Fangio on the Lions: “This team will run the ball out of the gun.”

SANTA CLARA – The transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Facing another team that likes to throw the ball around, is there much carry over from last week to this? “Well, there is in the sense that they play a lot of the similar personnel groupings, and they have some similar talent. So, there is some carry over.”   They don’t do as many four…

September 13, 2012
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Week 1 grades: The 49ers upset the Packers 30-22

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Here are my grades for the 49ers, who upset the Packers 30-22 at Lambeau Field in the season opener. QUARTERBACKS: A. Alex Smith may have played the best game of his life, even better than his comeback win against the Saints in the playoffs. Granted, the Packers secondary was horrendous, but Smith threw 2 TDs and no picks. He averaged a stellar 8.1 yards per attempt….

September 9, 2012
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Fangio on Rodgers: “He’s Brees with great scrambling ability and a stronger arm.”

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the full transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Fangio praised Aaron Rodgers and Marshall Newhouse, and confirmed that Perrish Cox is the No.4 cornerback. As a defensive coordinator, when you know you have more than four months to prepare for one team, the next team on the schedule, how do you approach it? “Well, me personally, we get right into it…

September 6, 2012
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Five questions for the defense

SANTA CLARA – Tuesday was a defense-dominated day in the 49ers’media tent – Vic Fangio, Larry Grant and Ricky Jean Francois all spoke at the podium, and I spoke one on one to Chris Culliver in the locker room. I asked each guy the same few questions, and here are their responses followed by my conclusions. Question 1: How would you characterize this defense? FANGIO: To me it’s in the…

August 21, 2012
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Fangio on the 49ers’ D: “I just think we got a little full of ourselves.”

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke in the 49ers’ media tent this afternoon. He discussed Aldon Smith’s injury, backup QB Scott Tolzien and the overall performance of the defense in Friday night’s preseason opener. He’s a transcript, courtesy of the 49ers.   What’s the takeaway, for you, from seeing your first team defense play a couple of series Friday night? “Well, we didn’t play as well as we’re capable of playing…

August 13, 2012
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Fangio says he’s anxious for Friday’s preseason opener

SANTA CLARA – It was defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s turn to speak in the 49ers’ media tent on Wednesday. He discussed Friday’s upcoming preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, the progress of his starting outside linebackers and a couple young defensive tackles. Here’s a transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. What are you hoping to see out of your defense in this first go around, Friday’s game? “I’m anxious to just…

August 8, 2012
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Fangio on the responsibility of the nickel back, and more

SANTA CLARA – Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke first in the media tent this morning, and here’s a transcript of what he said courtesy of the 49ers. Your defense, the last couple of days, has obviously looked really solid. Is that what you’re seeing on tape too out of these guys? “We’ve had a couple good days. Obviously, there are some mistakes out there that don’t show up as clear…

August 4, 2012
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Fangio says the defense can be as good or better than last year, “but it might not show on paper.”

SANTA CLARA – Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talked about what makes NaVarro Bowman and Carlos Rogers so good, the Niners cornerback competition and how good the defense can be this year. Here’s a transcript, courtesy of the 49ers. What are some of the things that have allowed LB NaVorro Bowman to emerge as an All-Pro, as such a young player, in his second year, last year? And also, you have…

August 1, 2012
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Vic Fangio on the state of the Niners defense entering training camp

SANTA CLARA – Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spoke in the media tent today, and here’s a transcript of what he said, courtesy of the 49ers.   How much more of the defense are you going to be able to install with this training camp compared to last year? “Not much more. We pretty much got everything we wanted to put in last year. And then as a matter of fact,…

July 28, 2012
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Niners media tent schedule

Here is the Niners’ current weekend interview schedule, which is subject to change. If you have any questions you would like me to ask, please leave them in the comment section below.   Friday, July 27 between 12-1pm Head Coach Jim Harbaugh QB Alex Smith WR Randy Moss   Saturday, July 28 between 12-1pm Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio DT Justin Smith LB Patrick Willis   Sunday, July 29 between 12-1pm…

