Curtis Modkins: We don’t save plays (for the 2nd half)

SANTA CLARA

This is the transcript of Curtis Modkins’ Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

 

Opening comments:

“Good morning. It’s really good, coach mentioned that after the game, it’s really good that this is a short week so that we get to go back and get started here. Guys are working hard and they are preparing well these last couple of days. Obviously we’ve got something we’ve got to correct to move forward and we get a chance to do that pretty soon in a couple of days here.”

 

So, what’s at the top of the list of things that need to be corrected?

“It’s just overall execution. When you lose, you can point to a lot of different areas, so just overall execution. Although, we thought that the guys did a lot of stuff well. The way we start the game, if we can just put it all together and start, middle and finish, we feel like we’re on the right track. So, we’ve just got to improve in a lot of areas, including myself.”

 

What’s your assessment of the running game? The numbers are pretty solid through four games, but it never felt like the running game has taken control in a game. Is there a missing element? What do you need to do better there?

“Offensive football in general, one breakdown here or there can be the difference in a two-yard gain and a 40-yard game or a big pass or incomplete. We’ve just got to put it all together. We had some opportunities on Sunday for some big gains in the run game and a missed block here or a wrong read there, that messes it up. So, we’ve just got to overall with everything we do, run game, pass game, we’ve just kind of got to clean everything up and detail it and get it fixed.”

 

Is that part of guys still kind of getting used new blocking scheme, a new offense, is there a learning curve that’s still going on with the offense?

“I would hope that we are all learning continuously. That’s just part of the nature of what we do. I’m hoping that I’m still learning when I’m 20 more years into this. So, I don’t think that’s an issue. It’s just, if you take an angle that’s a little bit more inside than it needs to be then you get beat over the top or if you read this wrong. So, there are a lot of different factors to be honest with you.”

 

They really went heavy, eight and nine guys in the box last week against the Rams. Are you expecting to see that much traffic inside up front?

“It’s possible. If they do, we’ve got capabilities on offense to take advantage of that. We’ll see. Teams will play us a little bit differently. We’ll see when we play them how they react to it, but we’re prepared for whatever they do.”

 

How do you get WR Torrey Smith more involved?

“We’ve just got to keep working. Torrey is working his tail off. [QB] Blaine [Gabbert] is working his tail off to get him the ball. Things happen. Who gets the ball depends on what we see, the coverage. We’re not trying to force anybody the ball. Torrey is going to get his looks. That’s going to happen. We’re confident in that. Torrey is confident in that. What the defense tells us is kind of where the ball goes and he’s going to get his fair share as the season goes on. I’m confident in that.”

 

ME: The long pass to Torrey Smith that was intercepted, is that a play that you ran with the players in practice during the week and is it a play that you saved specifically for the fourth quarter?

“No. We don’t save plays. We try to call all of them. We hope every one of them that we call works. We’re not in the saving business. If we can hit that in the first quarter, we will. That’s a base play for us and we missed it.”

 

Why has WR Jeremy Kerley, what’s enabled him to have the kind of success he’s had through four games?

“Well, one, he’s an intelligent young man who’s worked his tail off to learn what we do. There’s some things defensively that we’ve seen in the last few weeks that allowed him to make some plays for us. Now, the next game it might be different. It might be somebody else. But, the way they were playing us on Sunday, it allowed him to make some plays for us and he did.”

 

How’s WR Quinton Patton played through four games?

“Good. Quinton has done a good job. I love the way he is in meetings. I like the way he practices and he’s done a good job on Sundays and we look for that to continue.”

 

You mentioned last week or the week before, WR Rod Streater is still adapting to the playbook. How is his progression coming?

“I think it’s good. I think every day he’s here he’s getting more and more comfortable with what we’re doing.”

 

Can you expand on Quinton Patton? He hasn’t caught many passes. He had the bobble that was an interception. What have you seen that leads you to believe that he’s played well?

“Well, the way he prepares and the way he practices. And it’s not all, I know you guys look at a receiver and think all he does is catch passes. But, there are a lot of other things that receivers do that help you win. Blocking, are they in the right spots, the route that they’re running which affects another route, is he doing it at the proper depth? There’s a lot of other things that goes into whether you’re doing a good job than what you do on Sunday’s as far as catching the football.”

 

ME: Why don’t you game plan one or two plays for the second half? Can you explain why you don’t do that?

“Excuse me?”

 

ME: Why don’t you save or game plan one or two plays specifically for the second half?

“The play that you may be referring to, if they are going to work in the second half we hope that they will work in the first half too.”

 

Some of the teams kind of played you guys differently. When you look at teams preparing for you guys differently, how does that affect the way that you plan in games when you see in film that they play certain teams one way but they play you differently than maybe all of the other teams on their schedule?

“You have to be fluid and you have to be versatile. I think our offense allows us to do that. You can prepare for something, but when you get to game day if a team has a different wrinkle or two for you, it’s our job to adjust. And I think, to be honest with you, I think [head coach] coach [Chip] Kelly does a wonderful job of that. He’s able to talk about things and we’re able to adjust. Our offense is fluid enough that we’re able to adjust what we feel like based on what we’re seeing on that particular day.”

 

Chip was saying yesterday that he and some of the coaches had slept here on Monday night or on Sunday night and possibly last night. What is it like trying to prepare on a short week? What have the last 48 hours been like for you?

“This is what we do. There’s not a lot of sleep that goes on period at this time of the year. Maybe on a SundayThursday turnaround, maybe there’s less. But, that’s what we do and I’m fine with it. So, not much, but hey it’s part of the deal right?”

 

How much work did you do on Arizona before this game?

