Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – August 19, 2021

San Francisco 49ers

How’d it go?

“I thought it went good. I like that it didn’t seem like there were any fights. I wasn’t over there the whole time, so that was the first goal. We didn’t want to have to kick anyone out today, so at least we all got to practice, didn’t have to send anyone home early. It’s always different when you go against a different team because there’s different types of practices, different tempos and I think it took us a little bit to get used to that but I was happy overall.”

What did you think about the pass blocking? I mean they’ve got a pretty nice defensive line. Are you a little bothered by your pass blocking?

“I mean, I never want to give up some sacks and there in two minutes we gave up a couple, which is always tough. I always want to challenge our guys to get better. We did do a little bit better today, but nothing to overreact about. We’re missing a couple of guys too, but we also got to get rid of the ball.”

What are your thoughts on Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley? And in which ways is his team taking on his identity?

“I just know Brandon, going against him last year, and he’s a hell of a coach. I mean, the scheme that he has, the scheme that he runs, how detailed it is, how he gets his players to play for him. It was evident on tape last year. You can see it already today and the guy is a hell of a coach.”

What does it do for the O-Line to have Former 49ers OL Joe Staley out there working with them?

“We’ll see as we get going forward. Yesterday was his first day working. It was our off day and he was so amped up. He was kind of annoying us all day, wanting to do more. But I’m pumped that he’s here. He’s passionate about football. He loves football. It’ll be nice to have him in the room. He’s never been on this side before, so he’s probably going to be a little sensitive realizing how we’re not always nice with what we say behind closed doors, but we’ll see how he does. I know he’ll be opinionated and I’m just pumped to have home.”

What was going on with you and #44 Chargers LB Kyzir White?

“He was just, he was excited. Sometimes they get excited and I told him to save his energy a little bit. And there was this one tackle and he was actually real cool. I went over and said, ‘We’re not taking guys to the ground,’ and he didn’t mean to. It was cool after that.”

What is Joe’s role and how long will he be around?

“He’s going to be here this week. He lives pretty close to here so he just wanted to come up with the week and try to see what coaching is about. And I know he’s got a passion for it and I know he wants to be around football. He wants to he decide if he wants to work this many hours before he jumps into it with his family. So, he’ll get a look at that this week.”

How much does it help your offense to go against the Chargers defense?

“It helps a ton. First of all, some of the players they got. They got some real talent over there and anytime you can go against different things than what you’ve been going against, helps a ton. We’ve been up against a four-down front. And now we’ve had every front possible today. Some different styles and different techniques. You get use to one type of technique and it takes a while to get ready for the others. You try to do that on a Wednesday or Thursday practice with cards and stuff to simulate, which sometimes takes up to the second quarter to get used to. To be able to scrimmage against guys and to be able to do it here for two days is very helpful.”

You mentioned QB Trey Lance was under some pressure. What did you think of Trey today?

“I’ll see more on the tape. I challenge the offensive line big time, but I’m also going to challenge him to get rid of the ball. You got to know where those outlets are and how to get rid of it. He didn’t have the most time in everything, but it’s kind of our standard with things and how fast you’ve got to play and how not just athletically, but with your mind, you can’t hesitate. You got to get rid of it because you get a sack in a two minute, look at the percentages, it’s pretty much over. And it’s not going to be a lot of great protection there. So, it’s good to give him some of this experience without being in a game. So, we’re just going to keep challenging him hard and I can’t wait to watch the tape in about an hour with him.”

How do you evaluate #11 WR Brandon Aiyuk?

“Brandon? Yeah, I think he’s coming along. We’ve challenged him hard like we do everyone on our team. What’s been nice about him, he’s had some good days and some bad days and he keeps coming back the next day harder. I mean, he’s been up to the challenge, working his butt off the way he’s blocking, the way he’s working. Regardless of how he does each day, if he keeps that attitude, he will only get better.”

What’s the update on T Trent Williams?

“Trent, he was going to go to this day. He had a little swelling in his knees so we drained it out. He’s going to take this week off and hopefully he’ll be ready for the Las Vegas week.”

Do you have any long-term concerns?

“No, since we think he’ll be ready for the Las Vegas week. Hopefully that won’t be too long.”

QB Jimmy Garoppolo hit WR Travis Benjamin on the long pass, he missed a couple other ones. Has he been working on the deep ball and how’s it coming along?

“I think we have had a little more opportunities in this camp. I mean, he works on everything, so I’m not saying we’ve over done that. We’ve worked on that as much as anything else. Had a couple different coverages today, which gave us a couple opportunities. He let that one rip to Travis, two to Travis. The third one, he waited a little too long, which then they were all waiting down there. He’s probably just got to check that down and force that one a little bit, but I was happy with that look.”

