San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, and offensive line/run game coordinator Chris Foerster spoke with reporters after Thursday's practice. The team is preparing for its Week 17 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Here is everything they had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
QB Brock Purdy
Any unique challenges that the Raiders defense provides for you guys that maybe you haven't exactly faced so far in your first four games?
"Yeah. I think overall [Las Vegas Raiders DE] Maxx Crosby is really good on the edge, so whenever they have a player like that that you have to focus on they can do a lot of other different things that you can sometimes slip up and not be ready for in terms of what they do with their secondary and their backers and whatnot, but I think they're talented across the board. For us, we're just focusing on what we have to do to get better and get right for this week and work on little things and habits and details that we want to clean up. It's going to be a really good challenge for us going into a really good environment and they got a solid team all around."
Did a 49ers scout or personnel member make contact with you pre-draft or show interest in you pre-draft, or was getting drafted by the Niners a complete surprise?
"Yeah, I did a zoom meeting with [quarterbacks] coach [Brian] Griese and [assistant quarterbacks coach] Klay Kubiak, so we had a zoom set up and walked through some plays at Iowa State, my story and how I think, all that kind of stuff. And then going into the last day of the draft, Kubiak and Griese called me and just caught up and said, hey, hopefully we can have the opportunity to take you today at some point, so that was really about it."
So those were the first two members of the organization you had contact with?
"Yes."
Did you do any top 30 visits?
"I did not, no."
When you thought that maybe you might not get drafted, was there another team that you were ready to sign with or had it not come to that yet?
"There was a bunch of teams calling, both my agent and I, that had interest and wanted to meet up and then obviously have me sign with them. We had a list going, but there wasn't exactly one team that I was going to go to."
Not this team?
"This team? Yeah, no, the 49ers were on the list. Yeah. Yeah."
Were you preparing for that whole process or were you surprised when you got drafted?
"Towards the end of the seventh round, yeah, we sort of started making a plan and everything on what was going to happen, but then I think with like three picks left, that's when I got a call, so, yeah, that's how it went down."
What was your first impression when you saw the playbook and all the plays you'd have to learn. Where's that educational level at now?
"Yeah, just like the baby steps, like the first level of it and having Griese and Kubiak explain the playbook to me, I was like, man, this is so different from college, but I just kept chipping away at it. But I remember I was so excited back then to know it, get to that point, but there's definitely levels to it. You don't just learn it over a week or anything, it's been a whole process and still I'm not a 100% grounded in it yet. I definitely have a foundation, but there's still more that I can learn and grasp. From where I'm at now to where I was day one, it's crazy, but once you know the system, man, it's awesome playing in it."
You spend a lot of time at your locker going over, I'm guessing, the practice scripts and upcoming plays. How helpful has that been and why do you have to do it so much still?
"Yeah, it's something that I've done for as long as I can remember in terms of high school ball, college. You got all these new plays and everything going in for different looks of who you're playing that week, so, it's not like I can roll out of bed and start going through plays and reads. It's like, man, you got to study. It's like a test each week, it's a different test, so you have to continue to study for it and there's no way of cutting corners or anything else. You'll get exposed real quick, so I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can possible."
Offensive line/run game coordinator coach Chris Foerster was just saying in here a couple minutes ago that the other day you threw the interception, WR Jauan Jennings could have had it, you felt like you may have missed a little bit, but he was impressed that you flushed it real quick. Have you always kind of had that ability or was there somewhere along the way where you learned like you have to move past mistakes?
"Yeah, I think just over my career of playing high school and college there have been games in my life where I've let something like that happen and I dwell on it and then it affects my game moving forward, but I think really the second half in college, my junior and senior year, figuring out like, man, you have four quarters for a reason. If something happens like that, yes, you allow them to have momentum, but you can flush it and get right back on track, so, I would say in college I definitely learned how to turn the page and keep rolling."
Your final three years at Iowa State, Baltimore Raves TE Charlie Kolar led the team in touchdown receptions all three years. Now, TE George Kittle is playing great the last couple of games. What is it about your game that you think hypes up or brings out the best in tight ends and the other way around?
"Yeah, I think what they do is great. Both systems that I've played in, our tight ends really do well in the run game and then that compliments them opening up for play action pass and things like that. And obviously with George, he does a great job of blocking first and then allowing the pass game to open up opportunities for himself, so I know that. I really love throwing to tight ends just because of the mismatch on safeties and linebackers that they have and George's speed and Charlie in college for him as well. Like every time it was man, I was like, man, I love going to Charlie, that kind of thing. With George and all the tight ends here it's the same way. I love throwing to him, I trust him, and we just go from there, but yeah, I love tight ends."
As far as Griese's coaching style. Where is he as far as hardass over here, put his arm around you over here? Or does it depend on the situation or the situation or the day?
