David Shaw
Looking back on the full padded practice and the other practices, what stands out so far?
"I think our execution is not perfect right now, but we're executing at a higher level than we were at this time last year. We pared down what we do offensively, and defensively especially, to really get good at the things we want to get good at. We have gotten a lot of reps in. We're getting more reps than we had last year. Last year we only had one and a half offensive lines so we couldn't split. This year we're splitting. After today there have been probably 300 team plays. We probably had a third of that this time last year. We're getting a lot more work. Guys are working hard and pushing each other."
Are any of the freshmen offensive linemen standing out and getting work with the ones?
"I'm excited about all of them. We had a couple guys banged up, just out for a couple days, so we're rotating a couple of the young guys through there with the starters. They're not perfect. They're learning and growing. With our depth, one or more could see significant time throughout the season. Our job is to get them ready for that. I think Coach (Kevin) Carberry is doing a great job teaching these guys from A to Z. They're coming along well."
(Shaw added they've had too many guys miss time to have a true evaluation of a starting five. Henry Hattis will get back on the field in the next couple days. "He's battling for a job at guard." I saw that Branson Bragg wasn't dressed today.)
Tucker Fisk has the ability to be a force at the line of scrimmage but he also needs to be a receiving threat. How do you see him fitting as kind of a sixth lineman and a tight end?
"He has the ability to do both. He ran some nice routes today. He has really good hands. He's very physical. He's growing into a complete tight end. We're pushing him in the passing game just like we're pushing Colby Parkinson in the run game to work on the things they need to continue to get better at. Both guys are looking like guys who can be very versatile tight ends."
Lance Anderson
After a few practices what do you think of the defense?
"I like our group. We're athletic. We have good size, good length. Guys are practicing hard. They have a good understanding of the defense. We still have a long way to go in camp, but I'm happy with where we are right now."
Obviously this is your first chance to work with the freshmen. What stands out about that group and are there any individuals maybe a little ahead?
"The group as a whole I think is an impressive group. They have great work ethic, really good attitudes, positive kids. And it's a talented group athletically, too. I am really pleased with that group. In terms of guys who might see the field first, I think it will most likely be someone from the DB group. That whole group of DBs has done a really good job. A few guys in particular stand out. Kyu Kelly has done a great job. Jonathan McGill, Zahran Manley has a done a very good job. Those three really stand out. Salim Turner-Muhammad has done some really positive things as well. I think we'll know more as the next few weeks go on, but it will not surprise me if there are some guys from that group who are able to play for us this year."
Safety and nickel seems to be up in the air a bit. Of the guys you named is McGill the only one in that mix?
"He's more out of that group who has repped at safety and nickel. Salim we think has the ability to move inside. We're still getting a good look at him at corner. We'll see where time takes us with that.
"You mentioned safety and I think we have a great competition going on there. We're really pleased where Kendall Williamson is right now. He's fast, he's athletic, he's a physical kid. Stuart Head is doing really well. He's a long, rangy kid with speed. The good thing is both those guys have been healthy, which you didn't see in the spring. They are right now, which is a really good thing. With those guys healthy and playing the way they are right now I think we definitely upgraded in terms of speed at that position, which is something we needed."
It has been difficult for Stuart to stay healthy for any length of time since he got here. What have you seen from him in camp that gives you encouragement?
"He has shown up every single day ... and he has played fast just like he showed in his high school film and has flashed at times here. He is a big kid who is athletic and can run. That's what we've seen on the field. He can burst and go. It has been really positive how healthy he has been so far. He has to stay that way."
How have you seen Curtis Robinson develop inside?
"He's doing well inside. He has all the physical tools you look for in an inside linebacker. He has flashed those at times throughout camp. He just needs to get more consistent. It's a matter of reps and being disciplined with his eyes and understanding his fit. A lot of things happen fast. I think he's doing really well. He has a chance to be a really good player for us.
"He's a high football IQ guy. It's one of the reasons he got onto the field early as he did as a true freshman because he learned stuff quick. He's a quick study. He's a sharp kid."
Coach Shaw talked at Bay Area Media Day about the need for the DL to step up. How do you see that group?
"That's well put. I think the last couple years we talked about that group being young. We talked about it being inexperienced. You don't want to make excuses for the level they played. They have experience now. There are no excuses. The expectation is they play at a high level. They are improving upon what they did last year. So far in camp we see that improvement. I think those guys are playing at a high level right now. We still have work to do but they're getting there.
"The good thing is for the most part they're staying healthy. Guys who have struggled at times with injuries -- Ryan Johnson and Thomas Schaffer -- those guys have been healthy, have been at every practice and taken every rep we have scripted for them. They're playing well. With that group that's how they get better. It's rep after rep after rep."
Has anyone in particular stood out on the DL?
