Jim Tomsula on Anquan Boldin: “He had the hamstring tighten up on him yesterday in practice.”

This is the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Friday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

Opening comments:

“Good morning. The injury report, [DT] Tony [Jerod-Eddie] is back today. Tony was excused for a family matter yesterday. [WR] Anquan Boldin, we’re going to hold him out today. Obviously, he had the hamstring tighten up on him yesterday in practice. We will see where that is. And [RB Carlos] Hyde also, you’ll see him working along the side with the guys like he does. That’s just the way that will be all the time. It’s been that way and will continue to be that way. So, that’s all I’ve got coming out of there.”

 

If Boldin doesn’t play, would that allow you to work WR Jerome Simpson into–?

“Yeah, obviously there would be something there, yeah. You’ve got Jerome, you’ve got [WR DeAndrew] White.”

 

Did he aggravate that? I know it’s been an issue.

“Yeah, he just said it tightened. He said it tightened up so we’re going to make sure we’re on the safe side with that.”

 

What have you seen from S Jaquiski Tartt this week? He came into this season with a pretty prominent role on defense. What was it about his offseason that let you think that he was capable of having a big role on defense?

“Obviously, going through the draft process and watching his skill set and all those things. And, meeting the guy and getting a feel for kind of who he is and what he’s about. And since he showed up here, he’s got a great demeanor and energy about him. Loves playing football. He and [DB] Jimmie Ward, obviously you all know they came out of high school there in Mobile. But, the two of them with that energy that they have and the excitement and the way they work at it. Still young, still young, there’s no question about that. But, really works hard at it and is a skilled guy.”

 

Is RB Reggie Bush your number one punt returner now?

“Yeah. I mean, we can say that, but we’ve got a few guys that we’re rolling through there. Reggie is definitely one of those guys.”

 

You guys are playing on an artificial surface for the first time since Carlos suffered the injury, which was on an artificial surface. Does that change anything as far as his use? Do you have to monitor him a little bit more closely?

“I don’t think so. And I also think that they’re both two different artificial surfaces too. So, all that stuff’s looked into. All that stuff’s, you know, everybody’s always looking into all that. I’m not in that debate and don’t necessarily have an opinion on whether that affects you different or not.”

 

What did you mean? Is the St. Louis turf considered–?

“Well, all turfs are, what year did they get put in, every year it’s a different, I don’t know that we ever play on the exact same turf anywhere. It’s like grass. You don’t play on the same grass either.”

 

With Carlos not practicing, is it something where you just know whether he’s going to be up or down or do you have to watch him a couple hours before the game and just kind of see how he feels when he tests it out on the playing surface?

“Yeah well, the way we go into the week, quite frankly [CSN Bay Area reporter] Matt [Maiocco], is we’re expecting to go all the way up to game time. That’s just the way we plan. He’s got all his assignments, in all the meetings, the walk-thrus, the practice. He’s doing all those things. So, and then the medical staff is just letting me know that it could go all the way up to game time. So we just prepare like we’re ready to go and all the other guys are ready to go and that’s just how we’re working through our business.”

 

In other words, you have 53 players who expect to play and then it’s up to you guys to determine 90 minutes before?

“Yes. And then obviously with him, the medical staff’s a major cog in that wheel.”

 

Do you think he’ll need an operation at some point?

“Oh gosh, I’m not going to go into any, I don’t speculate. I don’t have an opinion when it comes to those things.”

 

You haven’t been told anything like that?

“I haven’t. No.”

 

You’ve talked a couple times about LB NaVorro Bowman’s snap count, wanting to get that down. It obviously hasn’t really gone down. It seems like, maybe I’m reading it wrong, but it sounds like it’s up to him, you know, “Hey, I need a blow here.” Obviously he’s a player and he wants to play and doesn’t want to come off the field. Is that an accurate interpretation and if so do you have to as a coach begin to get him off the field if you really want to lessen his snaps?

“Those are all conversations that he and I are having. Obviously it’s well documented. The guy has worked his tail off to get back to the football field. He really wants to play football and he really wants to be out there all the time and doing those things. When you have a competitive guy like that, that’s part of what makes him who he is. So, ultimately that decision is mine. But, I don’t think it’s that easy, personally. I think we need to work through this. I do believe, and I’ve expressed that with him, I want to make sure that we’re doing the best thing.”

