On good rhythm showing for offense:
Yea, we’re starting to see a nice progression throughout the OTAs. The first minicamp was kind of the first piece, and then OTAs 1 through 9, just trying to get better every day, and then today was a good day for the offense. We’re kind of seeing how everything is meshing, going together, different tempos, different styles of play, and a lot of guys did a good job today.
On Colin Kaepernick return and how he did:
He did fine. Threw the ball well, and I think he was in there for some 7-on-7, individual stuff, but we’re just all focused on getting better every day, and he’s doing the same thing.
On how much of OTAs is for concentrating on mental aspect:
Yea, we’re in the learning process right now. That learning phase, taking what we’re doing in the meetings rooms, going onto the field, watching the film from the field, and it’s that cycle, day-by-day. And that’s, we can really see the progression of us getting better, day-by-day. And that’s kind of where we’re at right now.
On if offense was missing play action last year (discussing big PA pass to Torrey Smith in practice):
I think play actions a huge part of any offense. And the way we’re able to run the football in this offense we’re in right now, it’s huge to have play action. Puts the linebackers kinda in that run/pass bind. Our runs look just like our play actions, and that’s really similar for any offense. But Torrey did a nice job today, I happened to get the perfect coverage for the perfect play, and made it work.
On Bruce Ellington:
He’s doing a great job. Going into his third year, he’s now a vet. He’s a vet in that room. And he knows how to prepare himself day in and day out, and it’s really carrying over to the field. He’s balling out right now. The biggest thing I see from him, he’s having fun, he’s enjoying it and he’s catching a ton of balls right now.
On Carlos Hyde as receiver:
Yea, he had some great catches today, but he’s another guy that’s put himself in the best position possible. He’s gonna have a great year for us. He’s catching the ball well. It’s really tough to see how the run game is in no pads. You really don’t see that until training camp and the preseason games, but our o-line, and our whole running back group has been doing a great job.
On confidence now getting 1st team reps vs. in Jacksonville:
I’d say it’s the same. Being the quarterback going with the 1s, being the quarterback going with the 2s, being the quarterback going with the 3s, it’s really the same. You gotta be the leader, the single voice on the field. You’re the guy everyone looks to. You’re the voice, you’re the one that gets people lined up, tells people what to do if they have questions. So it doesn’t really change if you’re with the 1s, 2s, or 3s.
On what he’ll do during time off before training camp:
You just gotta stick to your routine, and guys have different routines. Some guys take a couple weeks off at the beginning, some guys take a couple weeks off at the end. But whatever your routine is, you just gotta stick with it. And I feel like I have a pretty solid routine down. And you just gotta keep working hard, keep training, stay sharp with the playbook, and just kinda pick up where you left off at OTAs in training camp.
On where he trains after OTAs:
Usually go back to St. Louis. Workout there.
On Aaron Burbridge:
Yea, the young guys are doing a great job. They’re picking it up really well. I’ve seen a lot of guys struggle picking up offenses, but the young receivers, young backs, young offensive linemen are doing a great job picking it up. They’re studying their tails off, and you really see it. They’re the ones you see the biggest jumps with, from kind of the first OTAs on through training camp.
On Eric Rogers:
Yea, he’s big, long, rangy. He’s really got deceptive speed. I mean, you’ve gotta bomb it to him if you want him not to overrun it. He’s doing a tremendous job, and he’s a guy you gotta utilize in the red zone because he is so tall, and has some good vertical leap ability. He’s a mis-match nightmare.
On any work with Jimmie Ward about getting in head of QB as CB:
It’s funny because he’s going from corner, he’s playing safety, he’s playing nickel, and we always try and mess with each other, when he’s blitzing, and when he thinks I know he’s blitzing. And I’m just kinda going back-and-forth, because that’s, the nickel is such an important position for the quarterback, because they give you keys on kind of what defenses are coming, if they’re bringing pressures, strong or weak, and just kinda having dialogue back-and-forth, I think it’s helped both of us.
On how he looks as a cornerback:
He’s doing a tremendous job. He’s so athletic. He can play anywhere on defense, and he’s a smart player, and he’s just savvy. He’s just a ball player, and he’s going to do a great job.
On Bruce Miller conversion to tight end:
He’s another, he’s just a ball player. I know that’s such a general term, but I think that’s the best compliment you can give a player. They get open, they make plays, they do their job, help other guys get better, and that’s what Bruce’s done. He played fullback, now he’s going to tight end, he’s getting split out wide. He’s doing kind of a myriad of things, but he’s doing a great job. He’s a fun guy to play with.
On if he’s surprised Miller is working with the first team:
No, I’m not surprised by anything. I know the person that he is, the football player that he is, what he brings to work day-in and day-out, and he’s done a great job thus far over the summer.
On who he gets play calls from:
Coach Modkins … yea, we’ve got the headset, and we’re just rolling.
On Chip Kelly’s main directive to QBs:
Just go play, keep the offense on schedule, have fun. Utilize our tempo. But the biggest thing is just keep the offense on schedule, no negative plays, don’t make a bad play worse. Just go out there, don’t think, and correct your mistakes on the film.
On if they know offense well enough to not think:
Yea, you’re really seeing, being in so many offenses, the last minicamp that we have right now is where you really see the jumps from the offensive side. In the beginning, you’re still installing everything, you’re facing a new defense, generally, you’ve got kind of a double whammy right there. Now that we have the playbook installed, we’re going through it again and we’re familiar with the defenses we’re going with, now’s the time where you really see the progression, and players kind of stick out, hitting big plays, and the offense is starting to roll.
On Vance McDonald:
He’s doing a great job. And he’s such a great athlete. He’s smart. He does a great job in the run and pass game. He’s a guy that we have to utilize. He’s a mismatch nightmare on linebackers. And you really kind of saw that jump Week 8 on last year. He did a great job, stayed healthy and had some good plays.
On impressions of defense thus far:
They’ve given us a lot of looks, and they’re rolling through all their calls right now. They’re playing fast, playing hard, physical up front, and the secondary’s doing a great job breaking on balls. It’s been a lot of fun to go against them because you’re never getting the same look twice, and it really makes the quarterbacks think and be on top of their game from a protection standpoint, progression standpoint, evening the run game as well.
On QB coach Ryan Day:
Yea, he’s a great sounding board, and him being a coach in this offense, and having played in it as well, he’s seen it. He knows what to look for, he knows the keys, and he’s been a great resource to bounce ideas off of, kind of have someone directing the quarterbacks from a read standpoint, what you’re looking for on certain plays. It’s gonna be fun to work with him throughout the year.