SANTA CLARA – This is the transcript of Colin Kaepernick’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers.
[Head coach Jim] Harbaugh mentioned last week that you were really picking up the game plan, a savant-like game he said. Did you feel like it was like another level for you, that the mental part was really picking up?
“I think it’s just something you have to do in this playoff situation. You get one shot so you have to be on top of everything.”
How exciting of a day is it when you get to see that game plan for the first time and see what [offensive coordinator] Greg Roman and the offensive staff has put together?
“It’s always exciting. They’re always coming up with something new, something different, something that’s going to help this offense.”
Did last week surprise you at all, the way that the plan was presented?
“I wouldn’t say it surprised me. It was a little bit different than what we normally do, but it was something we are all comfortable with.”
What are your thoughts going into the Georgia Dome?
“As far as?”
Just the atmosphere, I know it’s a really loud environment, the Falcons have won 33 of their last 40 there.
“Crowd noise is something you’re always going to have to deal with on the road. It’s something we prepare for.”
Atlanta, this week, they had been saying a lot of stuff about how they need to hit you, that’s how they need to stop it, what you do. How have you been able to so far avoid those type of hits, and now that there’s that target, how do you plan on avoiding those hits?
“Run where they’re not. You want to run away from where the defensive players are. When they get close, get down.”
How did you find out that you’re on the cover of Sports Illustrated?
“My agent called me the night before.”
For a lot of you guys, that’s a four-year dream. Is that a big deal to you?
“It was something I didn’t expect. It kind of surprised me, but it’s a great honor.”
What do you think about Harbaugh’s floating face?
“[Laughing] That’s a coach Harbaugh game face.”
You’ve had four passes intercepted this season where each time you’ve responded with a touchdown drive. What do you attribute that to? What goes through your head in those situations the next time you get the ball?
“That we have to score. I think that’s our whole offense’s mentality. We have to bounce back from a turnover.”
You talked about how you looked up to Brett Favre when you were a kid. Did you pay attention to more mobile quarterbacks that he was? Did you look at Steve Young much? Did you fashion yourself after him at all or were you too young then?
“Not at that point in my career. When I got into high school, college, I watched Vince Young, Michael Vick a lot, [Donovan] McNabb, watched the old clips of [Randall] Cunningham. They were all quarterbacks that were mobile and could make plays.”
When you were in college, did people want to view you as either a thrower or a runner? Did people view you as just a running quarterback, the other day you said that you didn’t want to be categorized?
“I feel like pretty much my whole life I’ve been categorized as a runner.”
It’s been a crazy road for you, you weren’t the starter, you’re the starter, now you’re on the cover of Sports Illustrated and people are wanting a piece of you. How have you handled that and is it a lot compared to what you expected?
“I don’t. I send everything to my agent and I go about my business as normal.”
You don’t react to it at all? People have to be shouting your name?
“I go home. I watch my film. I watch anything on TV but sports, and I go to bed and come back and do it the same way the next day.”
You and [WR] Michael [Crabtree] have had so many connections together, more than any other receiver on this team combined, it seems a combination the Falcons are going to try to stop. What has Michael continually do that allows him to keep getting open even though everybody knows who you’re going to?
“He’s winning. That what it comes down to. You’re going to get open as a receiver or you’re not, and he’s been getting open.”
What’s his specialty that allows him to be that open? What do you see from him in practice that we don’t get to see?
“You really can’t point one thing out. He’s a complete receiver. He knows what he’s doing out there. He knows how to work his routes.”
When you were coming out of college, there were a lot of questions about how you would adjust to the pro offense after running the pistol in college. Do you find it interesting at all now that the pistol is becoming so prevalent in the NFL?
“I don’t know if you can say it’s funny or what, but it’s another asset to our offense to help us move the ball.”
What did you think about the taunting penalty against Green Bay the other night?
“I didn’t think it was a penalty, but it was an emotional play.”
Michael Crabtree is a man of few words, at least in the media he is, so tell us something about him that he wouldn’t say about himself.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen his interviews, so I don’t know what he has and hasn’t said.
Well tell us, what is there to know about your favorite receiver, just on and off the field, that makes him tick?
“He’s a workhorse. He just wants to win.”
What has been your favorite Kaepernicking image so far that you’ve seen?
“I saw a girl Kaepernicking while she was riding a horse.”
How old was she, or younger or older?
“I think it was teenage.”
You’ve had a trio of headstrong quarterback dating back to Roger Theder, [former Nevada head coach] Chris Ault and now Jim Harbaugh. Talk about how they’ve helped form your mental toughness.
“I think that’s something they’ve kind of engrained in me throughout my career. I’ve always had great quarterback coaches coaching me and I think that’s really helped me get to where I’m at now.”
Can you share what’s on your playlist this week? Your teammates say you’re always wearing your headphones.
“It depends on the day. I’ve got over 6,000 songs on my iPod, so it just depends on what mood I’m in.”
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