Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen Press Conference

Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen

Press Conference – July 31, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

The last two days, seven interceptions off of your starting quarterback, what were you guys doing defensively to create those kind of takeaways?

“We always stress the ball. It’s always everything. That’s hugely what it is. As far as scheme, every day is just work hard, get better. That’s really it. Taking it day by day. There’s no outlandish scheme or anything like that. It’s just being detailed in what we do and that’s playing hard, playing physical, violent, having that speed and communication that we have to have. And then it’s just executing. But the main thing is our guys are just competing every day. Just work hard, get better. That’s your focus every day. Then stuff like that works out and you get the ball because you’re executing. You create some confusion up front with guys in his face. And everything, just rushing coverage ties together. So it’s just about the work and guys made plays. We got guys that are making plays and that’s important.”

What are your early impressions of the two new defensive tackles? You have DL Maliek Collins and DL Jordan Elliot there.

“It’s been great. The whole group has been really fun to work with and watch and see how they work. Elliot is so explosive, he’s so powerful and he’s got some movement too, but he’s explosive. He’s so big. He’s a lot bigger than you think. You stand next to him, and he does have very powerful hands. And Maliek is very dynamic, moves really well, but he also has that power too. And you’re seeing that from [DL Javon] Hargrave and from [DL] Kevin [Givens] and [DL] Kalia [Davis] and really all those guys, [DL] T.Y. [McGill]. Just the whole group. You’re seeing them compete and seeing those explosive dynamic guys that we like, that can move, but also have power and it’s just, it’s fun to watch them all compete.”

The new rule in the hip drop tackle, have you guys had to coach guys up on that or how do you approach that?

“I’ve watched some stuff on it. I think we’ll address it in the future, probably, at some point.”

Kyle often talks about the leaps that a player can make from year one to year two. You’ve got a lot of year two defenders under you. What do you tell them when their rookie season is over and they’re going into the offseason about what to do in the offseason and to come in having made that leap?

“I think a lot of it is just a comfort thing. I vividly remember even myself, from year one to year two, just jogging on the field that second year, it’s just, it’s night and day difference. Just in where you were at. You just played college, you had a bowl game, you trained for this combine and stuff. And then it was like a full year. And then now you learn what it was to be a pro. And really, it’s about being in the system, being in the building. It’s like, I’m not a student athlete anymore, I’m a professional football player. So you’ve already kind of had your system. So there’s a comfort level. You’ve got plans in place, you’ve got people around you who you trust, as far as teammates and coaches and staff. So I think it’s more of a comfort level that they learn. And a lot of guys, it’s just being around these veteran guys that can help them as well. But for us, it’s about, ‘Okay, here’s where you were, how good can you be?’ Because a lot of times you see them start to ascend during that first year anyway. So it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s see the jump,’ and you just challenge them.”

The two second year linebackers, LB Jalen Graham and LB Dee Winters both had nice plays today. Have you seen that leap from both of them? Can you kind of talk about where each of them is?

“Absolutely. Dee Winters plays fast. So does Jalen. The way to play fast is to know what you’re doing and to feel comfortable in that. And then you’re anticipating it. You have to learn a whole new system. It’s totally different in college. There’s a lot of differences. And then the details of what we do. So it’s understanding the differences in the offenses and then understanding the details of the defense. And once you start to grasp that, it starts to become second nature. Your brain is not slowing you down, then you can see that speed and you can fully cut it loose and that’s where they’re at. They’re taking that jump, both of them. It’s cool.”

You handled a lot of the nickel stuff last. So you worked with CB Deommodore Lenoir a lot. LB Fred Warner was saying last year that the guys that can play in the same game outside and inside are really rare. Are they? What enables Demo to do that?

“It is hard. It’s tough. It’s rare to, it happens so fast inside and then you have to have a different skillset set in there as far as just the tackling and being able to think, ‘Alright, we’re playing this coverage, this stone coverage or now I’m playing it inside.’ It’s different. You have different run fits. You’ve got to get your run pass read, and then you have to be able to man up outside where there’s space and that guy can work. So it is impressive that he could do it. Not a lot of guys can, especially in the game, but that’s something we like our guys that have, versatility. It teaches you a lot. And then it also adds to who we can have up and you have to be prepared for that too, based on positions. Just like we talked about last time, I think with [LB Yetur] Gross-Matos having the inside pass rush versatility. It’s big for your team.”

Talk about CB Renardo Green. He’s getting a shot in the slot. How has he done with his opportunities there?

“I’m happy with the progress. He is picking it up quick. He’s, again, same thing as Demo. We’re working him inside and outside. We’re doing that with a few guys. He’s doing good. Really good.”

Have you decided if assistant head coach/defense Brandon Staley is going to be in the booth for games?

“Yeah, he’s going to be upstairs.”

What’s the biggest challenge for you in this promotion and becoming the defensive coordinator and having that top spot?

“I think your day’s different now. You have different responsibilities. So it’s just planning that out, working through it and just understanding that, alright, ‘I’m in charge of my staff and the entire defense and what we want to look like. These are the changes I may want to do. This is how I want today to look and these are how I want everyone to coach a position and do certain things.’ I’m the final say really on that. And it’s just been fun once you get to the games it’s making the calls but it’s really the preparation. It’s the preparation of the week and the offseason and training camp. It’s been really fun.”

With your calls and sending them into Fred Warner is there a certain dynamic of the relationship? You and Fred kind of have to be on the same page. What’s your relationship with Fred?

“It’s good. He is a great guy. He’s really, really smart. He knows every part of this defense. He understands. So I do like to talk through what I’m thinking on certain things and why we’re doing something today and tomorrow. And so to keep developing the relationship and talking through that with him has been good.”

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the defensive side of the ball pretty much won practice on Monday and then it seems kind of the same thing happened yesterday. What’s the reason for that?

“I don’t know. I was talking about this with some of the coaches. I don’t know if it’s the standard of and now my mindset always. I don’t really think of it like that. I always feel like I see what we can be. So I don’t feel like we’re just winning the day, like you say. I expect it to be like that. And we have a great offense and I see the problems they give us too, and it makes us better. And I enjoy when they have something that gives us trouble because it challenges us to think and to play better. And I just know where we can be. So it’s, win the day, whatever. Did we get better? That’s all I care about really that day, like did we work hard? Did we get better? Did we finish? Did we play with that speed, violence and finish that? It’s about that every day.”

Deommodore talked about strategizing with Staley and some of the things that he’s taught him already in terms of percentages and when to look at something. On the radio interview he even said he was like the defensive Kyle in terms of knowing strategy. To be in your position and have an offensive strategist and a defensive strategist of that caliber, what’s that like?

“It’s great. Like I said, it’s been great having him here. He is really smart. He’s got a lot of experience and stuff like that. It’s huge. It’s been awesome.”