Chip Kelly: “I don’t understand the question. But, I guess so. Yeah.”

This is the transcript of Chip Kelly’s Week-12 Thursday conference call, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

Will the guys have a shorter day today and what are your Thanksgiving plans? Is this just a work day or will you take some time off too?

“Today is a work day. It is a shorter day. Well, it is a shorter day, but it isn’t a shorter day. We started earlier. We started at 7:15, so they’ll get out a little bit earlier this afternoon so they can spend thanksgiving with their families. The coaches have got their work after practice to do and then they’ll try to get out of here a little bit earlier themselves.”

 

When you’re looking at this extended trip coming up, aside from saving the travel time, what other benefits are you hoping to find in it?

“That’s what we’re hoping to find. It’s really not that deep.”

 

Have you guys settled on your practice schedule, what times you’ll be practicing in Orlando?

“We’re going to practice at the same time we practice on the west coast, so 1:00.”

 

So, that’s like 1:30 or so or 10:30?

“One.”

 

Is DB Jimmie Ward going to take part in practice today?

“Yeah, he’s supposed to do something today. I don’t know to the extent of what, but [49ers vice president of football operations Jeff Ferguson] Ferg said that he’s allowed to do something today. I don’t know what exactly that will be until we get out there.”

 

So, he has a chance to play Sunday in Miami?

“I can’t make any predictions on that. I don’t, he’s just going to see what he can do today, but I don’t know what that means for the weekend.”

 

Looking at you guys offensively, obviously WR Jeremy Kerley has been a big bright spot this year. With the Patriots holding him without a reception, does that kind of illustrate just how valuable he is to the offense that he’s really a must go-to factor in games?

“I don’t understand the question. But, I guess so. Yeah.”

 

I’m kind of just trying to gauge on just how valuable he’s become in the offense. For arriving so late as he did before the season started, he’s done well week-by-week. Is he that integral that he has to be involved to get the offense going? That’s basically the question.

“Yeah, he’s obviously a very talented player. We’re really happy that we had the opportunity to get Kerls as late as we did. He’s extremely smart. He really knows how to play the wide receiver position and knows the little ins and outs and tricks of the trade of being a veteran in this league. He catches the ball extremely well. I think he’s got as good of hands as anybody I’ve been around. You watch him in terms of how confident you feel with him catching punts and how confident he feels when the quarterback throws it to him that he’s going to come up with the catch.”

 

DL DeForest Buckner is among the league leaders in defensive snaps this season. I know that he’s used to playing a lot at Oregon, but is that something that you’re conscious of and is there an effort to try to give him more breaks as we get into the final stretch here?

“Yeah, we’re aware of how many snaps everybody plays here. So, we know and monitor our players on a daily basis in terms of where they are from a health standpoint, how much they play, how much distance they travel and all those other good things. So, I think overall defensively we’ve just got to do a better job on third down and get him off the field and not play as many snaps.”

 

What’s LB Aaron Lynch’s status? He’s been trying to get out there and practice the last couple of weeks. How’s the ankle looking to you and are you expecting him on Sunday?

“He’s practiced every day this week and we’ll continue to monitor him and make a decision either after Saturday’s practice or Sunday’s workout.”

 

What have you seen from S Jaquiski Tartt throughout this practice week so far?

“He’s practiced the same way he’s practiced every other week. He’s always in tune with the game plan and works extremely hard out there.”

 

And he’s ready and you’re comfortable with him taking on a bigger role this week?

“Yeah, I mean he’s played a ton of snaps for us. So, it’s not like he hasn’t played football for us. So, he’s been out there a ton for us except for the one game he missed I think with the muscle injury. But, besides that he’s played a ton of football for us. So, yeah, he’s ready to go.”

 

When it came to studying the Dolphins on film, rather than just going back over the last few weeks to see what their latest tendencies are, did you go back to the start of the season and maybe see where they’ve really made improvements to where they’ve won five in a row at this point?

“Yeah. We’ve watched every game that they’ve played this year. So, you don’t just look at the last games.”

 

Where do you think they’ve really made their strides?

“I think the running back is playing a lot more for them and as their running game has taken off I think their offense has taken off. So, I think you can point to that from an offensive standpoint.”

This article has 41 Comments

  1. Poll should have a third option of: Does it even matter?

    With this defense, where Ward lines up will have little to no effect on what happens on the field. It’s literally moving chairs on the Titanic.

      1. On this team, he’s best used as a corner. That’s really more about the quality of the other corners though then it is about Ward. On teams with better corner’s he’s a safety.

        1. I kinda knew that already from the questions you asked the other day. ;)

          But like I said with the poll, at this point it really kinda doesn’t matter where they put him. No secondary can hold up to a QB that has all day to throw.

        2. When looking at this from a team perspective I think the niners are better off having Ward and Tartt on the field.
          So the question then becomes do you prefer having Bethea at safety or a Robinson at one of your corners? In this I prefer a movement towards youth… so I would side with Grant.
          Additionally, I suspect Ward’s roll at safety would largely mean he would be covering the slot. Which makes Chip’s point of wanting a corner over a safety less relevant to some degree.

  2. LooKS like Santa Clara is going after the Yorks for control of the stadium..Grant if SC gets control what effect on the Yorks would it have?Sad to say but I root for bad things to happen to this franchise,in hope that change will come from it..Sucks cause I’ve rooted for the Niners since I was a kid but I hope for epic failure for the Yorks,Kap and Baalke.

  3. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.. MidWest.. CFC… Grant..
    and also to all the regulars on this fora ..

    Grant… next poll should read ..
    “.. When will the 49ers win another game..?..”

