play in the first quarter. The 2’s and the 3’s will fit in the rest.” RE: Would Luke Getsy get to see any work in first game? “He could, but it would be late. It would probably be to clean things up in the fourth quarter. It is based on how much Shaun (Hill) gets. Trent will be the first guy to take it.” RE: Will the first team offense and defense play together? “Yes, when it comes to a unit standpoint. Typically, we would like to see that first group out there with Alex, although our second unit is pretty stout. I feel good about the fact that when Trent does play, he should have a good unit in there to protect him. That is real important. And going into Shaun’s reps, it’s the same way. As far as injuries go, there is nothing new to mention. You get your little dings in the morning. There was nothing of any significance right now, and nothing really to report on from yesterday. I think everybody is satisfied with the information on the guys from yesterday because it hasn’t changed.” RE: The two defensive linemen from Florida (Ray McDonald and Joe Cohen), do you see them being big factors as you look forward? “Well, I hope they are. We will see how much when we start playing the preseason games. Ray McDonald is a guy that we expect to contribute this year, if not as a back up, then definitely as a starter. Hopefully he pushes. Our goal is to get better, and to get some depth. On the nose, now that Aubrayo (Franklin) is down, Joe Cohen is going to have an opportunity to step up. Hopefully he does, so we will wait and see what he does. RE: How do you feel about Ray (McDonald) being further ahead of the two, regarding being ready to play. “We had Ray in the Senior Bowl. We took Ray on the first day, although it was at the end of the first day. He fell to us, some of the reason because he had that bum knee. He has been a good player. I do expect him to do some things.” RE: What does Isaac (Sopoaga) have to do this year to get it all the together from the time he was drafted until now? “He was drafted by the other group, so I don’t know his rookie year. I don’t know if he played. I know he got hurt. I just think it is a consistency factor. He is very athletic and strong. I don’t know if he has a lot of football in his background, but he has enough. He just has to play more consistently.” RE: Can you talk a little about the nose tackle position in your defense. “I wouldn’t say in my defense. I’ll just say, whatever a guy’s strengths are – if he’s a movement guy, you move him. It’s not really about me, it’s about the play. Aubrayo Franklin is not a finesse player. He has quickness and can move, but his strength is to hold the point. He is a good wide, strong body that plays well when he plays. He is real consistent. That is the game he plays. Isaac has the athletic ability to be a little bit of both, and you could use him a whole lot of ways. You have to be consistent with your players. You just can’t go to one when you feel like it. The guys around you have to be able to rely on you. If you’re not accountable to where you need to be, then the other guys don’t know how to play. They have to play slower. If I’m expected to be on the left, and you’re on the right, and I want to go play fast, all of the sudden I see you on the wrong side, I’ve got to stop. It is things like that that can happen with guys.” RE: When you say consistency, does he get sloppy with his technique? “No, I think that is more of an assignment thing. They all typically, as young players, will get sloppy with their technique. So that could be some of it. Really in his case, he is an improving player. He has had a good training camp. His limited play is due to lack of consistency. He has improved thus far this training camp, and hopefully that is what’s shown in the preseason games.” RE: Is Cohen more of a movement guy? “I wouldn’t say that. To be honest with you, I am trying to find out what he is. He has not played the nose. He played tackle in college. With this addition of work, we will see exactly what his strengths and weaknesses are.” RE: Does Isaac have to work on disengaging in some blocks? In the role that he is playing, is it basically determined based on his basic push? “All players are responsible for an area at the beginning of a down. But we don’t want our guys to just stay on blockers. You just have to get off and get to the ball. A criticism of some guys is that they don’t take people on. They say that about linebackers sometimes. The best linebackers ever, don’t take anybody on. Mike Singletary didn’t take anybody on. Ray Lewis, in his day, is a guy that got criticized, but the objective is to get the guy with the ball and not just stay on a blocker. Some guys can’t get off blockers, so you just try to take two if you can. A huge Ted Washington is a good example of that. Ted will eat up two guys. He won’t get off of anyone. The key when it comes to that is just identifying your players correctly and allowing them to fit in your scheme by doing it. When we do a good job as coaches, that is what happens.” RE: With the wide receivers, how many do you think you are going to keep in the end? Who are pretty much solid? “We are going to keep four, five or six. I think that is accurate. We will let things take care of themselves as we go. If we have less than four, then we have a lot of guys dinged up. If we don’t have five good ones, then we will have four. We get a practice squad guy to take that extra spot. But active roster positions, we will shoot for five and if we get to six or have to go to four, we will know the reasons.” RE: Return ability? “Brandon Williams was a guy that we took with that purpose in mind. He has done a very good job. He has worked extremely hard in the offseason, and extremely hard out here in regards to carrying the ball high and tight. Last year, he would carry it lose and all over. Sometimes I got real nervous about that ball coming out. He has done an outstanding job since last year. It has been very noticeable to me and everyone else. That is important. Sometimes guys hear it, but it just doesn’t click. I am really pleased with the progress that he has made and hopefully it shows in the preseason. We also have Taylor Jacobs working in some. I don’t think he has done anything since college. Boy, when he gets to the second level, he is tough to catch. So we are having him do some of that now. I wouldn’t put him in front of Brandon as far as returning, but I like what I see.” RE: Do you have one that can be more of a break away and one that has the more likelihood of being more of a solid guy that is not going to drop a ball? “I would say that your break away guy is Taylor, but the guy that you can count on to make sure that ball is fielded is Brandon. We also have Arnaz who is both. But then again, he is our starting wide receiver, so I have to be careful on how I use him. It’s not like we have depth at wide receiver. When we establish depth around here, it may not be this season. Arnaz will be doing more returning. Right now the drop off between the receivers is significant. I am not comfortable with their play yet. The drop off is between Arnaz and whoever would go in for him. I am hoping that Taylor gets in that mix. If he does, then I will start to look at it a little bit differently. Taylor is another guy, like Brandon, that has come on in the offseason and really done a great job. I am anxious to see what they do in the preseason. It doesn’t always tell you what they are going to do in season. It is the best thing that we have going. Those two guys, I am looking at as backups to see how comfortable they can make us with some other guys. Ashlie Lelie is in the mix. He is right there with them, but he doesn’t do much returning. If he goes wide receiver alone, he is in the second group.”