“A little, not much. A little bit. We got ahead a little bit, but mostly our focus was on the Cowboys. Maybe a little bit on game day. Just watching them and getting a little bit of a head start. Our Arizona started after the game.”

 

When you look at the defensive front for Arizona in the last two games, they’ve struggled against the run, but what do they still do well with Arizona Cardinals DT Calais Campbell and that defensive front?

“I know the numbers say they’ve struggled, but they’re a very talented group. Not only upfront, but I think on every level of their defense they are talented. I was at Arizona before, so I know what Calais is capable of and I know who he is and I know the way he plays. So, it will be a challenge. We’ll have to take advantage of some, when we have some opportunities gap-wise and scheme-wise, we’ll have to take advantage of those. But, it will be a challenge. They are a very good run defense. The numbers may not show it, but you can’t measure the numbers just through four games. This NFL season is not a sprint, it’s a marathon and at the end of it I guarantee you these guys are going to be good at stopping the run on defense.”

 

Regarding Torrey, there were two times during the game that he was obviously frustrated. And I realize he’s competitive, but when you have a guy like that who is visibly upset during the game, do you talk to him, do you have to make sure he gets stuff off his chest or is he in a good spot?

“Torrey Smith is the one human being on this earth that you don’t have to counsel about doing the right thing. So, I don’t know what you’re referring to, but that would be the least of my concerns with Torrey Smith.”

 

Where is WR Keshawn Martin being worked in on the offense?

“He’s learning. He’s learning what we do. He’s working and figuring out and working at our outside receiver position. So, we’ll see where it goes from there, but he’s getting what we need to do. He’s getting it done. It’s just going to take time.”

 

Who works out of the slot if Kerley couldn’t practice today for example?

“We can move guys around. QP can go in the slot. We’ve got tight ends that can play in the slot. We’re versatile enough offensively that we can formate it to get different people where we need to get them.”

This article has 21 Comments

        1. Where are they now?

          1st Round Picks: Armstead, Buckner, and the big news trade up acquiring Garnett is really paying off.

          We’ve got Armstead and Buckner pushed around by Seattle’s OL UFA’s and Dallas’ backups, and Garnett hasn’t seen the field. Tell me, why exactly did we trade up for him.

          And Torrey Smith’s $40 million contract, 25 million guaranteed.

          He’s not ranked in the top 64

  1. So you get the look you want, the down and distance is suitable, field position is OK, the key players are executing well but no, “can’t call that play, saving it for the second half”.

    Only someone who has never played or coached would ask such a daft question.

  2. The Cowgirl game showed that this offense could move the ball. It also showed that Chip can’t make adjustments.

    In the college game there is a bigger gap between good players and bad. It is much easier to do the same plays repeatedly and have success. Kelly has got to go.

  3. Modkins comments about not using specific plays in the second half clearly shows that he is in over his head. As an example, Bill Walsh always would run a run play in the first half from the desired formation he was going to use for the pass in the second half because the run play in the first half gave him and idea of what alignment and coverage the defense might present so he would have a chance to talk to Joe or to Steve in anticipation of what the coverage might be when they ran the pass play later in the game. Therefore, there might be an opportunity for better success as to where the ball would go and why.

    Also, if you save some plays and or formations for the second half, the defense does not have the benefit of half time to make its adjustments so that the play you really want to run in the second half has a greater chance of success.

    A totally inept answer by Modkins. He obviously does not get it. Definitely explains why the offense shot all of its bullets in the first half and fired nothing but blanks for the balance of the game!!!!!

    What a shame and a pity that this is the mentality the offensive players have designing their plight. Just as bad as catch the ball short of the sticks philosophy and hope the receiver can run for the first down!!!!!!!!

    FUTILITY!!!!!!!

    1. I guess you also reckon a boxer saves a punch for the ninth round or a golfer a put for the 18th hole.

      All coaches run different plays out of the same formation. Even high school. Jeesh.

      1. realfan49 – despite your boxing analogy, you obviously don’t get it. your boxing analogy ……..a boxer cannot just throw haymakers from round 1…….you have jabs, hooks and upper cuts, combinations and body shots that weaken the opponent’s defense and wear down the body, drop the hands, probing, etc., so that when you throw the big punch it is a knock out.
        basically, you are saying that Bill Walsh had it all wrong. it is not a matter of just running different plays out of the same formation; it’s a matter of SETTING UP the big play. there is a strategy involved in striking for the big play. you sound like you went to the Curtis Modkins school of offense

            1. You chip away until you lull the opponent into a false sense of security which is when you go for the kill. Walsh was an expert at it. NE uses it. Harbaugh lacked that instinct and the current regime seems to not care that it exists. SMH.

        1. I’m basically saying your “story” about Bill Walsh is BS. All coaches will setup plays by going against their own tendencies. That has zero to do with “saving” plays.

  4. If you study SB XXIII, you will see that the Niners set up the Bengals. They showed a standard line up, so the Bengals did not sub players, then attacked the left side with Jerry Rice being the decoy. Taylor made a cut and was wide open.

    It was a classic Bill Walsh strategic move. I wish some one could find a video of Bill Walsh dissecting the play.

    1. and has absolutely nothing to do with “saving” plays for the second half. Please pay attention.

      1. Its about game strategizing and thinking two moves ahead.
        Walsh would set up the other team for a kill shot later in the game, which might be in the second half.

        This team seem incapable of utilizing tactics which are very effective. Faking hand offs to an empty back field is the exact opposite of what I am talking about.

        Please keep up.

  5. Well Grant, seems like Modkins is getting better. At least he can remember plays, unlike his last PC.

    Too bad they keep using his plays, and less of Chip’s plays.

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