  4. I just watched NFL films Steve Young A Football life.
    We need a new QB so bad! He was the best ever! In 49er history!

    1. In their first Super Bowl, Joe Montana had RBs Ricky Patton, Earl Cooper and Bill Ring.

      He threw to Freddie Solomon,, Dwight Clark and Mike Wilson.

      Young had a Pro Bowl line up to help him. Joe took a 6-10 team and won a SB.

      While I would say that Young deserves his HOF status, Joe will always be the best QB ever, and Tom Brady says so too.

  5. Go watch Buckner’s performance against the Patriots and tell me we can’t do better at the position. His name just came up but I almost thought I was watching Kentwan Balmer for a second there. Totally impotent.

      1. I thought he was good too last Sunday. Before that he’s had struggles.
        The scheme also is doing him no favours.

      2. I lost track of how many times I saw him standing nearly vertical. The only penetration move that seem to work for him was to bull rush. He’d try a spin and the tackle would just push him in the back and out of the play. Too many times while ‘rushing’ to the QB he’s nearly standing up and spends more time looking for the QB then trying to get past the man in front of him.

        1. He plays dline sometimes like a basketball player. Waiting for a deflection rather than pursue forward and try for a sack or QB pressure .

    1. Buckner is having a decent season in spite of his heavy workload and playing in a scheme that does not suit him.

  6. Hmm, Chip is trying to answer all the questions, and has stopped delivering dissertations. Looks like he is improving his PC skills.

  7. This mock draft has us taking Myles Garrett, Juju Smith-Shuster, and Pat Mahomes.

    https://walterfootball.com/draft2017.php

    A lot of potential there if Mahomes is legit. The WRs could be upgraded with Juju and a FA like Alshon. Torrey can still take the top off of the defense. Kerley is decent. Rogers is still a wild card.

    1. I wouldn’t mind that scenario.

      The 49ers have a ton of holes though so I could see a trade down, but its all dependent on what they get. They have to get at least a decent MLB, and edge rusher, a wr, and a developmental qb.

      However, this year I don’t love the qb’s. Next year the prospects look much better.

    1. Before the season, Chip ceded full control of the personnel to Baalke, and was content to coach the players he was given.

      Looks like now, that was a smart move, because Baalke has no one to blame but himself.

      Baalke is a dead man walking. No wonder he is on the road scouting players. He would not even talk to Kreuger and Lund while riding in an elevator. Talk about awkward silences…..

  8. At this time where we give Thanks, finding the positives. 1. I am thankful I never bought a PSL. 2. I am thankful it only took me one visit to figure out Michael Mina’s is average with a monumental rip-off at the final bill even with no wine. 3. It only took a single trip to Levi’s to see what an utterly deplorable fan experience it is 4. I got a free hot dog in UA club cuz lines to pay were ridiculous (note-avoid UA club too) 5. I am thankful the 1 time I did go I was NOT sitting under the speakers…I mean seriously they put seats there!? 6. My 9ers store purchases were under $100 when I woke up and decided “no more of Max’s dollars go to Jed or anything assiciated with Jed”

    We can find the silver lining around this dumpster fire if we look deep

    1. Max
      Finding the good is the secret to……most stuff.

      PSLs? Don’t get me started! When Al returned from LA and instituted PSLs at Oaktown Baseball Field I couldn’t for the life of me understand why anyone would pay. They’re all over now and I still don’t get it. Pay twice for the seat, pay through the nose for food and drink and parking, get simmered in traffic congestion to and fro, and get UV roasted in the stands. And then the owner dismantles the team into incompetence, and when he can’t fill the seats he shorts funds to the city (taxpayers.) Not

  9. and, 7. I am thankful I got my binocular case back after hiding in a bush next to table I was told I had to leave it at. A collapsible binoc bag. Rejected after 20 minutes waiting to get through ticket area. To go to the white tent with another huge line of people handwriting out Name tags. With my elderly father going through this thing that makes TSA look like a fun experience.
    8. That the guy who puked in those same bushes somehow spared my binoc case.

    And so it Was.

  10. Since the team is 1-9, I wish to talk about the draft.

    The Niners should trade back twice.

    Assuming the draft order does not change, and the Niners get the second overall pick, they should trade their number 2 pick to the Jets who want to leapfrog the Bears and select a QB. They would receive the 5th and 37th picks.

    The Niners should also trade back with GB, who want to leapfrog the Bengals and Panthers to grab Peppers. They would exchange the 5th pick for the 9th and 41st picks.

    This way, the Niners would move back twice and have the 9th, 34th, 37th and 41st picks in the first and second rounds.

    Using CBS top 100 draft prospects, the Niners could select-

    Zack Cunningham ILB or Reuben Foster ILB with the 9th pick.

    Deshone Kizer QB or Marquise Haynes OLB with the 34th pick.

    Solomon Thomas DE or Jarrad Davis OLB with the 37th pick.

    Vita Vea DT or Marcus Williams FS with the 41st pick.

    If they picked Zack Cunningham, Deshone Kizer, Solomon Thomas and Vita Vea, they would fill many needs.

  11. These picks have some merit. To ensure selection,they will need to tear an ACL sometime between now and the Combine.

  12. “I don’t understand the question. But, I guess so. Yeah.”

    I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but me, I had to reread the question a few times.
     

    1. I understood the question, just not why it was asked. To me it’s obvious. Kerley was the leading receiver. BB always tries to take away the leading receiver in every game against all opponents. Who doesn’t know that?
      Opposing coaches then must game plan to expect it and be prepared to use other options. Who doesn’t know that? C’mon.

    1. I wouldn’t get too excited, #80. Talk over here is that both guys are just using this as a bargaining chip ahead of contract talks with their rugby league clubs.

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