 

Even if Boldin plays the whole game, would you expect Simpson will get his share of plays and how has he come along since he’s been back?

“I haven’t said that he’s up yet. We don’t have the 46 set. So, all those guys are working through all practice all week and we’ll finish up today and then we wait until the 90 minutes to get into any of those things.”

 

How’s WR Bruce Ellington’s health? Has he been able to practice more these last couple of weeks?

“He has, he has. Bruce has been practicing more and moving around well.”

 

It seems like we asked this of Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio every three weeks or so last year; why doesn’t DT Tank Carradine get into the game more often? And I know he did in this last contest, but up until then it had been pretty scants snaps.

“Yeah, and we’re working on getting those rotations a little more fluid is the word I would use.”

 

With Tony, would he be a full-go?

“Yeah. Tony’s a very smart vet.”

This article has 48 Comments

  1. westcoastguy: Yep Nolan was a hire out of left field who was on nobody’s radar, much like Erickson and Singletary. This team seems to relish in giving undeserving candidates a job

    1. Above post highlights yet another example of what the 49ers are walking into Sunday vs. the Rams DL of #1 picks across the board. The 49ers coaching staff who specialize in no game adjustments and no road wins attempt to win with a staff WestCoastGuy references above.
      Good luck with this DL–a group that doesn’t need line stunts to whip the 49ers upfront, meaning they can overload the defensive backfield all day.

  2. I am waiting, holding my breath to see what changes are made to Sundays lineup. If Jim Tomsula puts forth the same offensive lineup with no new wrinkles, then we know this guy is nothing but a puppet coach and unqualified to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
    We are 2-5. If for the love of all humanity we see Pears and Devey start and play more than 50% of the snaps, I might lose my junk altogether. If we see Vernon Davis trot around like a baby deer and not make any plays, then its pretty clear no one on staff has the fortitude or knowledge on what it takes to win at this level.

    Sorry everyone but I am predicting another blow out loss. Rams are the best team in the division in my opinion. This is a statement game for them. We have an injured back, WR, and a lousy offense in general.
    STL:32
    SF-7

    1. I quote Tim McDonald:
      “Same old Rams, same old 49ers”

      The context has changed a bit though…

    2. “If for the love of all humanity we see Pears and Devey start and play more than 50% of the snaps, I might lose my junk altogether”

      Suddenly hoping Devey and Pears play every snap….

      1. Yeah I would expect that Jack Hammer. That would mean the 49ers lose and you don’t care about that because you are not a fan. You are a supreme blog writer now. Is it still called Burning it Up with Hammer the Jack?

        1. FDM,

          Dude I haven’t written anything in almost a year. Reading you lose your junk would be hilarious and worth the loss. This team isn’t going anywhere so as a fan you should rather they lose the rest of their games instead of winning enough to get stuck in the middle of the draft order.

          1. Hate to break it to both of you but the niners aren’t going anywhere fast, Hyde is hobbled and the team is too busy saying no we didn’t (when all the beat writers say -yes they did – sound familiar?).

            I don’t think the team is competitive in any way so the Rams should have a good time scrimmaging. FDM you can be sure that upper mgt. has not yet learned any lessons about personnel. They will tweak things ever so slightly and maybe go out of the shotgun 8 yards deep in the end zone this time around. We became a laughing stock when Jed said that Harbaugh left rather than he was fired.

            Jack, we are so incompetent right now we will probably still screw up the draft order somehow (strength of schedule, perhaps).

            1. If the draft was today, the 49ers would draft twelfth given what is probably their strength of schedule.

      2. Me too, me too, I love to see a 49er fan losing his junk. Should I get chicken or a pizza for sunday’s blowout loss for the 49ers?

  3. I’m curious to see if Davis and Boldin don’t end up with mysterious injuries that keep them out of this game.

  4. I bet the Rams DL guys will all have chapped lips from watching tape and licking their chops.

    1. The Rams are a great example of what a quarterback driven league this is. They are loaded with talented, high draft picks, but struggle to get above 500.

      A sobering thought when considering the 49ers.