 

[derek19]

Mike Donnelly

NFLPLAYERS.COM

08/08/2007

SANTA CLARA, Ca. -- For the fifth consecutive year the San Francisco 49ers are holding training camp at their Santa Clara training facility and again, they're doing so with the hope that this will be the year they get back to the playoffs.

After knocking on the postseason door in 2006 and adding a few key pieces to their roster in the offseason, the 49ers appear to be inching closer towards making that goal a reality.

New Additions Making An Impact

San Francisco added one of the most sought after free agents from the offseason when they acquired cornerback Nate Clements. At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Clements is physical and has built a reputation for consistently shutting down some of the best receivers in the league. Following six seasons with Buffalo, Clements has already begun to impress in the 49ers' secondary despite having to learn a new defense. He batted away numerous passes yesterday and has blanketed receivers throughout training camp.

"I'm already comfortable now," Clements said on Tuesday when asked how his transition to a new defense is going. "I trust my teammates and that they'll be in the right spots. And they can hold me accountable and expect me to be in the right spot."

With the 49ers committing to a 3-4 defensive scheme this year, they set high expectations for nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin. Only they didn't expect the key cog along the defensive line to suffer an injury in camp. Signed by San Francisco as an unrestricted free agent from Baltimore during the offseason, Franklin left practice on Monday morning for what turned out to be a sprained MCL in his knee.

"He could miss all of preseason, but we expect him to be ready for the season," Head Coach Mike Nolan said of Franklin, who was performing well before getting injured. "Obviously missing training camp doesn't get me excited, but it's better than what it could have been."

