Marlon Moore: “If he throws that ball up, it’s mine. I’ve got to go get it for him no matter what.”

SANTA CLARA – Marlon Moore spoke in the 49ers’ media tent Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what he said.

Q: How do you feel about how you’ve stepped into the competition and played the first three weeks of training camp?

MOORE: So far, so good. It’s still a long training camp. Actually, it’s a long season. I want to still come out and perform the same way that I do and try to stay as consistent as possible on the field, making my plays, making my blocks and whatever else that is needed to be done.

Q: How tough is it that every day the slate is wiped clean and you’ve got to go out and do it again?

MOORE: I try not to even think about the previous day. I just go out there and focus on today, focus on the task at hand no matter what time of day the practice is, no matter what we have to do whether it’s film study, weight lifting or anything. Wipe the sleight clean, start as if nothing ever happened and continue to press forward.

Q: Is it a bit of a mixed blessing when you start a preseason game? You’re in there with the starters, but you’re out quickly and you don’t get to show off on special teams.

MOORE: You could say that. I like to play special teams. I love playing football, period. Not being able to be in and contribute, it kind of hurt me. But at the same time, maybe they recognize something about me. I just have to stay consistent and keep pressing forward.

Q: Where have you been playing on special teams in practice?

MOORE: Gunner. Some punt returner. A little bit of kickoff returner. Just bouncing around. Just showing my skill set wherever it needs to be showed.

Q: Do you have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder? The Dolphins could have kept you around, could have tendered you but they didn’t. Was that a blow to the ego?

MOORE: It wasn’t a blow to the ego because I definitely understand the business. I understood it after my first year, seeing players come and go. It’s usually a numbers game or a money game. I didn’t take it personal at all. I just knew wherever I ended up playing football, I was going to give that team my all, and that’s what I’m doing right now.

Q: How many teams did you hear from after that happened?

MOORE: I heard from a few teams, but when the Niners called my agent and said, “We want to get him down here,” I jumped at it like a fish biting on bait.

Q: Why did you jump?

MOORE: The tradition that the Niners have. Growing up in Sacramento, I definitely have seen the tradition they have. Just being able to come back home and be around my mom a little bit more, that also was a deciding factor. But I also wanted to be a part of a winning team. Coming out of Fresno, we had some rough years there, and even in Miami. I just wanted to be a part of a winning team and something that had a strong tradition.

Q: Did you grow up a 49ers fan?

MOORE: No.

Q: Raiders?

MOORE: Nope. Cowboys.

Q: Why?

MOORE: I just went against my dad. My dad was a Raiders fan. I liked the Niners, but not enough to call them my team. My and my brother decided to be Cowboys fans from a young age. That has nothing to do with right now.

Q: When Michael Crabtree went down, Harbaugh talked a lot about he was going to give three guys the opportunity to step up, and you weren’t one of them. But when training camp started, your name was in the mix. How do you think you were able to elevate your game to be part of that discussion?

MOORE: The way I thought was just to go out there and make plays and you’ll get noticed. I used to tell some of my teammates, “It doesn’t matter where you are, they’ll find you.” What you put on film is your résumé. I just wanted to go out there and play as hard as possible and make all the plays that I possibly could and just do the best that I could and eventually someone would take notice.

Q: How are things with between you and Colin Kaepernick as far as chemistry, particularly on the deep ball?

MOORE: Me and Kap, we’ve been cool since college. I always tell him, “If you throw it up, I’m going to do my best to make a play for you.” It’s coming to me, or nobody’s going to get it. That’s the mindset that we have. If he throws that ball up, it’s mine. I’ve got to go get it for him no matter what.

ME: When did you get that mindset?

MOORE: It was instilled from my dad. At a young age, he had me doing everything. No matter how hard the job was, he had me either helping him or making sure everything went well. I don’t mind how hard the work is and what the task is, I just go out there and put my head down and run through that wall because I’m not running around obstacles.

Q: How much of an incentive was Kaepernick for you to come here?

MOORE: He was a big incentive, but I wouldn’t say he was one of the main ones. But it’s definitely fun playing with Kap, the athleticism that he has, the knowledge of the game, and even his powerful arm. He can get the ball pretty much anywhere on the field from any position, so it’s fun playing with Kap. I saw that in college, the players that he had around him and the fun that he was having. It’s definitely an incentive, but it’s not that big of an incentive.

Q: What have you learned about him in terms of his personality?

MOORE: He’s a regular guy. The way he talks to his teammates, the way he composes himself, he’s just a regular dude. He’s not uptight at all. He’s laid back and he’s real cool, he’s real personable. I really like that about him and I noticed that about him back in college. He likes to laugh and have a good time.

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