"Yeah man, Griese just does a good job of keeping it real. He doesn't try to tell us one thing just to make you feel good or anything. He wants to win, and he tells us the truth and he is hard on us, especially in the meeting rooms and everything. He's like, hey man, you got to get better here, you got to get better here. This is the read, you got to trust it, whatever it may be, but yeah, if you do a good job and make a play, even if it's off schedule, he's going to be the first to tell you like, man, that was awesome. So, he does a great job of having the balance of being the discipline coach, but also showing love and building you up, so he's done a great job with it. It's his first year, but I feel like he's been coaching for 20, so it's awesome."
On game days, you talk to him a lot. Is he your kind the main guy you communicate with in games?
"Yeah. I would say that just because he's on the bench with us going over the last drive and what we're thinking moving forward, he gets all the communication from [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] and [offensive pass game coordinator] Bobby Slowik and everyone upstairs, so he's the guy that we talk to the most."
First of all, congratulations on winning the Pepsi Rookie of the Week, and also what does it mean to you to share a stat with HOF QB Dan Marino? Because after the game against the Washington Commanders you guys are the only quarterbacks since 1950 to pass for at least two touchdowns and have a passer rating of 100 or higher in your first three starts.
"Yeah, I think it's pretty cool. I'm not big on stats and all that kind of stuff, but when it's Dan Marino, that's pretty cool. My dad grew up a Miami Dolphins fan and we were all Dolphins fans growing up, and I wear 13 because of Dan Marino, so to have that kind of stat, I think it's pretty cool to take a step back and be thankful and grateful for where you're at, but again, like I said, I don't get wrapped up in it. It's not my driving force or goal to break this record or anything like that. It just happens, but yeah, very thankful."
How is this birthday different for you?
"Shoot, I'm at work. I don't really have time to go out and celebrate or anything like that, but honestly this is a great way to spend it, around great guys in the locker room and I get to play a sport for my job, so I'm very thankful."
You were number 15 in college?
"Yes."
What happened? Who had number 13?
"There was a receiver right when I got there who had 13, so they just gave me 15. I just stuck with it for four years."
Is there a South Florida tie with your dad? Why Marino?
"He just grew up in Florida and so his dad, it was during the era of Marino taking over and so that was their team at the time and it always has been. And even though I grew up in Arizona, the Dolphins were my team too."
Was there a lot of film of Marino on YouTube for you?
"Oh yeah. Yeah. My dad would always tell me when he was teaching me how to throw and everything, it was always, man, you got to have a quick release, like quicker than that. I'm like dad, I don't know if I can man. He's like Marino had a quick release, but yeah there was some film on Marino for sure on YouTube."
Defensive Coordinator DeMeco Ryans
What was your day like yesterday morning when you found that Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr isn't going to be the quarterback for the Raiders?
"We kind of caught wind that it may happen earlier in the week, so it's something that we kind of thought would happen and we were aware of it. It's part of the league. It happens. It's no different if a guy gets injured, it's just how you have to prepare for the next guy. So it's next man up for those guys and I think [Las Vegas Raiders QB] Jarrett [Stidham] is guy who's been in that system for a while, so I think he'll be able to run it efficiently, understand what [Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh] McDaniels wants from him and I feel like he can move the ball and he's a good quarterback and he'll be able to operate within that scheme, within that system because he's done it before, he's familiar with it, so that's what we can anticipate from him."
I think we've asked you a thousand different ways about DL Nick Bosa, but in terms of run defense, how can you quantify or just describe the impact that he makes in the run game even if he's not the guy making the tackle?
"One thing with our defense, when it comes to the run game, it's all about setting the edge and that's one thing that allows us to play really good run defense and Bosa, he's fighting with [DL] Samson [Ebukam] to be one of the best at it. Both of those guys do a really good job of setting the edge, and that's why we play really good run defense. Bosa, the way he handles tight ends, that's what really sets him apart. Just his physicality of knocking tight ends back, resetting the line of scrimmage and that allows the linebackers and safeties to step up and fit where they're supposed to fit, but it all starts with the edge set, whether it's Bosa or Samson or [DL] Charles [Omenihu], all those guys do a really good job of bottling the running back in, allowing the other guys to fill."
A lot of pass rushers take pride in the pass rush. Do you get the sense that it's really important for him to be that kind of all-around defensive end?
"It's really important for Nick to be the best football player that he can be, so that's all-encompassing. That's run game, that's pass game, that's how you prepare throughout the week with your body, with how you work in the weight room. It's all-encompassing. It's 24-7 of being the best that you can absolutely be and that's who Nick is day in and day out. And everyone gets to see that on Sundays, but that's him all throughout the week and it's really cool to watch his process of who he is and it doesn't change. We're so proud of what he's done for us and what he means to our team, our defense. He's truly an MVP-caliber player with what he's able to do for our team, so we're excited and happy to have him on our side."
