SANTA CLARA – Second-round pick LaMichael James missed seven weeks of the Niners offseason program because he was still in school. He’s working out at the team’s facility this week, and he spoke to reporters today about how he’s gotten himself up to speed, what he can bring to the team, and what he wants to accomplish in training camp. Here’s a transcript.
Q: Were you able to make up for the time that you missed in the offseason program?
JAMES: I feel like I’ve made great progression in the department. I’m getting in the playbook and learning the plays. The more reps you get, the better you get, and it’s all coming to me. I’ve been getting with Colin (Kaepernick) to help me out. A lot of the quarterbacks and lot of the other players have helped me out a lot, just bringing me along. Coach Tom Rathman is spending extra time with me just to get the playbook down.
Q: Those seven weeks that you to be away from the team, how tough was that?
JAMES: Any time a program invests this much money in a player, you want to be out here with your teammates in order to get better. While I was away, I had to study the playbook on my own. I had to take it upon myself to get better every day.
Q: What can you bring to this team right away?
JAMES: I feel I can do anything. I do a lot of work on special teams, running back, catching the ball out of the backfield, anything they want me to do. I’m here to work and make the team better any way I can.
Q: What’s the biggest thing that you want to accomplish during this camp?
JAMES: Just getting better each and every day, getting a grasp on the playbook. When a player doesn’t know what he’s doing he seems to play slow. I’ve got to get down the fundamentals of the game so I can go out there and play fast.
Q: Have the other running backs been helping you out?
JAMES: I haven’t really talked to too many. I know Kendall (Hunter) because he’s from East Texas and I’m from East Texas. I text with Brandon Jacobs, he’s always texting me and seeing how I’m doing. I can’t wait to meet him. Delanie Walker is always talking to me, Ted Ginn – a lot of those guys are cool.
Q: Have you met Frank Gore yet?
JAMES: I haven’t, I just text him.
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I can’t wait to see LaMichael James on the field. I think he’s going to be something special.
Our backfield post Frank Gore looks real good with Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James.
Hunter / James could be the next Tyler / Craig.
“Hunter / James could be the next Tyler / Craig.”
Not quite, but like the idea. Remember, back in those days Craig was the fullback. It wasn’t until Tyler moved on that Craig moved over.
Yea, but they were menacing coming out of the backfield. Just a great tandem that year. Miami could not shut them down.
Agree Razor, but neither Hunter or James could lead block for the other in the run game.
I wouldn’t say that Jack. After all, Kyle Williams dished out one of the team’s best blocks against the Saints in the playoffs. Those little guys can sure pack a wallop.
Yeah MWN, especially when they don’t see you coming as was that case on KW’s great block.
It’s a little different trying to lead block on someone who see’s you coming.
I’m sure Rathman can turn those two into some nasty blockers. Even if a defender sees them coming, the poor guy still won’t know what hit him.
If James ends up having a Ray Rice build, after bulking up, he could have some serious and literal weight to throw around in the blocking game.
>>neither Hunter or James could lead block for the other in the run game.
That’s when we bring in Guy McIntyre, er Soap. Well not every down. Just the important ones. And when the defense expects big Ike to lay the lead block, he slips out of the backfield for the 2 yard TD pass. Can’t wait!
@ Rib
I think Tukuafo will be that Boss Hog this year instead of Soap, at least we haven’t read about Ike working the backfield earlier at OTAs.
tuna, *the* #1 training camp question ;)
Don’t count Dixon out just yet guys. This Backfield is gonna have quite a bit of depth in it. Can’t wait for the Preseason to start. :D
Perhaps a more suitable title might have been “Lamichael James texts”…
hah!
I kinda like how B. Jacobs was checking in by text with the young man. Especially with his situation where he was isolated from the team for a while. They’re building their brotherhood & buying in. Gung-Ho, m……f……s!
Grant,
Any chance they put together a shotgun read option package for James and CK? It would play to their strengths and force opponents to spend valuable practice time to prepare for it.
Seems like a very good idea. I’ll keep my eye out for it in training camp.
Oregon recruits for players that can block downfield. In the Rose Bowl, when DeAnthony Thomas broke the 90+ yard run, it was LaMichael James who put the beautiful block on the DE. James is a lot tougher than you think. He rarely goes down with one hit and was famous for making yards after contact. If you get just one arm on him, he will break through. San Francisco is my new favorite team. Go La Mike……
I really think the Niners see James as the successer to Gore. James ran inside and out in College, catches the ball well and is explosive. He’ll need to add some muscle, but he’s pretty much a carbon copy of Ray Rice when Rice first came into the NFL, so I think that is how Harbaugh views him going forward. Hunter is a nice player, but I don’t think he’s got James’ playmaking ability. The combination of the two should be pretty good for the forseeable future.
I disagree with that. I see them being more of a 1a and 1b combination. It is going to be fun watching how it plays out.
Could be Jack. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
I do’nt see James and Hunter playing in the same backfield. the fullback position has changed radically since Craig and Rathman played there. now teams draft defensive ends to play full back and they make the pro bowl in their first seasons.