      1. To paraphrase Steve Young:

        The hardest thing to do in the NFL is to get out of the middle third of the pack and into the contender third of the pack.

        The Rams prove it’s also hard to get out of the bottom third.

  5. In the Art of War, Sun Tzu warned against storming strongholds because it was costly in men and materials. The Niners should not run into the teeth of the defense. They should attack the edges, and take advantage of the Rams defensive speed by doing reverses and misdirection.
    The Americans in WWII employed those tactics in their Island Hopping strategy. They would threaten one island, force the Japanese to spend time and resources defending it, then attack a lightly defended island with just as much strategic value.
    I hope the coaches take into consideration the fact that the Rams D line can sack the QB with all their first round picks, so Kaep should become more mobile and roll out left, because with Devey and Pears, it is impossible to roll out right. Kaep should look to get rid of the ball quickly with bubble screens, sweeps, slants and pitches.
    On first down, do not run it every time. Mix it up to keep them guessing. On second and short, go deep.Its like a free play, because even if it fails, it is still third and short. On third and long, the Niners should not try draw plays, but go for it, with a long bomb downfield, and let Torrey jump for it. Even if the defender picks it, it will be like a 60 yard punt.
    I am expecting the Niners to play like this may decide the season. I hope they do not stay timid and settle for field goals, but go for TDs, especially with 4th and short inside the 10.
    Niners, 28-24.

    1. Hmmmmm, which Islands were lightly defended? Was that Guadacanal? Tarawa? Pago Pago? Saipan? Iwo Jima? Okinawa?
      You claim to be a military historian, but your take on the pacific campaign, Normandy invasion, and battle of the bulge have seemed to miss the actual pivot points of these events. Drill deeper. What, the Navy bypassed Truk? Big surprise! No cliche thinking, please.

      1. Oh yeah, and by the way, in Art Crumb Comics Mr. Natural sez: “Don’t mean sheee-it.” That’s at least as profound as SunTzue or LaoTzue.

      2. Comparatively lightly defended.The Gilberts, Solomon Islands and Marshalls were the easiest to take. I think the base at Rabaul was left to “wither on the vine’. The island hopping gave the Americans an advantage because they put the heavily defended islands at risk for the Japanese, so all their defenses were just wasted and abandoned.
        Iwo could not be bypassed, so some of the heaviest fighting took place on that small Island, but once it was taken, American air power basically drove the Japanese Navy away, so Okinawa became the next big target. Once Okinawa was taken, Japan was in range of American Bombers.
        Air superiority turned the tide. But many do not realize that the Battle of the Aleutian Islands, while strategically unimportant, was critical in gathering intelligence that helped decide the war. A relatively intact Zero fighter was recovered because a Japanese Pilot had his friend in the downed plane, so he did not destroy it, as commanded. The Americans studied the captured Zero and devised tactics to take advantage of its vulnerabilities. In the early part of the war, the Zero had up to a 12 to 1 kill death ratio, so the captured plane allowed the American designers to build a plane that could actually survive against them.
        In the Art of War, Sun Tzu emphasized that the side that had the most intelligence would usually win, even if outnumbered, if the generals could act swiftly and decisively to take advantage of the enemies weaknesses.

        1. Kay. Tarawa was the “Go-around” for Truk. Saipan was a range-specific tactical target. Iwo was, as you say, a keystone. You do remember the horrific loss of human life at Oki? That ‘suicide mania’ fear lead to the concept that it was better to incinerate than to allow suicides; I guess.

    2. Actually, based on the World War II history I was taught in NROTC at Stanford (appeal to prestige) a lot of MacArthur’s pacific campaign was a waste of resources and human life. The American submarines in the Pacific had wiped out the ability of the Japanese to supply their island fortresses. They could have been bypassed after the major navel battles had wiped out the surface Japanese navel power.

      It was thought that unconditional surrender was required at every step in the Pacific, including the need to invade Japan. An island or an island nation, lacking in any natural resource with which to wage war, will at some point capitulate under one of the oldest strategies — a siege.

      At least that’s what the WWII Carrier and Submarine admirals thought right after the war ended.

      1. And yet, the A-bomb justifications were to avoid an invasion/combat occupation of the Home Islands. The Admirals never hit the beach in person. Public opinion was appalled at the loss of life at Iwo. Oki ws a f story for human life. Siege? Nah, revenge through Atomic weapons, to avoid US casualties of course, was the reason and the justification.

