Defensive Coordinator DeMeco Ryans Press Conference

Defensive Coordinator DeMeco Ryans

Press Conference – September 8, 2022

San Francisco 49ers

Tell us about the plan at safety while DB Jimmie Ward is out.

“We have multiple guys that we can put in that position, so we’re still working through that. You guys will see what happens at safety on Sunday.”

The Bears have a first-time offensive coordinator in Luke Getsy and they have a fullback for the first time since 2018. Are you expecting a more traditional run game from them than what they’ve shown in the past?

“Yeah, these first games are always kind of tricky, so it’s kind of like, what are you going to see? You plan for things we saw with these guys in the past, they have a fullback now. They can do many different things, but the cool part about our defense and what we went against in training camp is we’ve seen just about everything you can see from an offensive perspective. Our offense gave us a lot of tough looks during training camp, so I feel like our guys are prepared to handle anything that’s kind of thrown their way. And it’s just a credit to our offense and Kyle knows guys for the things that they’ve given us. So you try to prepare and plan as best as possible. With the first games, there is no telling, like you can get many things, you got a new coordinator, new staff, so our guys just have to play their fundamentals, be sound, do a great job communicating and go out and just play with great effort, great fundamentals. That’s what’s going to help us in this game.”

Regardless of who you started in the defensive backfield, including nickel, you’re going to have a lot of new faces, some veteran guys, but guys who haven’t played together, what have you done to try to make sure that all those guys are working together on the same page and that there are no miscommunications?

“Yeah, our guys have done a great job throughout all these practices. Guys have been together at practice. They all haven’t been together in a game, but they’ve done it on a day-to-day basis in practice. And they’ve done a good job of communicating. You have a veteran guy there in Fred who does a great job of running the show for our defense. Multiple guys who have played for us, guys will be out there, so it won’t be too many new guys, but the communication, I’m not too overly concerned about the communication, because I feel like our guys have done it all throughout training camp really well. So that’s one thing that I know Fred prides himself on is making sure all the guys are on the same page, so he’s done an excellent job of that.”

Their offensive coordinator Luke Getsy came from the Packers, you guys obviously are used to preparing for the Packers. Is there some, I don’t know if familiarity is the right word there, but things you can sort of look at?

“We hope so. Luke has been there for a while. That’s the offense, you see very similar things that they’ve done in preseason from the Packers offense as well. You look at those things, but again, there’s nothing that we can go out and just hang our hat on that these guys are going do. There’s not any evidence of anything, so our guys just have to be sound in what we do. It’s not about them as opposed to it’s more so about us and how we handle ourselves on Sunday.”

You put your game plan together for Week One, you have an extra week to do it. Do you have to fight the urge to put in lots of things? Just because you have time or do you like to put in extra wrinkles?

“No, it’s whatever we put in. It’s going to be things that I feel like our guys can do well. You never want to overload our guys. We want our guys to go out and play fast and play with clear minds. So that’ll always be the case, no matter how long we have to prepare two weeks, one week, three days, it’s all about what can our guys handle. And with them going out and executing at a high-level, that’ll always be the case for us.”

It appears that they are going to start two pretty untested offensive tackles. What are your impressions of those guys from what you’ve seen?

“Yeah, with the young guys, again, guys just have to go out and play. It’s rookies, guys rise to the occasion all the time and you never know about the rookies until they actually get in games and they have to go out and get game reps. So, what are we expecting from those guys? Who knows? We expect those guys, their NFL-talented players who can play, so we’re expecting their best and they’ll get our best.”

DL Nick Bosa is always locked in and has the professional approach, but is there something that changes during a game week with him and what are your expectations with him?

“Bosa is the same and that’s what makes a great player. You’re always consistent. He’s never too high, never too down. He’s consistent each and every day and that’s what allows him to play at a high level. And the game, nothing’s too big for Bosa, so he doesn’t have to change who he is just because it’s game week. He’ll continue to make plays and dominate just by being Bosa.”

Does he have that freedom to pick whatever side he’s comfortable on during a game?

“We’ll see where he lines up on Sunday.”

We haven’t seen rain here in, I don’t even remember how long. It could rain, it could be windy, did you do any preparation for the inclement weather?

“Not much we can do. With the inclement weather, guys just have to make sure they have the proper cleats and our equipment staff, they’re great. They’ll make sure our guys have the proper footwear to make sure we can run and not be worried about slipping or footing or anything of that nature. Guys just need to worry about having the right equipment to go play fast and not worry about the weather.”

Kyle was saying, I think it’s not until like Week Six that you guys really start watching film of other teams from this year. A lot of it’s looking at the past, do you feel that early on in the season you make more adjustments mid-game, early in the game, do you think that increases early in the year?

“Each game is different. Each game is just its own deal, whether it’s early or late, whatever’s happening in that game, if it calls for adjustments then we have to be ready. Always to adjust and put our guys in the best position to be successful, so whatever, if it’s early or late in the season, it’s always, for me, it’s different each and every week.”

Last year’s game Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields ran for a lot of yards, he had that crazy touchdown. Was that like, him? Or were there issues with the way you were defending him?

“No, Fields, I mean he’s a tremendous athlete, right? He got out on us last year a lot, made a lot of big time plays, big time runs that normal quarterbacks can’t make so the guy is very athletic, he can run all over the place. So, we have to, as we rush and as we play our coverages, we have to be very aware of that. Because of the type of athlete that he is, the speed that he has he can get out on you and make you pay so we just have to be conscious of that and be disciplined in everything that we’re doing.”

How do you think you’ve grown as a coordinator from year one to year two? Does the process feel any different this time around?

“I mean the process is the same, right? It’s the anxiety, the anxiousness, just making sure no stones are unturned to make sure we’re giving our guys everything they possibly need to be ready to go out and perform on Sunday. So, it’s always there. I’m always pumped up and just excited to get in and gameplan and then get out to see our guy’s practice and actually execute the gameplan, see them go out and do it flawlessly. Like these guys, the guys we work with, I can’t say enough about just the men that we work with, these guys are tremendous. Anything we ask of these guys, they’re on it. And they do it for each other, which makes our group very special. And that’s one thing I’m excited about. So, whoever we face, whoever we go against, it’s about the men that we have in this locker room, they’re exceptional men and I am proud to coach these guys.”

What’s it like having to look back on that Fields run where he just, he broke containment and made an incredible play, what’s it like in the film room having to break that down?

“It’s like an ESPN highlight reel just like everybody else is watching it. I give him credit, man. That was an outstanding run. That’s how I look at it. He made an exceptional run, and it was impressive. That’s how I look back at it; it was an impressive play. He’s a great player.”

Who on the scout team is playing your mobile quarterback this year?

“The mobile quarterback? It’s [QB Jimmy Garoppolo] Jimmy G. No, Jimmy has done a great job, he’s gave us some great looks as far as getting the ball out, moving around, scrambling, Jimmy has done an excellent job of that.”

Is he giving a good Justin Fields impression?

“He’s just playing the quarterback position, so whatever those plays call for, Jimmy is making it happen.”

When you face a quarterback who’s as mobile as Justin Fields and you’re talking to your defensive linemen, your pass rushers, is containment just as important as pressure? How do you talk about that with them?

“You just want guys to be aware. When you’re rushing this guy, you just have to be aware of who are you playing, right? We’re not playing a quarterback who’s just going to sit in the pocket and just take a sack, that’s not who he is. This quarterback, he’s a mobile quarterback, he’s athletic, he can get out on the edge, he can get out through the middle, that’s who we’re playing. So, as we play a quarterback like Justin Fields, you just have to be aware of who you’re playing.”