On the offensive side of the ball, the biggest acquisition was wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who the 49ers received in a trade with Seattle in exchange for a 2007 fourth-round draft pick. Serving as San Francisco's No. 1 receiver, Jackson has already become quarterback Alex Smith's favorite target in the redzone. But both realize they still have a ways to go before they're totally in sync. In addition to his playmaking ability, the eight-year veteran is also a valuable resource for a young 49ers receiving unit.

"There's a lot of youth in that receiving corps and its nice to bring in a guy like Darrell that's proven, has played a lot, won a lot of games, has been in the playoffs and has that experience," Smith said. "He's come in and helped those guys although right now, he's still trying to pick up the system and learn it."

Fighting For Position

A crowded wide receiver pool makes for the most intriguing positional battle during camp. Smith has shown a lot of trust in fifth-year receiver Arnaz Battle and has made the Notre Dame product his go-to guy in camp. On Tuesday, Nolan said that Battle was clearly the No. 2 receiver behind Jackson and that the team would keep anywhere between four, five or six receivers once the regular season begins. Among the receivers that will be likely competing for the remaining receiver spots are Taylor Jacobs, Brandon Williams, newcomer Ashley Lelie and rookie Jason Hill.

"There's a number of those guys that can make plays," Smith said of the 49ers' receiving corps. "The reality is we're probably going to have to release someone this year that would have made the team my rookie year [and] probably would have started, which is a good problem."

Nolan also pointed out that both Jacobs and Williams can also double as reliable returners on special teams, so that may play into their favor. Further complicating the receiver issue is Vernon Davis. Although he's listed as a tight end, the 49ers frequently like to use Davis in passing situations and that could decrease the need for extra wide receivers.

Gore Returns

A broken hand won't keep Frank Gore from practicing. The 49ers' starting running back returned to action for the first time since breaking a bone in his right hand on July 30 and participated in a few individual drills on Monday afternoon. Despite a cast on his hand, Gore took multiple handoffs during non-contact drills, but sat out of work outs on Tuesday when the team returned to wearing full pads.

Walsh Tribute

The San Francisco 49ers announced this week that they will wear their cherry-red throwback jerseys in their regular season opener against Arizona as part of a tribute to former coach Bill Walsh. The legendary Hall of Fame coach, who guided the 49ers to three Super Bowl titles, died July 30 after losing a long battle with leukemia. The 49ers will also wear a "BW" decal on their helmets throughout the season in honor of Walsh.

Bottom Line

The 49ers' defense needs to make big strides after ranking 26th in total defense last season, but the team will ultimately only go as far as Smith leads them. So far in camp he's looked poised in the pocket and crisp in his throws. His development could reach a new level now that he's heading into the second year in the same offensive scheme.

"It's [about] little things," Smith said of becoming a top NFL quarterback. "It's being the big-time player in critical situations, coming through on third downs, in the redzone, when the game's on the line and in two-minute drills. And growing in that aspect is really going to help this team win games."

 

[switz]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

Could you be more insensitive?

 

[derek19]

Barrows in the SacBee49ers WR Jackson stays healthy in camp

SANTA CLARA -- Darrell Jackson didn't exactly embrace offseason workouts his past few years in Seattle, but 49ers coach Mike Nolan said he has been happy with his new No. 1 wide receiver's practice habits so far this summer.Nolan said Friday that he had a recent discussion with Jackson about how Jackson approached training camp practices. But the conversation wasn't about Jackson's attitude. Rather, the meeting also included trainer Jeff Ferguson and involved how much Jackson should participate in practice.Jackson missed the final three games of the 2006 season with a turf-toe injury. He also missed 10 games in 2005 with a knee injury that required surgery, and the 49ers' strategy is to monitor the seven-year veteran's workload to make sure he remains injury-free and fresh.Nolan said the situation is similar to that of the team's other starting wide receiver, Arnaz Battle, whose sore knees require that he take a practice off every so often."He's got a quiet toughness about him that I really like," Nolan said of Jackson.Jackson said Friday he was dealing with the normal training camp discomfort -- sore feet and shoulders -- but that he mostly felt healthy."My toe really hasn't been an issue so far," he said. "My knee's holding up pretty well. I don't want to jinx myself, but everything's going pretty well. We're just trying to maintain and get to the season so we can have a productive year."Jackson also rejected the notion, suggested in a national publication last week, that he has been resistant to the 49ers' practice tradition that calls for a receiver to finish every play by running 30 yards downfield."I don't know where that came from," Jackson said. "I guess someone was just trying to start something. As a receiver, you always finish downfield. That's how it's been forever. Whether you're hurt or not, you finish the play on out."Actually, 30 yards is shorter than I used to go. I used to take it to the goal line almost every play. Here -- that's a break for me."Back in action -- With Frank Gore (hand) out for Monday night's exhibition opener against Denver, Nolan said the 49ers probably would use a running back-by-committee approach against the Broncos.Michael Robinson will be one of those running backs. Robinson, who was a quarterback at Penn State, said his goal is to prove to the coaching staff that he is reliable enough to be the team's No. 2 running back."I just want to show that, God forbid that anything should ever happen to Frank, that they can count on me," Robinson said.The other running backs on the roster are Maurice Hicks, Thomas Clayton and Arkee Whitlock.

