San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris spoke with reporters on Wednesday, providing updates during organized team activities (OTAs). Here's what he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
What excites you or who excites you on this defense thus far?
"It's a lot of exciting things, a lot of exciting people. It's fun to be around a bunch of new people that you haven't really been around. It's fun to watch people grow and get better throughout the process. I've had so much fun being able to learn a lot of things from our guys, some of the really good things that they've done in the past. I've had a lot of fun being able to implement some things that we want to do, to be able to talk about it. We have a little bit of experimental time in these moments. They've all been great. It's been so much fun to be around all of these guys, but when you're just around a guy like [LB] Fred [Warner], you're around [LB Dre] Greenlaw even though they're not practicing, it is a little different when you're around those couple of guys that just put so much into their work, put so much time into it. [DL Nick] Bosa has been really fun to be around because he's the most even-keeled dude I've ever seen in life. I love that. Nothing's going to bother him. He's going to be ready to deal with just about any situation that's going to come up. And you've got to start with those type of leaders. And they're talking about the guys that's out there playing for us that's in those shoes. Whether you're talking about [LB Garret] Wallow, some of the guys that are getting coached by the guys that we just mentioned, they've been a lot of fun. [DL] Romello [Height] being a young punk out there, just running around doing all the things that he's able to do, getting all the tutoring from [defensive line coach] Kris [Kocurek] and all the guys in his room. So, I am excited about a lot of people. That's just a few just to mention."
I'm sure you are very familiar with his playing career, but having been around linebackers coach K.J. Wright for a few months now as a coach, what has kind of stuck out to you about the way he's transitioned into a coach?
"How inquisitive he is. You can see why he was a great player. The attention to detail, the things that he brings to our meeting rooms, the experience from being out there, the experience from hearing it from a player's view, how he articulates and takes it as a coach and able to give to those guys and deliver it. He has got [defensive run game coordinator] Johnny Holland around him, one of the all-time greats. Those two have been able to work together as well as I've seen."
You mentioned how important it was to be quality control coach. I know that's a role that you played and head coach Kyle Shanahan has always been big on that. What is the value in having that role before stepping into a position coach?
"I think the value is not just being a quality control coach. I think the value of being a quality control coach with a guy like [former NFL coach] Monte Kiffin or being a quality control coach now with a guy like Kyle Shanahan, when you work under those wings, you have no idea but to work extremely hard, work with a purpose and absolutely have to know exactly what you need and what you want in order to get those guys what they need and what they want. And you can't help but learn when you're in those environments. So, extremely fortunate for myself, extremely fortunate for Kyle, and now being able to mentor people like that, having [defensive quality control coach] Jake Lynch with me and [defensive quality control coach] Cam Brown, some of those guys, I'm seeing some of the same benefits that they're able to get from all these great coaches on the staff as well."
You mentioned Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, they always talk about this expectation that lives in the building here with the 49ers. Just you mentioned them kind of coaching some of the younger guys up. Which of the rookies and then in what ways have you seen them kind of buy into that system and show that they're eager to kind of make their mold here?
"It's really easy with that room because they're in the same room every single day. We have our defensive meetings and they're in there influencing those things. And inside the defensive meeting room, you see those guys, not a rookie, but how they influence [CB Upton] Stout and how they influence Stout and how they're around Stout and how they make him think and behave and sit next to each other every single day. Can't get Stout to smile, but he has such a serious demeanor and he's picking up all things from Fred and Greenlaw, the guys around him. That pitbull type mentality that Greenlaw brings every single day, that knowledge, that spirit that Fred brings. And then you watch those guys move into their own individual rooms and you see what he's doing for [LB Jaden] Dugger or [LB] Larry Worth [III] watching those guys be able to come here late in the afternoons and really pick up things and learn and develop and grow. They want to be like those guys and they set such good examples for everybody in the building. That is always going to be a good thing with those guys."
Stout, he was one of the rookies that kind of made a name for himself last season. What have you seen out of him this season? Are there conversations between the two of you that kind of show, 'okay, this guy is really bought in?'
"He's a great listener. He's a great note taker. He's really locked in. He's one of the guys that wants to go out and absolutely do it at a very high level every single day. He puts an extreme amount of pressure on himself to be great for his room for himself. I've got to find out what his internal why is, but whatever his why is, man, I love it."
The defense got multiple interceptions today. I know it's June practices, OTAs, whether it was in team or maybe seven on seven. How important are those just for you to see your guys make plays and was there some understanding that the quarterbacks were going downfield where you're kind of wanting to see your guys get pressured deep?
