Jim Harbaugh wraps up 49ers minicamp

The San Francisco 49ers wrapped up their mandatory minicamp on Thursday, closing with an end-of-practice press conference by Jim Harbaugh. The highlight had to be his discussion of all the perfect attendance players. Apparently players get a certificate and a t-shirt when they have perfect attendance. I had perfect attendance once in school, and I believe I got a certificate but not a t-shirt. I might have tried harder for perfect attendance had a t-shirt been involved!

The press conference ended up focusing primarily on the wide receivers. He briefly discussed Austin Collie and then provided plenty of praise for the various young receivers on the roster:

"I thought [Jenkins] did another really good job. There's quite a jump with [WR] Quinton Patton where he came in very strong. He elevated himself. Marlon Moore as we've said, had a great, great camp. [WR] Kassim Osgood really has been a real pleasant surprise at the receiver position. And [WR] Chad Hall has done a remarkable job. [WR] Ricardo Lockette, another perfect attendance guy, along with A.J. and Chad. Doing a really fine job. So, it's fierce competition in there. They understand what's at stake, and what the team needs from them. And they are rising to the occasion, and that's something that bodes very well for our team."

If you've been reading the practice reports, Chad Hall has been one guy who has been reported to have a good minicamp. We'll see how well that translates to full pads at training camp. Maybe the light goes on and he takes his game to another level, but strong minicamp and praise from Harbaugh doesn't guarantee much of anything at this point. It's a good confidence-builder, so there's always that.

Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Press Conference - June 13, 2013
San Francisco 49ers

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Ended early. Did you like the pace or what?

"Yeah, really liked the practice today, and the entire offseason. It was great effort by our team. And like our team. Like where we're at right now. And it was a good camp."

How did you like QB Colin Kaepernick and the first team offense? At the end really ended with a flourish.

"It sure did. They were really sharp there. Colin, he's been on it all offseason. And that period especially was outstanding. Saw [TE] Vance McDonald on his birthday making some spectacular grabs. We'll have to have more Vance McDonald birthdays. But, yeah he was outstanding. [WR] Marlon Moore had a terrific day. And there were others. But, yeah it was highlighted by some really good throws and catches there at the end."

Can you talk about WR Austin Collie's workout earlier?

"Yeah, it was good."

Anything more you can add?

"Like what?"

Just anything?

"Good, it was good. He was good. He had a patella tear seven and a half months ago, and he's very far along. So, it was pretty impressive."

Does his concussion history scare you at all, three concussions?

"That's for the doctors to look at and analyze."

Do you have an update on WR Brandon Carswell, what happened to his knee yesterday?

"Yeah, unfortunately he tore his ACL. Yeah, that was a real kick in the gut."

How's Colin different through this mini-camp than last year?

"I don't know that I would compare the two. He's doing a fantastic job in all regards."

What about S Craig Dahl's assertion that you guys were tipping passes last year?

"That we were tipping passes last year?"

Well, you were telling-?

"Yeah, after the first game we played the Rams we saw that we were doing that."

So, did you change them?

"Yes, yes, adjusted."

So you don't think that was an issue the second time against St. Louis?

"Not as much."

Were you surprised when he came in then and immediately said it? I mean, you already knew it. But, he talked about it?

"Yeah, of course we asked him."

That helped?

"It confirmed what we knew."

How often does that happen in the NFL?

"Tips?"

Yeah.

"Probably a lot. Yeah, a lot."

How many of your guys ended up getting perfect attendance?

"Thirty-one of the players, and then there was the staff. I didn't count those. I counted the players. It's a neat thing. You think back to when you were in school and the last day of school you get a perfect attendance certificate. And that's what this is. It says something nice about you. You go put it up at home, put it in a little frame. Put it on the wall. It says something nice about you. Kids look at it and it'll be extra motivation for them to attend all their classes. And it's a high criteria. It's a very cruel, very relentless criteria. It's perfection. It's every practice, every meeting, every weight workout with no excuse. You could have a great excuse. But, if you weren't there perfect then you don't get a sticker-certificate, and a T-shirt."

No sticker though?

"No, it's not a sticker. I misspoke. It's a certificate and T-shirt."

What was your last message with them on this last day before you see them again?

"There were a few. And [LB] Patrick Willis talked to the team too at the end there, and did a great job."

Now, did the rookies stay around?

"Yeah, they have their seventh week coming up this week."

Seven out of how many?

"Seven out of seven."

So, afterward this place will turn into a ghost town?

"Ghost town? What is that? What is a ghost town?"

I mean, will a lot of guys stay around and work out here?

"I wouldn't say a lot, or I don't know how many will. I think some did last year."

What are you allowed to do with the rookies next week, in the final week? What can the coaches do with them?

"The same thing that's been going on. Yeah, rookie mini-camp."

Why didn't WR Anquan Boldin do team drills the last couple of days?

"Well, he did yesterday. Today he didn't. I just felt like he had done enough and I wanted to see the younger receivers and get them more reps."

And what about S Eric Reid today? Did he pull something?

"No, nothing like that. But, he's got a little minor thing he's working through."

You said last week WR A.J. Jenkins had his best week of football as a 49er. Did he build off that this week, or is there a drop off?

"I thought so. I thought he did another really good job. There's quite a jump with [WR] Quinton Patton where he came in very strong. He elevated himself. Marlon Moore as we've said, had a great, great camp. [WR] Kassim Osgood really has been a real pleasant surprise at the receiver position. And [WR] Chad Hall has done a remarkable job. [WR] Ricardo Lockette, another perfect attendance guy, along with A.J. and Chad. Doing a really fine job. So, it's fierce competition in there. They understand what's at stake, and what the team needs from them. And they are rising to the occasion, and that's something that bodes very well for our team."

How did you guys leave things with WR Austin Collie today, as far as your level of interest in him or what you told him about that?

"It's still ongoing. There's still a few more things we want to have checked out."

Do you think you will have to bring in another receiver for your 90-man going into camp?

"Yeah, that's a possibility"

Does he have to get a little healthier?

"We've plowed that ground pretty thoroughly. I don't really have any more to say about it."

You heading to Peru?

"I am, Saturday. Looking forward to it."

You had a good time last time?

"Yes. I definitely draw the long straw when I go down there. Today was a really good day for us. Excited about looking at the film and then I'm going to get my mind on going down to Peru."