 

[Slinger]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

Could you be more insensitive?

Could you add some value to a thread in the shark pool once in a while?

 

[Bri]

Jacobs is an interesting story

 

[kupcho1]

can gore be any more sensitive and insecure?

Could you be more insensitive?

Could you add some value to a thread in the shark pool once in a while?

I'd like to make this the 4th worthless post in this string.:addingvalueaswespeak:

 

[derek19]

By Jim TrotterUNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERAugust 22, 2007

Frank Gore came on at the end of last season, rushing for 130-plus yards in six of the 49ers' last eight games. Otto SANTA CLARA – San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore isn't known for lollygagging. In his second pro season last year, he led the NFC in rushing and recorded league highs with 35 broken tackles and 15 carries of 20 or more yards. Yet Gore appeared to be in no hurry as he moved about the team's training facility on a recent sunny afternoon. He was a week removed from breaking his right hand during practice, and his spirit was as low as his drooping shoulders. Teammates looked at him and shook their heads in surprise and admiration. Here was one of the faces of the franchise, a Pro Bowl back with speed and power and a new $28 million contract extension, sulking and angry because he couldn't participate in two-a-day practices. “He was legitimately upset, down on himself, teary-eyed, mad that he's not out here practicing with us,” quarterback Alex Smith said. That alone should tell you everything you need know about why Gore was so successful last season. His internal wiring is different from a lot of others. Even though his spot on the team is secure and his stature as the next dominant young runner is widely recognized, the former star-crossed University of Miami standout still feels a need to prove he belongs or that he's deserving. His passion for the game is so strong that coaches had to take away his helmet after the injury, fearful that Gore would try to sneak onto the field. Which is just what he did. Early in the week he grabbed a teammate's helmet and took a handoff with his good hand before the coaches realized what was happening. From that point, they made it clear that he was not to do it again. “He's so passionate about being accountable to his teammates, about being there and working as hard as everybody else,” said 14-year veteran QB Trent Dilfer. “It just crushes him not being able to be on the field.” Finishing flurry 49ers running back Frank Gore rushed for 1,023 yards in the final eight games of last season, including six games of at least 130 yards. He finished with an NFC-leading 1,695 yards rushing. The final eight games: Nov. 12 at Detroit 159 Nov. 19 vs. Seattle 212 Nov. 26 at St. Louis 134 Dec. 3 at New Orleans 40 Dec. 10 vs. Green Bay 130 Dec. 14 at Seattle 144 Dec. 24 vs. Arizona 51 Dec. 31 at Denver 153 Gore did most of the crushing last season, bursting onto the public stage by running for 130 or more yards in six of his final eight games, including a franchise-record 212 yards against Seattle. His success did not come easily. With Smith still developing in only his second pro season, defenses loaded up against the run and tried to force San Francisco to beat them through the air. That put a lot of pressure on Gore, who struggled early. It has been said that character is best illuminated during times of adversity, and Gore affirmed that the first month of last season. He lost a fumble in each of the team's first four games, including ones at the goal line against Seattle and Philadelphia. With a cloud of concern mushrooming overhead, it would have been easy for Gore to let the giveaways play tricks on his mind, the way control problems forced rising St. Louis Cardinals star Rick Ankiel off the mound and into the outfield. But Gore would have none of it. Over his final 12 games, he fumbled only once. “I know one thing, that hard work pays off,” Gore said last week between practices. “I busted my behind all offseason last year and I felt like when I got the opportunity I was going to try my best to be very successful. And you know what? God blessed me, and I was successful. It started off kind of slow with the fumbles, but I