Harbaugh says Aldon Smith will play against Colts on Sunday

Jim Harbaugh spoke in the 49ers’ media tent Friday afternoon. Here’s a transcript.

Q: Can you fill us in on Aldon Smith’s status for Sunday?

HARBAUGH: The task today was to go and have a great practice. The time spent Sunday will be for us to go get a win, beat the Colts. We’ll make those decisions.

Q: Have you spoken to Aldon about the incident this morning?

HARBAUGH: Yes.

Q: Are you satisfied with what he had to say?

HARBAUGH: I’m disappointed and I felt like he needs to go to work, face his teammates and soldier through it.

Q: Will the team discipline him or is that a league matter?

HARBAUGH: That’s pretty exclusive to the league. Well, it is. They have exclusive rights to the consequences on there will be consequences. There always is, good or bad. We all have consequences.

Q: Last year Demcarcus Dobbs was in a similar incident and he didn’t make the trip with you guys to St. Louis. Why react to that situation that way and leave this one up in the air?

HARBAUGH: I’m not really leaving it up in the air. There is nothing really up in the air about it. Demarcus wasn’t here when we left last year for St. Louis.

Q: If Aldon doesn’t play who is likely to fill his place?

HARBAUGH: You know the guys we have on our team. Not to leave it up in the air. I expect Aldon, like today, he’ll be back to work and playing on Sunday.

Q: How do you as a coach try to convince players like Aldon to keep their head screwed on straight?

HARBAUGH: Those things, not going to address what our policy is as it relates right now. These two things, we’ll deal with it.

Q: How did he seem at practice today? Did he seem focused?

HARBAUGH: Yeah, he seemed like he had his wits about him.

Q: Just to be clear, did you say he would play on Sunday?

HARBAUGH: I anticipate that, yes.

Q: Is there anyone in the organization you advise to talk to players when they’re in a situation like this?

HARBAUGH: Yes, the organization does provide that. I’m not going to dissect it, exactly what the policies are and what the team has in place as it relates to his situation.

Q: You said you wanted him to get back to work. Was that his suggestion or your suggestion?

HARBAUGH: I encouraged it.

Q: Will Aldon address his teammates?

HARBAUGH: The conversations, what existed, what the details were, the specifics, we’re not publically sharing that right now.

Q: Did see if he was on his way to the facility when the incident happened?

HARBAUGH: Again and again, we’re not going into the specifics and the details.

Q: You said the league has exclusivity over this whether or not to suspend him. You’re not expecting them to hand out a suspension last-minute before the game? As far as you know he’s going to be cleared to play on Sunday and any possible suspension will come after?

HARBAUGH: I think it’s pretty clear what the policies are in the National Football League collective bargaining agreement. There is a process and we respect that.

Q: Doesn’t the team have discretion to its own discipline?

HARBAUGH: There is a process there. When it comes to suspensions and fining and discipline there is exclusivity of the league.

Q: What’s your reaction to Anthony Davis getting fined for his personal foul at the end of the Seahawks game?

HARBAUGH: Per league directions I’m not going to comment on that.

Q: Where does Eric Reid stand as far as going through the protocol?

HARBAUGH: He’s got to go through another test today. If that goes well, he’ll be cleared tomorrow.

Q: The contact test?

HARBAUGH: Yes.

Q: How were you contacted about this incident this morning?

HARBAUGH: I don’t think there’s anything more that’s relevant at this time that at least I feel is relevant and I don’t feel that is relevant.

Q: What is the status of Vernon Davis?

HARBAUGH: Still day-to-day.

Q: Aldon was on the injury report with a back injury this week. This the car accident aggravate it?

HARBAUGH: He practiced today.

Q: Fully?

HARBAUGH: I’ll let the trainers fill that out.

Q: Ray McDonald is back at practice. Do you anticipate he’ll be able to play?

HARBAUGH: Again, day-to-day. A game time decision there.

Q: What’s it like going up against Andrew Luck?

HARBAUGH: A big challenge. It’s the third week in a row we’ve face a top notch quarterback. Our guys know the challenge, the task at hand at that’s what the team is focusing on right now, the immediate task at hand which is have a great practice today and put ourselves in a position to win on Sunday.

Q: Would you term Vernon Davis a game time decision as well?

HARBAUGH: Yes.

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