Bruce Miller: “I learned a lot about myself, maybe different ways to deal with situations.”

SANTA CLARA Bruce Miller spoke to the media Friday afternoon for the first time this offseason. Here’s a transcript. Q: How are you approaching the rest of your offseason? MILLER: Onward and upward. Moving forward. It’s great to be back here with the guys and feel a part of the team, just get back to doing what I know how to do, and that’s play football. I want to apologize…

June 5, 2015
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Grading the 49ers’ best players

How many players on the 49ers deserve an “A” or “A-” grade? I count six. Here’s my list, and I’m eager to read yours. Aldon Smith: A-. The best pass rusher in the NFL from 2011 to 2013, and a bad pass rusher in 2014. Suspended for the first nine games last season. When he returned, he was not in football shape. If he’s in shape this year, he should…

March 23, 2015
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Trent Baalke answers lots of questions

SANTA CLARA— Trent Baalke answered a few reporters’ questions in the 49ers’ media room Wednesday afternoon. Here’s a transcript of the interview. BARROWS: Has Justin Smith decided whether he will retire? BAALKE: As I said at the end of the season, I think at this stage of his career, he has earned the right to make that decision when it’s right. I think he’s still sorting through that process. He’s…

March 12, 2015
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Report: Bruce Miller arrested for battery of a spouse

The Santa Clara arrest log shows that Bruce Miller was arrested for battery of a spouse on March 5. Trent Baalke just released a written statement about Miller: “We were disappointed to learn of these reports and will do our due diligence in collecting all relevant information.” This is tremendously troubling. Miller seemed like one of the good guys. He has a warm, welcoming smile, he’s generous with his time…

March 9, 2015
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49ers and Adam Gase — good match or bad idea?

This is about gravitas and Adam Gase. Gase is the favorite to be the next head coach of the 49ers. Gase is the only coach the 49ers have interviewed twice so far this offseason — they interviewed him for a second time Tuesday, according to reports. Gase is 36 years old. He looks like a teenager. He has been an offensive coordinator for two whole seasons and has done impressive…

January 13, 2015
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Greg Roman: “Had a very productive morning today in meetings and looking forward to getting a bunch of work done today. Any questions?”

This is the transcript of Greg Roman’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ p.r. department. Opening statement: “Morning. Getting ready for a very good Seattle defense. I think these guys have gotten healthy the past couple weeks and are playing at a very impressive level. Very impressed at their Philly game and they certainly did a good job against us a couple weeks ago. I think we helped them…

December 11, 2014
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Bruce Miller: “We have certain runs that we like against fronts. You can tell during the game which ones are going to work.”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Bruce Miller Wednesday interview. ME: Do you have a sense during games of which runs are working particularly well? MILLER: Oh yeah. I think so, especially with the different defenses that we see. We have a part of the run game that is set for those guys, and another part that is set for different fronts that we see. We have certain…

November 5, 2014
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Grading 49ers at the break

This is my Sunday column. The 49ers just finished dead week. These are their midterm grades. COLIN KAEPERNICK Pocket proficiency: B. Was a C-minus last season. Completed just 57 percent of his passes and posted an 81 passer rating inside the pocket in 2013. Has completed 69 percent of his passes and posted a 90 rating inside the pocket this season. He’s finding the open receiver quickly and throwing the…

October 27, 2014
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Greg Roman on Frank Gore: “We don’t want to just ride that stallion all day everyday.”

SANTA CLARA — Here is the transcript of Greg Roman’s Friday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening comments: “Afternoon. We’ve got a division game against the Rams. We know them well, they know us. [Rams defensive coordinator] Gregg Williams is back there as the d-coordinator. We have a lot of respect for him. He’s doing a great job with that defense. And, it really starts up front…

October 10, 2014
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Greg Roman says LaMichael James is a really good football player

SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman was interviewed in the 49ers’ auditorium Thursday afternoon. Here’s a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Opening comments: “It was great to start off the season with a win. We moved onto a Chicago Bears team on Monday that has a very experienced defense. Starting with their front four, they’ve got one of the best pass rushers over the last decade in [Chicago Bears DE] Jared…

September 11, 2014
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Bruce Miller on Kendall Hunter: “This year we were really looking to bust him out and use him a lot early.”