Can you define setting the edge? What do you mean by that?
"Setting the edge, it comes from when a lot of offenses, they're trying to stretch defenses. They're trying to run the ball outside. You got outside zone, crack-toss type plays where they're trying to get the perimeter and get, pretty much fast running backs, they're trying to get them on the edge to get away from the pursuit of our guys from the inside, so teams will try to circle a defense and get outside, so for us, setting the edge means it's like you're putting up a stop sign, like, no, you're not coming this way. You have to go the other way. So those guys put up a stop sign on the edge of our defense and funnel them back inside to where all our pursuit is."
Nick said after the game Saturday that he in the past has really focused more on what he was doing and too much film study of offensive linemen clouded his mind and that changed this year, his study of offensive tackles. Have you been involved in that process or aware of that or is that just stuff he's doing behind the scenes?
"That stuff, film preparation, those things, that's stuff that Nick is doing on his own. Stuff that [defensive line] Coach Kris Kocurek does a really good job of preparing reports for our defense linemen, so they know their opponent, know who they're going against and then it's up to the player, individual of what they're doing when they're away from here and how they're studying. Some guys can look at a lot of things and process a lot of things and some guys can't, so I always try to tell guys you absorb what you can handle and what can help you when you line up on Sunday to where you have a clear mind and you have fast feet and you can go out and play as fast as you can absolutely play without thinking. And that's where Bosa sets himself apart, he can go out and play fast. He can react to something that changes on the fly just because he's a very good athlete. He's a smart and instinctive player."
Nick leads the league in sacks, QB hits and is second in TFLs on the best defense in the league. What do you think it'll take for another defensive player to win the MVP?
"I'm not certain what it'll take. I think Nick has really set himself apart and I know there's a lot of different factors, a lot of people that vote go into that. I know what he means to us and I know that without him we wouldn't be where we are and we're fortunate to have him."
Nick lines up on the left and right side. What goes into that? Is that sort of a game plan going into the game or feel for him, how do you guys go about that back?
"Yeah, we want to move Nick around as much as possible. We understand how teams will try to gameplan for him. He probably gets double-teamed more than anybody I've ever seen, so for us as coaches, it is on us to move him around and put him in positions to be successful and so, teams can't just tee off on us and they always know he's going to line up on this side or that side. For me, as a coach, you never want to give your opponent any absolutes and that's what we try to do with Nick to keep offenses on their heels."
DL Jordan Willis looks like he's bigger this year. He looks like one of your bigger defensive ends and I know coming out in college he was known for his speed and his athleticism and stuff like that. How has he been able to kind of marry those two things this season?
"As you said, Jordan has always been one of our faster guys and he's definitely at a size, which helps him in our scheme to what I talked about earlier when it comes to setting the edge, he's another guy who's done a good job of that. He's physical in the run game, and Jordan played one of his better games for us last week. He jumped off the tape just with the physicality, with the speed, being able to run the quarterback down to the sideline. Like Jordan, he made some big time plays for us last week in the run game and I feel like that size, the strength and the speed, you saw all of those three, you saw all of it in this past game and saw why Jordan is a really good player when he steps in. He's not just a rotational guy, just to eat reps, he steps in and he affects the game, he makes plays for us, game changing plays and it was really cool to see for Jordan."
There's a lot of talk about the Raiders quarterback change and the fact that they've lost a lot of leads that they've had, but I guess the flip side of that is they've taken a lot of leads and they have a pretty elite wide receiver and a pretty elite running back and a tight end that's really good. When you see them, do you see a dangerous team?
"With the Raiders, I do see a very dangerous team because they have playmakers all over the field. You talk about their big three, they have guys who can really take over games and we still have our hands full no matter who's at quarterback. We still have our hands full with this team. They have been in a lot of close games. They're a team who's vying for a playoff spot, so we know we're going to get all that they have and we know they're coming out gunning for us, so we have our hands full and we're ready to roll."
How would you describe CB Charvarius Ward's demeanor on or off the field?
"Mooney, he's a very quiet guy, a quiet, confident guy. I think on and off the field, it's the same personality with Mooney. One thing I say about Mooney, he's never had a bad day. He's always in a really great mood, always positive, uplifting, so he is a fun guy to be around because he always has great energy about himself."
Mooney was talking about how he likes to match up against guys, like he has in the second half of the season. How do you see the matchup with Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams this week?
"With Davante, this guy is one of the best receivers in the league and we faced him a few years in a row. He always seems to make plays, no matter where he aligns on the field, they move him all over the place, get him on the outside, this guy can go up and make plays. He does a really good job of finding the ball, making it tough on corners and he's a guy who's always looking forward to that matchup. You can tell he thrives in that one-on-one moment. I know Mooney is looking forward to the matchup as well, so it'll be a really good matchup if Mooney lines up on him, if our other corner [DB Deommodore Lenoir] D-Mo lines up on him. Whoever lines up, they have their hands full and they have to go make a play, but we have to understand that guys aren't out there by themselves. With our corners, it is going to be about our rush, affecting the quarterback and it's about just mixing things up with coverages, with schemes, just mixing things up to make the quarterbacks figure it out."