"I really like where Thomas Booker is. I like what he did last year as a true freshman. I think this year you see an improved version. You will see a better football player this year. He has gone through a full offseason program. He's stronger, he's more physical. He's not getting moved as much as he did last year as a freshman. He's extremely athletic. I'm really happy with where he is."
Curtis Robinson
Do you feel more comfortable in training camp compared to the spring at inside linebacker?
"I definitely feel more comfortable. I think there's a lot more I have to learn and a lot I can still improve on. I think I will continue to improve throughout the season. I think the whole group will continue to improve. I think it's good for us to have that mindset. We had a high-level duo playing before us in Bobby (Okereke) and Sean (Barton) and I think it's going to take a little while before we get to that. Our goal is to get to that level and hope to surpass that."
Do you feel like the game is slowing down for you to take in information and act on it?
"Yeah. At first everything moved a little bit quicker than I wanted it to. I think that's pretty natural with a position change, but coming out here in camp -- having studied in the spring and having gone through team techs in the summer allowed me to slow everything down."
What have you seen in the ILB group?
"I'm impressed with the young guys. There are always flashes there of obviously freak athleticism. That always comes with this position and the way we recruit this position. I'm excited about what they can do. Obviously the playbook starts to stack up a little bit once we get later on in camp, but I'm definitely excited about the three freshman we have and Jacob (Mangum-Farrar) and Ricky (Miezan). They're still young guys to me. Everyone is athletic and they just need repetition more than anything."
Ricky showed up with much less football experience than most freshman. How have you seen his knowledge catch up with his athleticism?
"I got to the party late because I switched in the spring, so he had fall camp and winter to train when I wasn't really looking. I would say that for someone who hasn't played football for more than two years prior to coming here he's leaps and bounds ahead of where I would imagine being. I think his football IQ is definitely high for his experience level. I think his recognition is quicker than most. I think down the line, and maybe even this year, he will be one of our premier players."
You mentioned the freshmen Tristan Sinclair, Levani Damuni and Aeneas DiCosmo. What have you seen from those guys?
"Definitely just a lot of good feel. When you're young it's hard to memorize every single thing a coach is trying to tell you. There are a lot of checks, a lot of stuff you have to do with motion. That stacks up a little bit on them mentally. Watching the film you can see they have good football feel. Tristan can run. Aeneas can run. Levani is a big hitter. I think that naturally their great football players and it's going to take some time to get settled into our program."
Looking back on the full padded practice and the other practices, what stands out so far?
"I think our execution is not perfect right now, but we're executing at a higher level than we were at this time last year. We pared down what we do offensively, and defensively especially, to really get good at the things we want to get good at. We have gotten a lot of reps in. We're getting more reps than we had last year. Last year we only had one and a half offensive lines so we couldn't split. This year we're splitting. After today there have been probably 300 team plays. We probably had a third of that this time last year. We're getting a lot more work. Guys are working hard and pushing each other."
Are any of the freshmen offensive linemen standing out and getting work with the ones?
"I'm excited about all of them. We had a couple guys banged up, just out for a couple days, so we're rotating a couple of the young guys through there with the starters. They're not perfect. They're learning and growing. With our depth, one or more could see significant time throughout the season. Our job is to get them ready for that. I think Coach (Kevin) Carberry is doing a great job teaching these guys from A to Z. They're coming along well."
(Shaw added they've had too many guys miss time to have a true evaluation of a starting five. Henry Hattis will get back on the field in the next couple days. "He's battling for a job at guard." I saw that Branson Bragg wasn't dressed today.)
Tucker Fisk has the ability to be a force at the line of scrimmage but he also needs to be a receiving threat. How do you see him fitting as kind of a sixth lineman and a tight end?
"He has the ability to do both. He ran some nice routes today. He has really good hands. He's very physical. He's growing into a complete tight end. We're pushing him in the passing game just like we're pushing Colby Parkinson in the run game to work on the things they need to continue to get better at. Both guys are looking like guys who can be very versatile tight ends."
Lance Anderson
After a few practices what do you think of the defense?
"I like our group. We're athletic. We have good size, good length. Guys are practicing hard. They have a good understanding of the defense. We still have a long way to go in camp, but I'm happy with where we are right now."
Obviously this is your first chance to work with the freshmen. What stands out about that group and are there any individuals maybe a little ahead?
"The group as a whole I think is an impressive group. They have great work ethic, really good attitudes, positive kids. And it's a talented group athletically, too. I am really pleased with that group. In terms of guys who might see the field first, I think it will most likely be someone from the DB group. That whole group of DBs has done a really good job. A few guys in particular stand out. Kyu Kelly has done a great job. Jonathan McGill, Zahran Manley has a done a very good job. Those three really stand out. Salim Turner-Muhammad has done some really positive things as well. I think we'll know more as the next few weeks go on, but it will not surprise me if there are some guys from that group who are able to play for us this year."
