Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen Press Conference

Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen

Press Conference – December 10, 2024

San Francisco 49ers

How does your game plan change this time around against L.A. given Los Angeles Rams WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are back?

“Yeah, I mean it’s add those two guys. It was tough last time, obviously they beat us, got us with some explosives in the second half. I mean, they’re obviously great players. The scheme is really good. They’re not the only two good players on that team. I think the scheme and the skill players that they have, it just goes really well together.”

Is there a way to quantify what S Talanoa Hufanga brings from a communication aspect especially against the run on the backend?

“Yeah, just everything. That’s always the thing that you want out of your safeties, guys that communicate. I mean, it’s huge and he brings it. He’s always been really good communicating, you hear him from the backend. [LB] Fred’s [Warner] obviously doing a ton of communicating too, but as many people as can be talking, it helps. Especially when they’re on it and it’s quick and it’s fast and it’s decisive. It gets us in the same call, we’re good to go and he’s one of the best.”

Do you think it was the tangible effect immediately?

“Oh, yeah. You can feel it right away.”

You were up on the Bears early and like 319 to four I think in yardage and to force all those three-n-outs, is there some gratification for you in there that this is what we can do when everybody’s on their assignments?

“Yeah, I think we always felt that’s always been the standard. Are we going to finish the game giving up eight yards? Probably not. But, I mean, that’s always the goal to be better on third down and red zone. That’s what’s been showing up. So I think the key for that was being good on first and second down and then finishing it on third down. We’ve been close so many times and you don’t realize, when you go back you see how many times drives get extended. So when you can actually get off on third down and then our offense goes and scores and then we do it again and then they score, that’s the whole complementary part of the game and momentum’s real. The guys executed, our guys played really hard, really proud of how they played.”

DB Deommodore Lenoir spoke to the team last weekend and all of them have been vocal about the fact that it really helped them click. When you watched his maturation over the years and knowing him as a leader out there on the field, how much of an effect does he have on the defense when you watch him out there? Are guys watching him to kind of find their momentum or find their spark?

“Yeah, I think when any good player, that’s who people look at. Whether it’s vocal or it’s just leading by example. And I think the way that Dmo plays and how effective he’s been and how much success he’s had, he’s grown over time. He’s worked. So, you instantly gain respect for players like that, whether it’s your teammate, whether you’re coaching him. All good players, people want to hear when you have something to say and I think he had something to say and it was good. It carries a lot of weight when it comes from guys like that and everybody respects him.”

In a football sense, are there any comps for Dmo? Does anybody else in the league do what he does in terms of nickel, outside, back and forth?

“Yeah, it’s not very common. That’s why, he is a special player and it’s cool that he can do that and he accepts it and there was no hesitation. And it’s tough to do, but there’s not many. I know [Miami Dolphins CB] Jalen Ramsey has done that and he’s been a guy that’s been able to play nickel and move around and track and follow guys and play outside. But, there’s not a ton.”

Puka Nacua seems particularly hot right now. What makes him uniquely difficult to defend?

“He’s just, he’s a tough football player. Some guys are just competitive. He’s got size, he doesn’t go down easy. Some things you can’t measure and he’s just got it. He’s doing the right things, he’s moving. Like I said, these skill players really fit the scheme really well and I think he understands that. But he’s got good body control, catch radius. He’s got good athletic skill but marry that with the toughness that he has, he refuses to go down. He’s just a good all-around football player.”

That had to have been fun film for you guys to watch. When you and the other coaches were looking at this game, I know it was a total team effort on defense, but was there any individual that really stood out to you on the rewatch?

“You go through it quick. You don’t spend as much time because of the short week. So, it wasn’t like you can sit there, I literally go right after the game into this one. So, I mean a lot of guys played well. There’s so many good big situations. I mean, all the sacks. To see [DL] Yetur [Gross-Matos] get three sacks and I think [DL] Leonard [Floyd] got two and [DL] Maliek [Collins] got one. But really that whole rush plan, how it worked together, those guys were tied together and I think it was a big rush and coverage game. That was kind of our plan and if we needed to pressure we would based on how the quarterback was moving around. But I think it was just a team effort and that’s what it needed to be. That’s what it needs to be every week, really, and being tied together and then you add the offense and the special teams together, then it’s complementary.”

S Malik Mustapha talked about wanting vengeance for this game after the game on Sunday. Given that you guys had lost the lead and that was your first game as a defensive coordinator in that kind of situation. Did you take that personally after that game or did it stick with you a little bit longer than other losses?

“The first Rams game? I take all losses personally. I mean, truthfully. You never want to be losing it at the end, but I mean it’s all about wins and losses.”

Do you believe that guys will play with a little bit more vengeance given how that game was lost and they are a division rival?

“I think our guys are focused regardless. We know the importance. We knew the importance of this last game. I think it’s our guys will be focused and it’s a big game because it’s our next. It really is.”