Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Press Conference

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan

Press Conference – August 3, 2021

San Francisco 49ers

QB Trey Lance seemed to get some reps with ones. What was thinking behind that? Why today?

“We have seven day install. A certain play that went in a day that we wanted all the lines to get reps with and we’re only going to do that play with Trey.”

He was pretty sharp passer today, especially the long pass to WR Trent Sherfield. How have you seen his arm come along, accuracy? How has he thrown this camp?

“I think since OTA, I think he’s put a lot of work into it and I think it’s getting better each day. I think that’ll continue to happen just the more he plays and the more he works at.”

Why didn’t WR Deebo Samuel practice?

“Just soreness. We’re trying to be smart with Deebo. Deebo came into this camp as in good of shape as I’ve ever seen him in. And he hit this fifth or sixth practice, wherever we’re at, pretty sore with groin tightness. So we just took care of him.”

Did you get a diagnosis with LB Azeez Al-Shaair?

“Yeah, I didn’t get the exact thing. It’s going be a couple of weeks though.

Then obviously no major–?

“Yeah, no, no long term. No long-term thing. His ACL is fine. I think it’s some type of knee sprain. And that’ll be a few weeks.”

What did you see from Trent Sherfield? Why’d you bring him in and what have you seen from him so far?

“He have such a good reputation for how he plays on special teams. So that’s a little where it started. But it’s very hard to make our team on special teams if you can’t contribute as a receiver. He’s a guy who we think can play and has a chance to make this seem just as a receiver. And when you throw how good of a special teams player he is, it makes him very hard for guys to beat out.”

There wasn’t a whole lot of film on him as a receiver. What did you like?

“Well, that’s why [special teams coordinator Richard Hightower] Tower was standing on the table for him for special teams. And he promised me that he was really good at receiver and we believed him. He’s telling the truth so far. So we’re excited.”

What was the play you added and how is it as you get further along with Lance?

“There’s lots of stuff you can do if the defense isn’t accounting for a quarterback. So, that’s one of the bonuses to a guy who is a threat with his legs. But you’ve got to get good in all the other areas for that to continue, which is throwing the ball and making the right reads and protecting the ball.”

What was with all the false start penalties today? Cadence issues?

“No, just D-Line issues. Those guys tee off and if we don’t change that cadence up a ton, they’re going to be in our backfield. So we changed it up a bunch, especially when you got to the move the ball periods. It was our first day of a couple of non-scripted periods. And we changed the cadence up a lot and when we did, our guys false started. The few times that we didn’t, I thought we got the defensive line. So we just have to keep doing that because if we don’t have the confidence to go on two and stuff, that D-Line is hard to block.”

Audio was a little awkward, but the first question about Trey Lance’s first team rep, you said it was a package?

“You’re just going to make me say it twice. See if I can mess it up. All right, no, we have a seven day install. Day six, a certain run went in that we wanted all the O-Lines to get blocking with, so we made sure all the O-Line got it. But it’s not a play that you’re doing with all the quarterbacks.”

What did you see from Mike McGlinchey in particular and how he did with his weight?

“Yeah, I mean the weight, you’d have to ask him. I don’t look too much into that. I like how his technique is right now. Not to get into specifics, but there’s a few things he’s been focusing on and it showed in OTAs, but we didn’t get a lot of O-line and D-line in OTAs. So it’s been nice to watch it out there today. You don’t have to defend the bull rush until they put the pads on. So that’s really when one-on-one gets real, when there’s a threat of a bull rush and everything else. And but he’s a real good job of that today.”

How did you think DE Dee Ford did today?

“He ran by me a bunch of times. So when I saw him walking in, I told him quit teasing me like that because he looked like the Dee Ford I remember. So hopefully he can keep that up and can be smart with him as we go.”

CB Dontae Johnson and CB Tim Harris Jr., CB Emmanuel Moseley’s obviously still out. What’s the update on those guys. And do you feel like you might have to add a corner?

“Yeah, possibly. I mean, it depends, we were down a number of guys today, which made it tough. Dontae is day to day. I think, he’s, hopefully, back tomorrow. If not, I think it would be after our day off. Tim’s going to be a couple of weeks.”

Is DL Nick Bosa going to participate in one-on-ones?

“Yeah, I plan on it, whenever he’s ready.”

What made you think WR Jalen Hurd was ready?

“Yeah. Him and Dee Ford, they are about on the same rep count, I believe. I don’t think he was at the point of contact a bunch, but it was good to get him out there in some live reps. I think he was on the backside a number of times. I think he had a good slant, but I’ll see the film. It was good to just get him out there and get some team reps. And we got through it and keep stacking those days.”

At first blush, is this the type of practice that could potentially lead to Trey getting more reps than just one with the first team?

“No, I don’t really look at it like that. I thought he had a decent day. I thought he did good with his reps. Not perfect, but we’re just evaluating everybody right now and not putting it like that.”

You said he’ll be the quarterback when he’s ready. What constitutes ready?

“When I think he gives us the best chance to win.”

What have you seen from DT Javon Kinlaw?

“Oh, it was great. He got out there, he got a little yesterday. He got a lot more today. Kinlaw is chomping at the bit to get out there. We’re trying to be smart with him and make sure that he makes it through this whole camp. He’s done everything we’ve asked. He’s had a great off season and he’s a problem when he’s out there. So, the offense doesn’t want him out as much as he was today because he messes a lot of stuff up for us, but it was good to see him. And I know he was pumped to get the pads on the day too.”

[Inaudible]

“He didn’t personally let me know it, but I could feel his energy. I think he let the trainers know it a bunch. That’s what you want. You don’t want a guy celebrate that we’re limiting them. You want a guy who wants to play football, who wants to get out there and who wants to be as best. And that’s what he’s doing, but we’re just making sure that he’s here for the long haul.”

Is there a reason we’re outside?

“So I can see your guys’ faces. I can hear you guys better. No, I mean, you guys know what happened in the county and stuff. So instead of all us being in there with masks on and stuff, I personally chose to be out here.”

So just to clarify, what injury does Tim Harris have?

“I think it was a groin.”

How do you think RB Elijah Mitchell looks?

“Yeah. I think he’s doing a good job. Today was the first day with pads on, he’s been hitting the right holes and it was nice to see him not look any different today. We’re not taking guys to the ground, but he lowers his pads, tries to run through things and excited to see him in some of these games.”

Is that something you’ve got to see with these rookies?

“We haven’t done it one-on-one yet, but we had a lot of blitzes in 11-11, which is kind of the same thing. One-on-one you’re in the spotlight, so it looks a little bit different. But when our guys see it with the pads, all our guys stood up in there and they put their face in people. You’ve got to get better with running your feet and all that stuff. It’s always a challenge with the quarterback around you with how careful we are trying to stay away from those guys. But you’ll see it more in the games. I think that’s coming soon.”

Do you have an idea of who the third down back is right now?

“No, not at all.”

General manager John Lynch going in the NFL Hall of Fame, he obviously didn’t grow up on the mean streets of San Diego–?

“He may have. You don’t know.”

I’ve done my research. You’ve met big John, his dad. Have you seen a little bit of maybe how he influenced little John? Infused some of that toughness?

“Yeah, I think so. I haven’t been around him a lot, but I’ve hung out with him a couple of times and he’s a character. He’s got a lot of energy. He’s a fun guy to hang out with and I can see a lot of that in John. John’s Captain America. He’s the best Samaritan alive. But when he gets on that football field, I don’t think he’s as nice of a guy as he is off.”