Do you buy into the dress rehearsal mantra of the third preseason game?
"Do I buy into it? Yeah, I think it's good for us. The routine is obviously different than training camp. So, to get used to that and get our minds thinking that way, I think it's good."
What do you hope to get out of Saturday's first half and what do you need to work on?
"There's plenty of things for us to improve on. First, we've got to go through a good week here. I think it's good that we're starting to do a little game planning and put things together and see how the walk-throughs tie into the practice which ties into the game. It's all working together."
After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan was fairly critical of you guys, the first-string offense, even though you moved the ball pretty well. Were you at all surprised by what he said to us, to the media after the game?
"No, I wouldn't say I was surprised. I felt similarly. There were just sloppy things at times. There were some good things that we took out of the game, but we hold ourselves to a high standard. We are trying to be perfect on everything and I think it's good to have that mindset."
What did you see that was sloppy?
"I threw the ball high to [WR] Dante [Pettis]. Obviously, you never want to turn the ball over like that. There's plenty of stuff though."
He said that one of the things that they've been working hard on you with is going through the progressions. Is that in terms of the scheme and learning where guys are supposed to be?
"Yeah, just trusting that you're looking over here but you know what's going on on the backside and how it all is going to play out without even see it. The more reps I get at it, it's different than the offense I came from. So, just learning all of that stuff."
What do you like about playing with a fullback?
"I like [FB Kyle Juszczyk] Juice, he's a good guy, so that helps. I think it's tough for a defense. It's looks that they don't see very often compared to the 11-personnel and things like that. So it keeps them on their toes, I guess."
I see you and Juice talking a lot during practice and during the game. What do you like about playing with him?
"Smart football player. He is obviously a Harvard guy so I'm sure that plays some type of role in it, but he's not your average fullback. He talks the same language as me, even if it's just routes or how he sees the coverage and how I see the coverage. It's good to talk that way."
Is that throw to Juice one of the ones you're talking about, things happening on the backside of the play? You eventually got there, but does Kyle want you to get to that progression sooner?
"Yeah, there's a timing to each play so every play is different. But, when it's a shorter one like that, it's how quickly can you realize that one guy is covered and get to your next option or your third, fourth, whatever it is. Every play kind of has its own unique parts to it, I guess."
Is that a touchdown if you hit him a half second sooner than you did?
"Yeah, he has a better chance. Yeah, it's just little things like that."
Where was he in your progression on that particular play?
"All the way on the other side of the field."
So, is that the fourth option?
"Yeah, he was late in the progression."
Is that a credit to the offensive line being able to give you that time to find him eventually?
"Yeah, they've been doing great, those guys. We've been mixing and matching a little bit and I think all of the units play well. I've barely gotten touched so far. It's pretty nice."
We're mostly through camp. It's the first camp where you've ever been installed as you are the starting quarterback of this franchise. How has this camp been different for you as it's progressed?
"More reps obviously than I was used to. But, it's been good. We came in with a good mindset from the get go and guys got off to a fast start. I think it's transferred over to the preseason games. We just want to keep it rolling right now."
The reps are obviously the number one thing that's changed from anything you've ever been in before?
"Yeah, it comes with the territory, I guess."
What can you tell us about QB Nick Mullens and what kind of quarterback he is like in the room and on the field?
"Very smart. The guy likes to put in a lot of time. He comes in early, stays late. It's a credit to him. He's been putting in the time and everything and good things have happened."
You've been around CB Richard Sherman for a while now, having this offseason. I know all of you guys are competitive. Is there something different about his mentality than maybe other guys that you've come across in your career?
"You meet a lot of people that have similar traits, but I think the one main thing about him is his confidence. No matter what happens, he's always confident. You like to see that, especially out of a corner. It's a position where you know at some point you're going to get beat and it's just how do you respond after that. Sherm has a great mindset and it shows why he's been doing it for so long."
What do you think has been the biggest jump for WR Marquise Goodwin? It seems as if he's kind of figured out the wide receiver position now when he was just a track guy in the past.
"Since I've been here, I've heard the same thing as what you just said, but since I've been here he's been phenomenal for me. He has a knack for getting open. His speed scares people. It's a tough cover for guys. So, I don't know, do you want to play zone against him? Do you want to play man? It's kind of pick your poison."
When did you start feeling the chemistry there? Obviously, quarterbacks and receivers are going to develop something there. Was that immediate? Did it take a little bit? We kind of saw it at the end of last year.
"It happened pretty quick actually. Quise was one of the first guys that introduced himself to me last year and I think we have similar personalities so we kind of clicked right away. On the field obviously, good things happened last year. It's nice having a guy like that who, he's consistent, you know exactly what you're going to get every day and it makes the quarterback job a lot easier."
He had to leave the game a couple of times last year. When he does, when he is out of the game, do you see an immediate reaction by the defense, by the secondary?
"Not so much. I think we have a lot of good weapons on offense, whatever position you're talking about, receiver, tight end, running back. I think it stresses the defenses in a lot of different ways so with the new additions this year, it's only helped us."
You talked about Juszczyk mind for the game. What makes him a weapon physically?
"Like I said before, he's not your average fullback. He's more agile, he can run routes from the backfield, he can run routes split out. That's a rare thing to find in a fullback. So, and he has good hands on top of all of that. It's just a unique position that he's in and he takes advantage of it."
Do you think there's some sort of evolution there that is keeping fullbacks, people talk about fullbacks are dying and all of that, but having a guy like that who does more things, do you think more guys will see that that's what they need to be if they want to play that position?
"Possibly. To be a fullback though, you still have to be able to run lead and hit a linebacker right in the mouth. So, you kind of have to have all of that in one."
Before you got here, had you heard of TE Garrett Celek?
"Yeah."
You had a working knowledge, okay. He survived a lot of coaches and just turnover here. What is it about him? He's unheralded, he wasn't drafted. What is it about him that has made him survive a long time in the NFL?
"Kind of like what I said about Quise, he's very consistent. Being in the league for that long, you either get it or you don't get it by that point. Celek obviously got it early on. He's consistent every day, comes in early, stays late. You put in the time, good things will happen. If you work hard, good things will happen."
* Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers
