(On a lot of new guys in
camp…) “Well, I have a cheat sheet. I get to know guy’s hair.
I have the numbers, AJ (Durso) has put together a nice little sheet for me and
if I see someone I don’t know then I will glance down and make sure I
get his name right and start learning the names pretty good.”
(On the energy level today…)
“It was good. I think of the few things you ask of them and we demand
in mini camps. We don’t want anyone to get hurt first of all and you have
to go fast. Go fast and learn how we practice and how we do things and then
just play with enthusiasm and energy because that is what you have to do in
this game. I think they handled it pretty well.”
(On the differences in the
run game this season…) “Well, it will be hard to evaluate until
we have put on the pads and really get playing a little bit. I think off of
last year we have to be more assignment correct. I really thought we made too
many errors last year and I am not talking physical errors necessary, I am talking
mental errors, more than we have in the past, but we are pretty demanding. I
want to see that improved. Secondly, the technique of some of the fellas, they
have been playing enough now. Some of the guys that I called young last year,
I am not going to call young anymore. They have played enough now, let’s
get it going and let’s see some improvement. Lastly, you have to see it
come together - a cohesive unit - and then our new running backs have to learn
it. We have to see how they do. But all that really comes through when the pads
are on.”
(On if Mike Wahle caught
his eye…) “He caught my eye 10 or 12 years ago when I drafted him.
He is a good football player, we know that.”
(On if all the absences
were expected…) “They are all rehab guys and according to my last
medical report which was yesterday, they are all right on track and we are feeling
good about their process. There are a couple questions. We don’t know
how Tubby (Marcus Tubbs) is going to react but he is doing fine. I am optimistic
there. Deion Branch is doing fine, he is right on schedule if not a little bit
a head of schedule.”
(On Tubbs…) “He
was coming along and then he had some swelling and it would have been more of
a set back if we had waited another month or something. I think this is the
type of thing that they fix it and it should really be the last thing that we
have to do to the leg. He should be able to practice and stuff. How much we
practice him, we just have to be careful with it that is all.”
(On Rocky Bernard not practicing…)
“He had a surgery on his foot and he is rehabbing that.”
(On if it is the same foot
as last year…) “Yeah, they finally figured out what it was and it
is kind of a weird thing. I would display my medical expertise but I know I
would get it wrong. It is not long – three or four weeks.
(On Bernard’s off-the-field
inst…) “It is a little like the things that have happened here in
the past perhaps. I mentioned the same thing with (Sean) Locklear. Let it run
its course. We like Rocky obviously, he is a good football player and I want
him to be well physically.”
(On the new offensive line
coaches…) “I have known Mike Solari a long time and he coached at
the 49ers after I left with Bob McKittrick, who was one of the best line coaches
I have ever seen. At the time, Mike was coaching tight ends. I have known guys
that have worked with him. We have known each other over the years and he has
a wonderful reputation. He is just one of the great line coaches I think in
football. Mike DeBord, I didn’t know as well, but I did know Lloyd Carr
at Michigan and Mike was his right hand man for the last 13 years or so. Most
recently (offensive) coordinator there. They had a change at Michigan. Mike
wanted to make a change from college to professional football. He is just an
outstanding coach. He will help with the offensive line now and then what he
coaches in the future, that remains to be seen. But we have two really quality,
quality guys there.”
(On Owen Schmitt…)
“He is a fullback in the truest sense of the word and those guys are tough
to find in college football nowadays. He gives us depth at the position. He
is a tough guy. He has skill catching the ball, good blocker. He played on a
really fine college football team. He is going to get a chance to play fullback
for us and special teams.”
(On TJ Duckett and Julius
Jones today…) “They did fine. Again, some of the new guys are still
learning how we do things. We know a little bit more about those guys than our
draft choices and they came in and did fine.”
(On what Coach Solari’s
job focus will be on the offensive line…) “Mike has a tough job
because we are not going to change our scheme too much and so he had to learn
our scheme, how we run our offense. Having said that, he has had a lot of success
with certain things and how he inserts his ideas into what we do. It is kind
of a blend. We have been in meetings, we will continue to be in meetings. I
will meet with the offensive staff now that the draft is over from now until
the time we go on vacation to talk through all of that stuff. He is learning
from us and we are learning from him so it is a blend.”
(On what he liked about
Solari…) “He is a great teacher. You watch him work and he has the
guy’s attention. They are listening to him. He is trying some new things
and time will tell how it goes. He has been good for a long time. It is good
to have him with us.”