We saw CB Janoris 'Jackrabbit' Jenkins a couple games ago. What have you seen from him and has he put himself in position where he's on standby to get that call up in case you need somebody?
"With Jackrabbit, he is a veteran who's played a lot of ball and he's learning in our system. He's doing a really good job of picking things up and he's practicing really well these past couple of weeks and if we need him to be up, he's ready to roll."
Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator Chris Foerster
How did RB Tyrion Davis-Price do to kind of get back in the mix last week?
"It was good. It was good for him. He had a really good week of practice last week. He really was starting to have the level of intensity that he practiced with, his attention to detail. He knew he was going to have some opportunities that week, so he really performed well. There's always stuff that you have to clean up, but we were really happy with his performance."
What kind of problems does a guy like Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby present you guys?
"He's one of the best players we faced all year. I think Kyle might have mentioned earlier in the week that [Los Angeles Rams DT] Aaron Donald and this guy probably present the most problems. He presents problems rushing the passer. He presents problems in the run game. He rushes the passers as well as most of those elite edge rushers in the league. He presents a unique style. He's hard to get his hands on and in the run game, he's kind of like [Arizona Cardinals DL] J.J. Watt a little bit in that he can swim around blocks and still make plays. It's not only that he's really talented and really good, it's unconventional, so you don't see it every week and that does create issues for whoever has to block him, so you have to come up with plans and things you want to try to limit the amount of opportunities he has to exhibit all that stuff."
You've been playing against a lot of great defensive ends, pass rushers, does DL Nick Bosa remind you of any specific guy?
"You know, he doesn't, because Nick's so unique, his size and everything, you guys see him walking around. He's not this imposing figure, but his lower body strength, his flexibility, how hard he works at his craft, his attention to detail and everything that he does. He doesn't really remind me of anybody. I guess know that I think of it, he doesn't rush like those two guys, but when you saw [former Indianapolis Colts DLs] Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney, they're not these giant guys either, so I won't say he's like them, but from a stature standpoint, he does remind you a little bit more of those types of rushers. It's just really hard, I was just asked about Max, it's hard to get your hands-on Nick and he doesn't stay blocked for very long, so he definitely is right in that class of all the elite rushers that I've seen through the years."
Are shorter pass rushers more difficult in a way because they can get underneath a taller blocker and have better leverage?
"That is theirs. That's where [former Baltimore Ravens OL] Jonathan Ogden had trouble with Freeney is that when he would dip down at the top of the pocket, Jonathan was 6'9. It was really hard for him to get his hands down that low and then there's other reasons why being shorter isn't as good, but Maxx is long and lean and has great length and makes it difficult to get your hands on him in a different way. Each guy's a little bit different, so they take advantage of whatever their size, stature, skillset is."
From the time that you first got your hands on T Mike McGlinchey to where he is now, how has he adapted most and how do you feel about just the progress he's made and where his game is now?
"Mike's continued to work really hard at getting better. We've talked about it before, Mike can be Mike's worst enemy. And that's where I'd say the most improvements occurred. There have been some bad plays and usually one doesn't stack upon another. Sometimes they do, but for the most part, Mike's been able to reach a level of consistency that even though there are some plays he's not happy with, I'm not happy with, he has improved greatly from his first year until now. He works really hard at getting better. Is it perfect? It's not perfect by any stretch, but he's made gradual improvement every year and my thing I'm most happy with is he's able to come off the field, I think last week was probably the exception, he was pretty upset with himself after the false start penalty and then having another one after that was not good, so that was probably the only time this season that it was probably a little bit more like it'd been in past seasons, but for the most part, Mike's done a really good job of working through that and that's allowed him to play more consistently. As much as the game's a physical game, it's a mental game and you have to be able to understand. [T] Trent [Williams] has said it before, I'll never forget when we were in Washington and we played against [former 49ers LB] Aldon Smith here in San Francisco, and we played him back in Washington and Trent got beat for a sack and everybody was making a big deal and Trent said, Aldon Smith's a great player and he's going to beat me sometimes, it just happens. [Former 49ers OL] Joe Staley would always say, if I blocked Aldon one out of 10 snaps in practice, it's the same thing with Mike. No matter how good Mike is, they're good rushers on the other side. They're going to do good things and last week's group was a really talented group, so it has you on edge throughout the game. You have to stay calm and understand each rep lives and dies by itself and you learn from it, you build and you go on to the next rep and see how you can improve and get better and not let the bad overwhelm you and that's where Mike's really improved, I would say more than anything."