SANTA CLARA – Bruce Miller was interviewed Saturday afternoon by Bay Area reporters outside of the 49ers’ locker room. Here is a transcript. Q: Does your heart sink for what happened to Kendall Hunter? MILLER: Yeah. One, just being a close friend, a teammate, a brother – you don’t ever want to see that happen to a guy, especially a guy like Kendall who puts in so much work, so…

July 26, 2014
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Roman on last week’s short-yardage failures: “I think we could have executed those plays better.”

SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.   Opening comments: “I’m very proud of our guys for finishing the regular season 12-4, qualifying for the playoffs. That’s why we all do this, for the opportunity to compete for a championship. We know what’s at stake and we’ve got a very good opponent coming up on Sunday in…

January 2, 2014
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Roman on halftime at Candlestick: “Solari and Geep will handle certain things until we get there.”

SANTA CLARA — Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Friday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.   Opening comments: “Good afternoon. We’ve got the Atlanta Falcons coming in. It’s obviously a big day, historic day, Monday night, Candlestick Park, I think it speaks for itself. But, we know what the Atlanta Falcons are capable of. It was less than one year ago that we looked up…

December 20, 2013
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Harbaugh: “Beware of unnamed sources. They speak with forked tongue.”

SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Thursday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.   How do you replace FB Bruce Miller and everything that he brought to the table? “Well, a fantastic football player, does so many things for us. [RB] Anthony Dixon will step up and do a great job, as he has been doing in that backup fullback role….

December 19, 2013
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Dilfer: “If you’re a skill position guy for the Niners, you’re only getting the ball if the play was designed to get you the ball.”

Trent Dilfer answered questions about the 49ers’ offense Wednesday morning on 95.7 The Game. Here is a transcript. Q: After last game, Michael Crabtree talked openly about wanting the ball more. He was visibly frustrated after a couple of plays. How does a quarterback handle that? DILFER: After you learn the hard way early in your career how to deal with it, you kind of like it. You want a…

December 18, 2013
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Harbaugh on Kaepernick: “There were 30-yard lasers on the run. Just haven’t seen anybody ever do that.”

SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.   Opening Comments: “We’re glad to see you. We’re glad to be back. It was a great win for the team. We’re very excited about it. The biggest thing is the guys worked hard for it. They worked hard in their preparation. They worked hard in the…

December 16, 2013
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Bruce Miller injures scapula (shoulder blade), may be out for season

SANTA CLARA — Here is what Jim Harbaugh said about Bruce Miller at his Monday press conference. Q: Is there an injury update for Bruce Miller? HARBAUGH: Yeah, it doesn’t look good. It looks like he has an injury to his scapula. Q: How significant of a loss is that? HARBAUGH: Very significant. He does so many things in the protection, the run game, receiving out of the backfield. He…

December 16, 2013
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49ers 33, Bucs 14: Grades

Here are my grades for the 49ers’ 33-14 win over the Buccaneers. KAEPERNICK: B+. He was outstanding at improvising and passing on the run. He struggled in the third quarter (3-of-10 passing) when the 49ers asked him to pass almost exclusively from the pocket – his accuracy deteriorated, his passes got tipped and he stared down his first read. But in the fourth quarter, Kaepernick moved outside the pocket and…

December 15, 2013
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97 G-rub

After the game against the Seahawks, I wrote in my grades that Frank Gore’s 51-yard run was a weak-side lead, but it had a twist. The 49ers had two tight ends and two running backs on the field. Vance McDonald lined up next to Vernon Davis on the right side of the 49ers’ formation, and then McDonald motioned to the left. When McDonald has motioned in this way from this…

December 9, 2013
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How the 49ers have been successful running the ball vs. the Seahawks at Candlestick

Last season when the 49ers played the Seahawks at Candlestick, Frank Gore gained 131 yards on 16 carries. 18 of those yards came on one “wham” play, and 48 of those yards came on two “trap” plays. On the wham play, the 49ers let Alan Branch penetrate the backfield and Bruce Miller blindsided him with a wham block. Gore ran right up the middle for 18. On the first trap…

December 6, 2013
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