Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – October 7, 2022

San Francisco 49ers

Opening comments:

“Alright guys, injuries this week. [OL Colton] McKivitz is out. [DL Arik] Armstead, out. [RB] Ty Davis-Price is out. [TE Tyler] Kroft is out. [T] Trent Williams is out. [DL Javon] Kinlaw is out and [DB] Tarvarius Moore is out. Go ahead.”

What do you guys have to do just to field a team at 48?

“It’s pretty similar to last week. We added one more o-lineman and we added one more d-lineman, so probably get one more each up of those.”

Did Arik aggravate the foot in the game or is it a different injury?

“No, it was his other foot. Still got some things with both feet, so we know it’s this week, it’ll probably be next week too, so I’m calling it week-to-week.”

Is it Plantar Fasciitis in both feet?

“No.”

With Kinlaw, it seemed like he was borderline close to going Monday night. What’s the decision here?

“I think he’s close to Arik also. We expected some of this going through the offseason. We knew some things would act up on him. It has, we hoped he could get to the game last week. Not much improvement this week, so he is definitely out this week. Will most likely be next week, also.”

Obviously, at times like this you’re pleased with the emphasis you guys put on the defense line and the depth you’ve built there. How do you feel about being able to move forward without two of your starters?

“It’s a challenge like always. I think it’s one that we’re up for. We better be and I’m glad that we do have some depth, but it’s always tough when you lose two players regardless of your depth, especially two players like that.”

Kinlaw talked about fluid in his knee, that was anticipated?

“<Affirmative>.”

How much better prepared do you think OL Jaylon Moore is this week versus last since he knows he will be getting the start at left tackle?

“I think he was real prepared last week. He got in that Denver game and so I think he knew it could happen again. We gave McKivitz the start, but when you get thrown in a game the week before, it kind of reminds you how quickly that stuff can happen, so you want them to take every single rep, and even the reps they don’t take, like a starter, because it’s like they always say you’re one play away. And I think he was in that spot last week and that helped him in the game. And I think it’s even stronger this week.”

Is OL Daniel Brunskill or OL Spencer Burford starting at right guard?

“I’m not sure. I forget. Yeah, we might play three guards.”

What happened with Moore last year? He got some early season starts and looked really good and by the end of it, obviously, Colton had leap-frogged him on the depth chart. What was going on in the second half of the season with him?

“I think it was more about Colton than Jaylon. Colton didn’t make our team last training camp, got beat out in training camp. We were fortunate enough to keep him on practice squad and just from there on out, just stringing together whatever it was, eight weeks. He just got better each week and we see those guys on film every single day. And when we did have an injury, what he had done in practice for so long made us go with him.”

Are you ever weary when rookies get starting jobs early in their rookie years? I don’t know, get complacent or don’t really kind of develop the way that you think they should?

“Every situation’s different. I think the hardest thing about this league is just understanding the standard across the league, which a lot of people don’t know. They don’t grow up studying it. They haven’t been in it as coaches. They don’t have the experiences of it, but sometimes people get thrown into positions, and I’m not saying this at all with him, but I think a tough thing is when guys get starting jobs and they believe they’re starters in the NFL. There’re people starting all over this league who sometimes shouldn’t be in the league. Injuries happen and there’s not just people out there. You have to play what you have and you go in there and some people get into those positions early and they think that, Oh, I can make it in this league and they don’t realize that, man, there’s four guys coming trying to replace you next year and if you don’t understand that the injuries gave you your opportunity, it’s going to be a short career. And I think that’s what happens with a lot of people. And some people, that’s why they get so much better after they get cut. They’ve realized like, oh man, this isn’t college. I don’t have red shirt years. Actually, every day my career can change. And the more people learn that, usually the more successful they are. And some guys just have that naturally and some guys have to learn it the hard way.”

With continuity being so important on the offensive line, how do you account for you guys pretty much being able to pick up and move on with so many changes? The entirely different offensive line from the last year in the Rams game in the middle of the year to the one you just played. You’ve already had several changes this year.

“I don’t look at it as that we did it. I look at it as that’s the challenge. I think things would always be better if you kept that continuity. Guys get better the more they go together, but that’s the reality of this league and you can feel very sorry for yourself. But then it’s what I just said about players, it’s the same for coaches and personnel guys. You can sit there and be like, how is this happening to us? Well go watch some other people too. Lots of people are in that situation and that’s why it’s so much nicer having 16 people on the practice squad now, which gives you more of a chance. But it’s usually an issue every year. Sometimes you have some luck. And usually the team with the most luck has the biggest advantage at the end.”

Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator Chris Foerster was talking yesterday about how the offensive linemen are given like an opposing player to review when they get up and do it in front of the rest of the unit and how good Trent Williams and Brunskill are at it, specifically. But is that done with other position groups on your team or just the offensive line?

“Every position coach has his own deal. There’s always types of different routines. I remember [former NFL coach] Paul Hackett in Tampa every Friday he’d have one of the quarterbacks give a lesson on their favorite musical group. So one day it would be the Grateful Dead, then it’d be like some rap group and it was so we got one every different week. It was just to get guys to study and kind of talk and I think Chris has always had a guy give their report on someone and it’s pretty cool to watch guys do that because you see the way guys look at it. And sometimes they can look at it really well and sometimes you’re like, ‘Alright, let us watch it for you. You just play.’ But it’s cool when you can hear that from people and then their personality comes out too. They get better and better at it.”

I didn’t see CB Jason Verrett out there today, is that just with the scheduled days he’s coming back?

“Yeah, he would’ve gone if we went full-speed. He’s just trying so hard to get back and get reps and we did all walkthroughs. We wanted to get him a full workout on the side instead of just walking through.

As far as decision for DB Jimmie Ward or Verrett, I know you have a three-week window, but if you do make a move, you’d make it Saturday?

“Yes. Yeah.”

Do you have to do something IR-wise with any of those guys you listed?

“We can, we may, but we don’t have to decide that now. We’re still less than 53, and we won’t decide that very fast. We possibly could actually decide that on Arik by tomorrow, but we still have a lot more to discuss in talking with him because I know we have four games then the Bye Week, so we’ll see how that works out. But then the guy’s coming up, JV, there’s not a decision on that, we’re going to wait on him and we’ll discuss that with Jimmie here on this long plane ride we’re about to get on.”

Obviously, Carolina ranks low on offense, but do you have to point out or do you see stuff on film where you go, Wow, this is really close for them getting to where they want to be and you can’t be complacent or take them lightly?

“Definitely. First of all, I think similar to us, when you have a defense that has the talent they have and I think it’s extremely well-coached and they can get turnovers and pressure the quarterback, regardless of what you do on the other side, if it’s a turnover game, it’s very tough to win. When you look at their offense, they have players over there, they have coaches who have done it, they have a good scheme. I just think they haven’t gotten going yet. They’ve had times, but [RB Christian] McCaffrey’s healthy and he looks as the same as he used to. He is a problem. They have talented receivers and [QB] Baker [Mayfield] has done a lot of good things in this league. They got a young o-line that’s coming together, but it has the ability to do well. It’s not like you just see guys out there who can’t do it and you see a scheme that can do it, so it’s a matter of time, they’ll get it going. We just have to make sure it’s not this week.”