Jim Tomsula: “Maybe we need to sprint off the bus.”

SANTA CLARA This  is the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.   Opening comments: “The injury report; what we’ve got here, we’ve got some bumps and bruises, but [TE Garrett] Celek is going for an MRI. But again, we still feel like nothing is broke, that it’s what our people have categorized a high ankle sprain. And obviously with those we’ll have to…

November 30, 2015
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For 49ers, this season all about one man

This is my Sunday column. SANTA CLARA – Training camp for the San Francisco 49ers started today. What person on the 49ers is this season all about? Is it the man standing in the middle of the practice field directing drills — head coach Jim Tomsula? No. Practice isn’t the full picture. Games may not even be the full picture. Look beyond what the team presents you. The key figure…

August 1, 2015
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Baalke’s baffling hires

This is my Friday column. Trent Baalke, you sly dog. I thought I had you figured out. I thought I could read you like a map. I knew you revealed your master plan for the 49ers’ coaching search when you said, “This isn’t a rebuild situation. This is a reload situation,” at the end-of-the-season press conference. But, I still couldn’t predict who you would hire. I figured you would promote…

January 30, 2015
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49ers raise the bar

According to reports, the 49ers have fired Vic Fangio. Fangio, 56, is the best defensive coordinator in the NFL. But the best isn’t good enough for the 49ers. The 49ers have high standards.

January 15, 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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49ers’ next coach will be…

This is my Friday column. Let’s play a game. Based on what we know about Jed York and Trent Baalke, which isn’t much, and what we know about their head-coaching search, which is even less, predict which coach they will hire. Easy, right? I think I know the answer, based on next to nothing. And not only that — I think I know the exact words and phrases York and…

January 8, 2015
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49ers, here’s your man

This is my Wednesday column. I don’t get you, Jed. You say you know what you’re looking for and you still can’t find it. I asked you Monday what qualities the next head coach of the 49ers should have. You were prepared for that question. Right away, you said, “I want a teacher. I think what made Bill Walsh so successful is that he was a great teacher, whether that…

December 30, 2014
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Vic Fangio: “Proud is a strong word. You’re never happy in defeat.”

This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ p.r. department. So, you have a new linebacker. How do you expect to work with him over the next few days to get him ready for Saturday’s game? “We just have to do our best to get him acclimated to the system. He’s going to have to do a great job of studying. Obviously, his work…

December 16, 2014
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Vic Fangio on the Seahawks: “They’ve evolved into a really good offense.”

This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ p.r. department. Last week, obviously, we saw that LB Ahmad Brooks was on the sideline. How difficult of a decision was that for you to make? “It was difficult to do, but it was an easy decision. He missed an entire meeting on Tuesday and then was 20 minutes late on Wednesday, so, at that point,…

December 11, 2014
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Vic Fangio on Derek Carr: “For him not to be sacked very much, that speaks of his feel and knowledge of the game and their offense.”

This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. LB Chris Borland won yet another award. He’s the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. You’ve talked about him at some length this season, but has he surprised you with what he’s been able to accomplish? “Well, I think anytime a rookie comes in and has some success there is some element of surprise…

December 4, 2014
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49ers 3, Seahawks 19: Grades

SANTA CLARA – Jed York can’t blame Vic Fangio for this one — the 49ers’ defense gave up just one touchdown. It was the offense that failed to show up for the third game in a row. Here are the grades. KAEPERNICK: Z. Worst game of his career. His passes were inaccurate, his downfield vision was poor and he forced passes to covered receivers. Is there any doubt which team…

November 27, 2014
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Redskins 13, 49ers 17: Grades

SANTA CLARA – The 49ers defied the odds and beat the first-class Redskins 17-13 Sunday afternoon. Here are the Niners’ grades. KAEPERNICK: B. Unusually efficient. Completed 20-of-29 pass attempts (69 percent) for 256 yards (8.8 yards per attempt). Three of his nine incomplete passes were dropped. He threw a long, beautiful touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin on the first drive of the game, but he never came close to throw…

November 23, 2014
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Five questions for 49ers

This is my Saturday column. These are the top-five questions and answers every 49ers’ fan needs to know: QUESTION: Why is Colin Kaepernick getting sacked so much? ANSWER: Jim Harbaugh’s offensive scheme. NFL defensive coordinators figured out Harbaugh’s offense lacks a way to beat blitzes consistently. Defenses are sacking Kaepernick on a league-high 9.1 percent of his drop backs and, when defenses blitz, they’re sacking Kaepernick even more frequently –…

November 22, 2014
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49ers 16, Giants 10: Grades

East Rutherford, NJ. – The 49ers barely beat the Giants, a bad team that quit after the second quarter and turned the ball over five times. So here are the Niners’ grades. KAEPERNICK: C. The best you can say is he didn’t turn the ball over. Which is good, but his first pass almost got picked off. And he fumbled once (he recovered it). And he didn’t complete a single…

November 16, 2014
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Vic Fangio on covering Jimmy Graham: “He’s hard. Do you have any ideas?”

SANTA CLARA — This is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. You think LB Patrick Willis can play Sunday? “It’s questionable. As the week rolls on, if he doesn’t start practicing at some point then it starts moving to doubtful.”   Is he just taking a different tact this week or did he suffer a setback last week? “I don’t think he…

November 6, 2014
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49ers doomed by play-calling

This is my Tuesday column. The Bears and the Cardinals and the Broncos and the Rams are not defeating the 49ers. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman are defeating the 49ers. Before the season started, if you had known the 49ers’ defense would rank second after eight games without NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith, what would you have expected the Niners’ record to be? 7-1? 8-0? If anything diminished the Niners…

November 4, 2014
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49ers 10, Rams 13: Grades

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers just gave away a game to the Rams, a dreadful team that was trying its best to lose. Here are the 49ers’ grades. KAEPERNICK: D+. Was that him? Didn’t look like it. Whoever was wearing the red No.7 jersey looked timid, tentative, not explosive at all. Averaged just 7.18 yards per pass and 2.8 yards per carry, converted 3-of-12 third down and scored no touchdowns…

November 2, 2014
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Vic Fangio: “I didn’t do a good enough job coaching and we didn’t do a good enough job playing.”

SANTA CLARA — Here is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department. Does it look like you’re going to have LB Patrick Willis back in your defense this week? “It’s questionable right now.”   Going back over that Broncos game, do you wipe away some of that since he was out of the lineup, a lot of the other guys were out of…

October 30, 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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49ers 17, Broncos 42: Grades

The Broncos eked out a 42-17 win over the 49ers Sunday night. Here are the Niners’ grades. KAEPERNICK: D. Carried the team in the first half. Posted a 140 passer rating in the second quarter. Would have been a 156 rating if Anquan Boldin hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass on third-and-goal from the 4 yard line. Kaepernick led a 7-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that took 2 minutes and 58 seconds…

October 19, 2014
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