        1. The A bombs were more used to cow the Soviets. The Japanese were basically defeated because the Indonesian Oil supplies were cut off, and they lacked raw materials to keep fighting. The cities were fire bombed, the factories destroyed, and the population faced starvation the coming winter.
          It was revenge for Pearl Harbor. They could have dropped the A bombs on a mountain top, but the scientists wanted to see the effects on a city. In Hiroshima, hundreds of allied POWs were incinerated with the women and children, so the saving lives excuse is a weak one to me.

              1. Dr. Strangelove represents the “real reason” for using the bomb that you postulated as if it was fact.

                Slim Pickens is the misled Sir Galahad of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

              2. Well, I have felt misled this season with all the talk like Tarzan and play like Jane.
                Maybe I just want to blow things up. ;p

        2. The Pacific campaign was MacArthur’s plan and his revenge. There was no real obstacle to blockading island fortresses and Japan itself. They had no fleet with which to bring war supplies or food, they had no air power. The Japanese had no experienced pilot left which led to untrained Kamikaze mission.

          MacArthur’s plan worked just fine for him and it did end the war faster, but at great expense for those carrying out his orders. A longer and smarter plan would not have increased losses. Many more Americans and Japanese would have enjoyed the end of the war in the Pacific if we had a different mind set at the time.

          All our extended families have roots going back in time to military and political stupidities. What the heck, we’ve got more enjoyable stupidities to deal with right here in Santa Clara.

      2. MacArthur made his ‘I shall return’ proclamation, so he did not follow the Island Hopping strategy, but Nimitz did.

        1. MacArthur faked his triumphant landing on an extremely safe beach in the Philippines. I spent the first forty weeks in flight school rooming with someone who idealized MacArthur 24/7. He had a prayer alter with five stars on it. Well it seemed like he did, but we weren’t allowed prayer alters.

          1. The allied forces should have ignored the Phillipines and gone straight to Japan. You must admit that the Phillipines were of little strategic value since Japanese naval ships could not break the sub blockade, so expending resources liberating those islands were wasteful and time consuming.
            We could have used conventional air strikes to bomb Japan into submission, so the allied invasion plans were moot, too costly and impractical.
            MacArthur was guilty of hubris, and it cost the UN forces dearly on the Korean peninsula.

            1. With the exception of our obligation to free the Philippines from the Japanese Army, we seem to agree in general.

              I worked for a while for a man (General Curtis LeMay) who thought his strategic bombing in Europe won the war only to find out later that it didn’t. Of course the General didn’t actually know that I was combat ready at Ellsworth AFB near Rapid City South Dakota. It was better for both of us that he didn’t.

              1. At the time I was in service LaMay was allowing a retired General to tour SAC basis advocating a preemptive strike on the Soviet Union’s nuclear capability. There was a General and no Truman in the White House.

                Actually it never occurred to me that LaMay should be relieved of his command. The Russians and I were both afraid of him, and that fit our “Mutually Assured Destruction” strategy at that time.

              2. I would have targeted the Allied POW camp, then left the rest of the Phillipines alone, and mopped up after Japan was defeated.

  6. I would love to see the Niners win but they’ve been hardly convincing against any sort of average+ defense. The Rams’ front will eat our C, RG and RT alive and their CBs will jam our receivers all day. 10+ sacks is possible along with a few Kap fumbles… Foles on the other hand will slice and dice our Mangina defense with short crossing routes that our LBs can’t cover. Gurley will have at least 4.4 ypc… Great work, Jed…

    1. Subscribe to NFL Replay and check out seasons for 2011 -2013. There are a lot of wins there.

      1. Seb and others,

        I can live with your offbeat citings of Sun Tzu, but please, before moving off this continent, and into another culture, for your audiences sake, review some of Akiro Kurosawa’s films, esp., his postwar productions while restraining yourself from posting further Japanese cultural observations.

        Thank You,
        From several Islands in the Pacific Ocean’.

        1. TrollD- living in a cinematic reality. Like the rapist in Rashomon, he has his own self serving version, and sticks with it.
          I relate more with the woodcutter.

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