SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh held a press conference with the Bay Area media Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what he said about his sideline behavior, the 49ers’ two-week preparation for the Ravens and the 49ers’ final four offensive plays of the Super Bowl.
Q: The last four plays are going to get scrutinized for a long time, I’m sure. What are your thoughts after processing that for a day, maybe even more? Were the right plays called in that situation?
HARBAUGH: We came up five yards short. Certainly knowing how it ended up – that we didn’t get the ball in – yeah, I would have liked to try a different play call or a different scenario. That’s the way I always feel if you do something and it doesn’t work. Would have liked to do something better. At least tried it. But you can’t. Would have, could have, should have is undefeated. That’s never failed.
Q: Were the Ravens doing something defensively in the red zone to take away Kaepernick’s outside runs?
HARBAUGH: They’ve been exceptional in that area of the field – ten yard line on in – all season. They have been in the playoffs. That’s something they’re very good at. It was a Cover Zero, bringing the house, and we felt our best way was to throw it in.
ME: In the two weeks of prep for the Super Bowl, did you offense practice two-point conversion plays against Zero Coverage with press corners?
HARBAUGH: Yeah, from that distance. We didn’t say this was a two-point play, Zero Coverage, press corners. We didn’t say that, but we did practice that area.
ME: Did you put the ball at the five yard line, say they needed a TD to win, give them a few downs to get it and script the Ravens’ blitzes and coverages?
HARBAUGH: We did for those different yard lines, but not, “This is the last play from the five yard line from the left hash,” no.
ME: Did the special teams punt rush unit practice against the Ravens taking a safety?
HARBAUGH: During the season? Yes.
ME: During your two weeks of Super Bowl prep.
HARBAUGH: No, I don’t think we did that during the two weeks.
LC: Jim.
HARBAUGH: Lowell.
LC: How ya doin? This will be the last time for a while, so here’s a good one for you.
HARBAUGH: OK.
LC: There’s been a lot of discussion nationally about your behavior on the sideline during the Super Bowl. Have you considered altering it in the future?
HARBAUGH: In terms of what – my etiquette? Is that an etiquette question?
LC: Etiquette is a good word – etiquette, acting out, that kind of thing.
HARBAUGH: We fight to win. If you’re asking did my personal etiquette need to be changed, more catatonic on the sideline, I don’t anticipate that happening.
LC: So you think the two goals are…
HARBAUGH: I think it’s coached and played by emotional people.
LC: OK. Fair enough.
Q: Do you feel like calls might go your way the more you press the officials?
HARBAUGH: No, there’s no strategy there or unprofessionalism. I’m asking questions. Yes, sometimes it does get emotional. I think the game is played and coached by emotional, like I said. And people do that within their own personalities.
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