You’ve said earlier in camp that if Trey plays really really well maybe we start him Week 1. Is he kind of on that trajectory at this point?

“I’ll answer what I think you’re trying to ask. They’re competing their assess off. They’re doing a good job. It’s not about one guy versus the other guy. It’s about how good can Trey be, how good can Jimmy be. I think both of them, when you go through camp, you go through games, you go through practices, it’s up and down throughout the whole thing. So that’s why I don’t sit and go ‘Who’s ahead of the other, what’s going on,’ after each practice. They both bring different elements to our team. Both of them, I believe, can play at a high level and I’m trying to see which one does that the best for us.”

Can you see Trey getting more reps with the ones or is it going to be same?

“No, I’d like him to get some reps with the ones eventually. I kind of reevaluate that after each practice. Not just so he can get with our ones, but also, so he can go against the one defense and stuff. So, we’ll see if we do some of that tomorrow. If I do, it’d be more trying to get him some reps, verse [Chargers DE Joey] Bosa and [Chargers S] Derwin [James] and some other guys too because there’s definitely a difference.”

What has to happen before you are ready to put him out there with the ones?

“Just what we think it is the best chance to win.”

What’d you see from Derwin today?

“Just same thing you see from every time that he’s out there. He’s the man. He’s as good as it gets. Coming out of college, we loved him. I just love how carries himself. You know how talented he is but just talking to the guy, how he acts out there, you can tell he’s a special guy, as a person and as a talent. So, you guys got a good one there.”

What have you seen out of T Mike McGlinchey and what more in terms of pass blocking do you need to see out of him?

“Same thing I’ve kind of said about each player, it’s up and down throughout all camp. I know it was nice for him to get some reps against some real good guys today. I’ll see it when I see the tape, but I just want him to keep getting better.”

I know you don’t game plan for a practice, but with Joey Bosa out there and Derwin James, do you almost have to acknowledge that or do you have to scheme for that a little bit?

“Not really. If they really were going to hit the quarterback and stuff, then we would. But they just run by him and we know it’s a sack, so we’re not going to go out of our way to just handle that. We’re trying to get the work in with our players and stuff. And that’s the biggest thing with all this stuff, it’s fun to go against other guys. Guys want to get amped up and make it a big deal, which I get that it is. But the main thing is getting better throughout all this. So, like, everything that we decide on, it’s how to put these guys in a position that allows them to learn something, whether it’s good or bad. So, the better the season is, it’s not really about winning the day.”

I know Bosa hit the ball once. Was he not supposed to do that?

“No, he’s not. Our Bosa didn’t hit their ball today. I don’t know why he did that.”

Do you want to see Lance with the starter before you decide what quarterback gives you the best chance to win?

“I mean, I don’t have to decide that, I don’t need that to make that decision. But yeah, I’d like to get him some reps with the starters, not just to be with those guys, but our ones go versus ones. You get a little more challenging looks going versus the one defense”

Why are the Chargers a good team to do the joint practice with?

“You definitely don’t want to do in your division. I’d rather avoid the NFC. You want to do it with someone on the other side and I’d love to do it with someone that is different than what you practice against every day. And they have a really good scheme that’s kind of the opposite of ours. So, I think it really helps in that way.”

Lance lacks a little bit with his footwork and is that common being in his first camp and how did he do today?

“Yeah, he did better. Yeah. That’s extremely common. I kind of watched all the rookie quarterbacks around the league and when they get in there, it’s their first NFL game, just like a lot of rookie every position, they get in there and they resort back to survive with what they’ve done their whole career. And sometimes that’s a little different at the NFL level. You can’t just go out there and play. You’ve got to be exact in your details, exact in your techniques. And the more you can do, that more you make it automatic, then you don’t lose it in the heat of battle. But that’s kind of the story for all of them.

What is WR Jalen Hurd’s health status?

“You guys know, he’s been in and out through most of this and he’s had some knee soreness. He’s got some knee tendonitis. So instead of going one day off and three on, we just made the decision a couple of days ago to shut him down for the week. We’ll make sure he gets at least seven days off. I think it was five days before that. So, it’s going to be a little over 10 days. Hopefully when we get to Las Vegas week, that’ll be the right answer. I hope he’ll be a little bit better.”

Did DL Nick Bosa make any plea to try to practice against familiar guys?

“No. I know how bad he wants to, but Nick is very thorough and thought out on this whole plan. Every day Nick’s got to hold himself back and everything, and we’re doing it too, but we’ve got a plan. Nick sticking it and it’s smart that he is.”