"I want pressure every day and our offense does such a great job. I think that's the part of working together. I think it's our job in the offseason to go out there and practice the high-level plays that you want to be able to get while you know it on each side and be able to look at those pinpoint players to be able to make those accurate decisions on who is going to be the very best out there, even put in hard positions. When you see guys make plays on the ball in seven-on-seven periods or team periods, whatever it is, I think that's always a good thing and what you want to have happen. I think the guys are gaining more confidence, I think it's going to be a part of the standard. I think it's always been a part of the standard here and we've got to get back to that, at a very high level in order to go out to compete in this very hard division."
WR De'Zhaun Stribling did catch at least one deep one. I know you're going against Stribling. Did Stribling look good?
"I think it was two. I think he hit us on a deep route on both sidelines. He's a very talented young man. He's gotten better and better every single day that he's been here. I'm loving where he's going. I'm loving his transition to whatever he has got going on with those guys on offense. He's very smart, he's very sharp, he's very articulate. We definitely have done a nice job in our scouting department of profiling the guys that we need to get around here to win."
Do you anticipate a competition for the starting safety spot in spots in the summer?
"I think that's the most important thing. I think it's spots, right? Nobody ever gets comfortable in National Football League, coaches, players, and nobody. I think you want to go out there and have high level competition across the board. I think it's less about starting spots for coaches. It's more about roles and what kind of roles can people do to help you win. And I think people finding their roles whether you call Stout a starter or not, he's a starter. Being that nickel role that he stepped into last year and played at a very high level. I think those things matter. Whether you talk about the safeties and how they're going to play and what their role's going to be, I think you want those guys to go out there and compete at a very high level and give you everything that they can. And they've shown a lot of good things, despite what might have been said about these guys in the past, and I'm really excited to watch those guys play. Picked up one yesterday actually."
In your coaching experience, how much of an impact for someone like Fred to be out there and match the energy and move these guys on before coming into training camp? Does that excite the younger guys more in your opinion?
"It does. No disrespect to all the great players that I've been lucky enough to be around. I don't know if anybody's had the juice that Fred has. The greatness, the great mornings, the great days, the great attitude, the mentality to go out every single day and win the day. He brings a different attitude every single day and it is absolutely refreshing. I've seen the ups and downs from some of your great players, whether it's been the [former DL] Aaron Donald's or [Pittsburgh Steelers S] Jalen Ramsey or a [former LB] Derrick Brooks or [former S] John Lynch, a [former S] Ronde Barber. I haven't seen a guy be as consistent as he's been since I've been here as Fred. He's every single day."
I saw you pulled S Malik Mustapha aside after he had that coverage for that long pass to WR Jacob Cowing. What was the teaching moment there?
"That was a set up. That was one of those plays we talked about. You put those guys out there in some of those hard situations and it's about being visual and it's about not seeing so much and being able to be that angel over the top to be able to help us play the right way, to be able to save a tough play that could have been a tough play. He covered a lot of grass and could almost get there in that setting when you're not touching the quarterback. So, if you can get close in those situations, that's a good thing, because hopefully you've got Bosa and some of those guys that can save you on some of those."
What have you seen from him in the past few weeks?
"I've seen a bunch of improvement. He touched the ball today, he got a chance to make a play on the ball. One of the picks we just talked about. I watched him absolutely sit in the front of the room every single day, pick up everything, learn everything, find ways to do extra on his own and all the stuff that he's doing. It is a wonderful group. I mean, this team has been built and constructed the right way by a bunch of really good people and you see it every single day when you come to work."
Were you in the building yesterday when you found out about Los Angeles Rams DL Myles Garrett going to L.A.?
"Yeah, we all were. I think it was about 10:25 that it came across to most of us. And you know, great player, right? What do you do? You go out there and you find a way to win that game no matter what. I know those guys really well and I wasn't shocked one bit."
Based on your experience, did you have like any thoughts or inkling that if any team's going to do it, it's going to be them?
"I'll be honest, I've been out of that loop. We've really been focused on just the defense doing all the things that we've been doing. So, I haven't been kind of following all the stuff you guys probably have been and what's going to happen after June 1st, what's going to happen and all these dates that come up in the league, that just wasn't my gig right now. But when it came across, it was no shock in my head."
Another safety question. With this defense, we've heard it's mostly sort of interchangeable, not necessarily just a strong safety, not necessarily free safety. Is that your mode too or are you looking for some traits separately from those two guys?
"There's definitely going to be some different traits because it would be pretty selfish to say a certain type of guy couldn't play in the system. But, I don't think that's necessarily true. I just think like the league has kind of evolved more to the traits where they're kind of cross-trained and they could do different things. I think you've got some traits that add qualities to different areas, kind of the role stuff that we talked about before. Whether that could be close to the line of scrimmage in the box, doing something as a linebacker-esque type player or doing something as a big nickel-esque type player or outside, whatever you want to call those different positions that we call them now. But like, definitely different traits, but definitely have a lot of similar traits we talk about playing in the backend."