kept banging at it.” No one who knows Gore or his story was surprised. Gore has been on a first-name basis with adversity since high school, when he had to overcome a serious learning disability and take on additional responsibilities as the man of the house in his single-parent family. His mother was fighting a serious kidney disorder that still requires weekly dialysis treatments, and there were times when the family refrigerator had only a carton of eggs, bologna and a loaf of bread in it. After running for a Miami-Dade County high school record of 2,953 yards and 34 touchdowns in 11 games as a senior at Coral Gables High, Gore accepted a scholarship to Miami. But he tore his right ACL one year and his left ACL the next. When he decided to pass on his senior season to make himself eligible for the NFL draft, so he could help take care of his family that still was living in a tiny two-bedroom apartment, he went from having USA Today call him the national high school Offensive Player of the Year to having Sports Illustrated label him the most overrated running back in the 2005 draft. San Francisco took him in the third round and has never regretted it. After rushing for 608 yards as a rookie, he ran for a franchise-record 1,695 last season. “He's deceivingly powerful,” offensive coordinator Jim Hostler said of the 5-foot-9, 212-pound Gore. “There are a lot of big men that play this game that don't have any power, and there are a lot of little guys with a lot of power. That's what he has. And then obviously you've mentioned the passion and all those kinds of things that he plays with, which is important. But all the good players in the league have that. “What makes Frank unique is that he's a natural. He has great instincts running the ball. He understands angles, he understands vision and how to use your eyes and how to set people up. And he is fearless, which I think is the final ingredient to a really good running back. When he sticks his foot in the ground, he's running through. He's not worrying about what's on the other side. There is no fear in his mind.” Gore, 24, is determined to prove that last season was not a fluke. He worked even harder this offseason than he did a year ago. And he picked the brains of other quality backs for tips on how to climb even higher. LaDainian Tomlinson got the treatment when the two were at the Pro Bowl. Advertisement “I asked him a lot of questions, like how does he stay so fresh during the whole year,” Gore said. “I told him by the 11th or 12th game, my legs were really gone. But when I was watching him, I still see him bouncing around, especially that Kansas City game at home. He still looked fast.” Among the things Tomlinson and Edgerrin James told him were, take care of his body, watch his diet and avoid in-season partying. He said he also plans to limit or eliminate alcohol during the year. Gore is so intent on learning how other standouts have succeeded on and off the field that the 49ers PR staff had the Chargers send them a DVD of Tomlinson doing press interviews. Gore has studied it. He is driven to reach his potential as a player and a person. He could sit back earning a trip to the Pro Bowl and a new contract, but that would not be him. It's why he was struggling with the idea of not being able to practice. “He's just a guy who wants to help this football team, in any way possible,” said Dilfer. “He's not a selfish guy. He understands that his touches may come in different ways, or that him not touching the ball can help us win games sometimes. He understands the importance of blocking a nickel rusher on third-and-6 is every bit as important as breaking a power play for 20 yards. He's got a really healthy perspective on what it takes to be a pro in this league and what it takes to win.” Concluded Gore: “I've been playing football since I was 5 years old. Coming up, it was very tough in my family. Football is what really got me to come out from where I'm from, from the 'hood. It got me to take care of my mom, to take care of my (two) kids, to take care of my household. I feel, if you don't love the game, why play it? That's the way I look at it. I love to do this. I feel like when I can't play the game, I shouldn't be happy. If I'm not upset that I can't play, then I'm not a ballplayer.”