Safety and nickel seems to be up in the air a bit. Of the guys you named is McGill the only one in that mix?
"He's more out of that group who has repped at safety and nickel. Salim we think has the ability to move inside. We're still getting a good look at him at corner. We'll see where time takes us with that.
"You mentioned safety and I think we have a great competition going on there. We're really pleased where Kendall Williamson is right now. He's fast, he's athletic, he's a physical kid. Stuart Head is doing really well. He's a long, rangy kid with speed. The good thing is both those guys have been healthy, which you didn't see in the spring. They are right now, which is a really good thing. With those guys healthy and playing the way they are right now I think we definitely upgraded in terms of speed at that position, which is something we needed."
It has been difficult for Stuart to stay healthy for any length of time since he got here. What have you seen from him in camp that gives you encouragement?
"He has shown up every single day ... and he has played fast just like he showed in his high school film and has flashed at times here. He is a big kid who is athletic and can run. That's what we've seen on the field. He can burst and go. It has been really positive how healthy he has been so far. He has to stay that way."
How have you seen Curtis Robinson develop inside?
"He's doing well inside. He has all the physical tools you look for in an inside linebacker. He has flashed those at times throughout camp. He just needs to get more consistent. It's a matter of reps and being disciplined with his eyes and understanding his fit. A lot of things happen fast. I think he's doing really well. He has a chance to be a really good player for us.
"He's a high football IQ guy. It's one of the reasons he got onto the field early as he did as a true freshman because he learned stuff quick. He's a quick study. He's a sharp kid."
Coach Shaw talked at Bay Area Media Day about the need for the DL to step up. How do you see that group?
"That's well put. I think the last couple years we talked about that group being young. We talked about it being inexperienced. You don't want to make excuses for the level they played. They have experience now. There are no excuses. The expectation is they play at a high level. They are improving upon what they did last year. So far in camp we see that improvement. I think those guys are playing at a high level right now. We still have work to do but they're getting there.
"The good thing is for the most part they're staying healthy. Guys who have struggled at times with injuries -- Ryan Johnson and Thomas Schaffer -- those guys have been healthy, have been at every practice and taken every rep we have scripted for them. They're playing well. With that group that's how they get better. It's rep after rep after rep."
Has anyone in particular stood out on the DL?
"I really like where Thomas Booker is. I like what he did last year as a true freshman. I think this year you see an improved version. You will see a better football player this year. He has gone through a full offseason program. He's stronger, he's more physical. He's not getting moved as much as he did last year as a freshman. He's extremely athletic. I'm really happy with where he is."
Curtis Robinson
Do you feel more comfortable in training camp compared to the spring at inside linebacker?
"I definitely feel more comfortable. I think there's a lot more I have to learn and a lot I can still improve on. I think I will continue to improve throughout the season. I think the whole group will continue to improve. I think it's good for us to have that mindset. We had a high-level duo playing before us in Bobby (Okereke) and Sean (Barton) and I think it's going to take a little while before we get to that. Our goal is to get to that level and hope to surpass that."
Do you feel like the game is slowing down for you to take in information and act on it?
"Yeah. At first everything moved a little bit quicker than I wanted it to. I think that's pretty natural with a position change, but coming out here in camp -- having studied in the spring and having gone through team techs in the summer allowed me to slow everything down."
What have you seen in the ILB group?
"I'm impressed with the young guys. There are always flashes there of obviously freak athleticism. That always comes with this position and the way we recruit this position. I'm excited about what they can do. Obviously the playbook starts to stack up a little bit once we get later on in camp, but I'm definitely excited about the three freshman we have and Jacob (Mangum-Farrar) and Ricky (Miezan). They're still young guys to me. Everyone is athletic and they just need repetition more than anything."
Ricky showed up with much less football experience than most freshman. How have you seen his knowledge catch up with his athleticism?
"I got to the party late because I switched in the spring, so he had fall camp and winter to train when I wasn't really looking. I would say that for someone who hasn't played football for more than two years prior to coming here he's leaps and bounds ahead of where I would imagine being. I think his football IQ is definitely high for his experience level. I think his recognition is quicker than most. I think down the line, and maybe even this year, he will be one of our premier players."
You mentioned the freshmen Tristan Sinclair, Levani Damuni and Aeneas DiCosmo. What have you seen from those guys?
"Definitely just a lot of good feel. When you're young it's hard to memorize every single thing a coach is trying to tell you. There are a lot of checks, a lot of stuff you have to do with motion. That stacks up a little bit on them mentally. Watching the film you can see they have good football feel. Tristan can run. Aeneas can run. Levani is a big hitter. I think that naturally their great football players and it's going to take some time to get settled into our program."
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