Based on when DL Osa Odighizuwa was traded from the Cowboys, just the reaction from Dallas, from coaches, players, even media was like, 'oh dang, you know, he's leaving.' Can you just speak to whatever you've gleaned from him, his character, him as a person?
"Him as a worker, a human, the guy that has come here and providing great energy as well. I love his approach to every single day and what he does to make sure he's ready to go for his teammates. He hasn't gotten a chance to really prove anything, none of us have. I think he's embracing his environment that he's in and really loving it and being around his coaches. And you know, those guys, whether it's Cam or whether it's [assistant defensive line coach] Gregory [Scruggs] and Kocurek and all those guys that are with him, they absolutely go out there and they've got a whole posse down there, guys that I don't want to go anywhere near them during indy. So, it's fun to watch all those guys."
What does assistant head coach defense Matt Eberflus bring to the mix? I know he was a walk-on once upon a time. He's worked with a lot of great defensive coaches, former NCAA and NFL head coach Nick Saban and others. How are you going to utilize him?
"He's been a sharp, calming, easy presence for me. He's the guy that can see big-picture things. He can talk about what our tackling plan looks like, how we look on our approaches. He's been a guy that's been able to come to you and to be able to talk some of the different things that's going on around the league, some of the different techniques and stuff that we talk about. And right now he's being a sponge and he's taking everything and he's been able to come back in the board and be able to question and try to finalize all the things that we want to do. He's been absolutely awesome."
With mandatory minicamp being canceled next week, what is your plan for the rookies? Do they stay extra? How do you get them up to date and geared up for the start of training camp?
"You know, obviously [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] handles all those things, but a lot of the guys like to be around each other and I know I hate to keep bringing him up, but I know Fred organizes a lot of that with our guys and our guys get a lot of positive peer pressure from each other to make sure they come back ready to go and trying to stay mentally sharp, but also finding a way to get away and be with their families and do the things that you need to do in order to be ready for a long season. So, the Niners have played a lot of very long seasons around here and you still have to have time to get away and do some things, but at the same time be ready to go when we come back to training camp."
What struck you about just watching QB Brock Purdy as a quarterback?
"We got a Brock pick today. I let him know that right after practice. That was awesome. He's going to be so mad at me for telling the media that, but you guys were there. That's a big one. Was it two? Oh, I didn't get a chance to brag."
Were there a lot during the offseason program?
"No, no, no. I wouldn't say a lot. I mean, he is the layer king. He's so accurate. I mean, he puts the ball in the right spot. He keeps the ball in his hands. He's tortured me for years. And it's so nice to be around him. It's so refreshing to be around that whole group and the energy that they bring, getting a chance to be nosy and go in there with those guys is always fun because you learn from [quarterbacks coach] Mick [Lombardi], you learn from Brock, [QB] Mac [Jones], all of those guys that are in that room and I enjoy going there and getting to be with those guys sometimes too."
What are the early returns with the competition in that linebacker room? What have you noticed outside of Fred and Dre, guys are competing for limited spots?
"Obviously, Fred and Dre, they're not doing this stuff out there right now. They're doing the mental reps, they're back there hanging out with me, harassing me in the back. But, they've been able to, with those guys, you've got young guys with Dugger, you've got young guys with Larry Worth, you've got young guys, [LB] Nick [Martin], the guys that have been able to get out there and have a chance. Nick, in his second year, he'll be able to go. But then there's some guys like Wallow that's really stepped up and filled that role right now as the communicator on the field. And [LB] Jalen [Graham] has done a nice job of going out there playing linebacker as well. I've been really excited about that group and what they've been able to do since the guys that I've seen. These guys have been awesome. You know, obviously, we've got a couple guys on the shelf right now, not going right now, but I look forward to those guys getting to training camp and competing."
The two players with the fastest get-off time last year were Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett. You guys went out and got DL Romello Height. Can you talk about the stress that first step puts on an opposing offense and why there's so much emphasis on that in today's NFL?
"It's just the belief in National Football League, right? It's really less about that, but more about how do you mentally and physically affect the quarterback and having the stress of knowing that you've got guys with great get off is one of those ways to definitely mentally know that's going to be a part of it. But, getting to the quarterback and getting to those spots, being able to close space, being able to if you don't sack them being able to bother people. That's certainly what Bosa's has been able to do and obviously Myles. So being able to go out and get guys like Romello and different guys across the board to be able to help us do some of the same things is definitely going to be helpful for us."
Obviously, the goal is to be better than last year. How do you want to quantify that? Do you want to see it in sacks, in INTs, in pressures?
"I am so unselfish and it's more about team wins. So, for us it's just like, how do we go out and be a better football team? And whatever that requires and whatever that means, let's do that. How do you go out and help the Niners get to the ultimate goal and what we wanted to be? And that will never waver from how I believe and how I think. I don't have selfish goals. I don't have those type of things. I know they come up. I know they will come up. I know they will be the standard, they will be tested."
Comments