July 27, 2012
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Taking stock of Jim Harbaugh

What makes Jim Harbaugh so good? Two things jump out right away – preparation and assistant-coach selection. Last season, the Niners were arguably the most prepared team in the NFL after the lockout. Harbaugh willed his team into shape in a way no other coach could. It was a remarkable feat and he was certainly worthy of the Coach of the Year award. Harbaugh also thrived thanks to a good…

June 18, 2012
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Fangio says the Niners defense has potential to be best defense he’s ever coached

SANTA CLARA – It was defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s turn to explain the state of the Niners defense today. He said it has the potential to be the best defense he’s ever coached. He also talked about turnovers, and why he’s confident his players can continue to force them at a high rate next season. Finally, he spoke specifically about Aldon Smith and new cornerback Perrish Cox, and how they’re…

June 13, 2012
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2011-2012 grades

Here are my full season grades for the 2011 49ers. Alex Smith: A-. He’s a ‘B’ quarterback who had an ‘A’ regular season, an ‘A+’ divisional playoff game against the Saints and a ‘D’ championship game against the Giants. The ‘D’ performance knocks his overall grade down to an ‘A-’ for the season. You can’t finish flat like that and get an ‘A.’ Here’s what we know about Smith: He’s…

January 25, 2012
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Fangio on the Saints offense: “They have weapons everywhere. It’s hard to say, ‘Hey, if we stop this guy we’ll win this game.'”

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Thursday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. You’ve just had a few extra days to prepare for the Saints. Does the Saints offense require extra days? Is it that complex? Are you glad you’ve had extra time for it? “Well, the Saints offense, as you all know, is operating at a high efficiency right now. They’ve got everything going for them…

January 10, 2012
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Vic Fangio on Aldon Smith: “It took him a while to totally integrate the power into his pass rush.”

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Wednesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Yesterday, head coach Jim Harbaugh made a pitch for QB Alex Smith for the Pro Bowl. If you were pick one of your guys that maybe isn’t on the top of the public consciousness, who would you pitch for the Pro Bowl? “All of them, almost all of them.” OK, which ones wouldn’t you…

December 21, 2011
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Fangio: “With Roethlisberger, you always have to defend two plays.”

SANTA CLARA — Here’s the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Friday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Coach, how do you prepare for the Steelers team when you don’t know if Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is going to play or not? “Well, mainly you just prepare for their offense. Their running game’s not going to change a bit, no matter which quarterback is playing, and I don’t think their passing game…

December 16, 2011
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Vic Fangio: “Our pass rush was not an issue in that game.”

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s Thursday afternoon press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. [LB] Patrick [Willis] was talking about the goal line stand that you guys had in Baltimore a week ago, how he was able to call out the drop there with QB Joe Flacco in, said that was something you showed them on film, even though Baltimore hadn’t run it all season….

December 1, 2011
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Week 12 grades

Here are my Week 12 grades for the 9-2 Niners. Alex Smith: D. His primary job on this team is to not turn the ball over, and he failed at that assignment tonight. With eighteen seconds left in the first half Smith was supposed to throw a pass to Braylon Edwards’ back shoulder in the end zone, but instead he threw the ball short and towards the middle of the…

November 24, 2011
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Greg Roman explains the difference between the Niners and the Ravens defenses

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Greg Roman’s Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Opening Statement: “Obviously playing a really tough team defensively. The front seven is extremely good, very well coached. You have [LB Terrell] Suggs on one side, [LB Jarret] Johnson on the other. Probably set the edge as good if not better than anybody in the NFL. You’ve got [DT Haloti] Ngata and the D-Linemen…

November 22, 2011
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Vic Fangio breaks down the Ravens offense and defense

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Vic Fangio’s Tuesday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. Vic, what was kind of your role in Baltimore, I know you were sort of a nebulous consultant? “The first few couple years I was there, I was special assistant to the head coach and basically did a lot of work with the coaches, both sides of the ball, and worked with the head…

November 22, 2011
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