Is Hurd’s tendinitis from his previous ACL injury?

“I believe so. I’m not a doctor.”

When you’re making cuts, as it’s happening. How difficult is it when you have injured players?

“No, it’s a huge challenge. And that’s what I was trying to explain the couple of weeks ago, but that’s the hard thing with the NFL. [CB Emmanuel] Moseley tweaked his hamstring. So, he’s out for a week. Would have loved to have kept four quarterbacks and kept [Former QB] Josh Rosen. But when you’ve got to cut five guys this year so much earlier, and then you lose one corner, you don’t have enough guys for practice. Sometimes you can’t keep a fourth quarterback. And it goes that way for everything. Injured guys, especially guys who can play, guys that have been like that like [DL] Dee Ford. Guys like Jalen. We all know how good they can be and how much they can help us. But you’ve got to play of all that in account because the 53 is tough and you want to make sure you don’t lose other players that can help us throughout the year.”

With so much discussion about the quarterback stuff, are looking at this? I mean, it seems like you’re pretty at ease and you’re pretty relaxed, not stressed about making this decision. Is this for you, just a really good situation to be have two guys?

“Yeah, I can’t get caught up in everything else. I get why it’s fun and that’s a decision that everyone interested in. I can’t make it about that. I’m just really excited that, I think we’ve always had a quarterback like Jimmy who can give you the chance to win the Super Bowl. And when he hasn’t been in, we’ve really struggled. And I also think the drafted a guy who can get there also. And yeah, that makes me very excited. However that plays out, whatever gives us the best chance to win, is definitely what I’m trying to focus on. I’m also excited that I think we have some depth there too, where regardless of what happens I know we have other answers.”

At this point do you think you’re going to have three quarterbacks?

“I would like to. We’ve got three guys who can play, so I would definitely like to, but that’s, the tough thing about the 53. Where do you go extra at another position? How do you go under? Are you going to lose guys? What’s the practice squad? If it’s as simple as we have three quarterbacks that can help us, then yes we will.”

How has CB Jason Verrett looked during training camp?

“He’s been great. I love JV. I’m sure he’s thought of very highly here too. The way he carries himself. Somewhat of what I was talking about with Derwin, you can see special guys on the field and how talented they are, but you also see what’s special when you get around someone like that and know how they are. He’s a bulldog. He’s competitive as can be. He’s a tough a guy as we have out there. I think one of the better leaders in this team, even though you don’t hear him talk all the time.”

WR Jauan Jennings got a touchdown here in the end zone. How can a big receiver like that help you guys in high-leverage situations like in the red zone or on third and short?

“When he plays big, which he does. So he does both. And that’s why Jauan is giving himself a chance to make this team and giving himself a chance to help us. Because, yes, he does have some size, but it’s also his mindset too. He’s aggressive in everything he does. He comes off the ball as hard as anyone, he attacks that ball. There’s no difference between a run plan and pass play for him. And that mentality is why he was successful in college. That’s why he’s trying to prove himself in the league the same way.”

Do you highlight that in film to your players, like the way he plays?

“Yeah, definitely. I highlight stuff every single morning to the team. So, whoever gives me the most examples, I always show. Jauan’s had a lot of clips here in the last few days.”

Will you do Garoppolo and the starters through the first quarter?

“I don’t know yet and I mean that. How much you get off these practices, I never decide before how a scrimmage. I want to see what they got here today. I really want to have a big one tomorrow. And then I evaluate where guys are and how hard the workload was for them. see if the game is worth for them and who needs to do it.”

You got a guard in the second round, was it a direct message to your previous guard OL Dan Brunskill? How did he respond? Did you talk to him and say ‘Hey obviously you are going to be competing?’ How has he responded to that?

“I don’t know. I never talked to him about it because I don’t look at it like that. We’re just drafting him to replace Brunskill. I thought he played at a high-level last year, whether it was at guard, whether it was at center. He played at a high level for us at tackle the year before when we had some guys go down. You want to make sure we have our five best players out there. And when you’ve got some versatility of that, I don’t think anyone looks at it as just a replacement for them. We’ll see how it all shakes out. But it was tough for [OL Aaron] Banks to get injured, missing these two weeks. He’s a guy we believe in a lot, but he needs to play too. We’ve got some other guys with a lot more experience. Hopefully we get him back, at least in this last week or so of preseason, so we can give him a chance to play.”

And what is his injury?

“Shoulder. Shoulder something. I think its minor AC sprain. The reason I don’t say that stuff is because I don’t ask. It’s one to two weeks.”