Kyle Shanahan explains how San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has improved.
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00:00 >> I'm just recently that Christian McCaffrey is the best player without the ball
00:02 in his hands that you've ever coached.
00:04 How would you assess Debo Samuel in that department?
00:06 >> I think he's getting there.
00:07 I'm not giving him the best ever.
00:09 But Debo is such a big fact.
00:12 First of all, to be that good without the ball,
00:14 everyone's gotta be concerned with you.
00:16 So people are concerned with Debo all the time.
00:19 That's why we're constantly stressing on the importance of
00:21 doing stuff on the backside, cuz people will watch him hard.
00:25 I think Debo has struggled with it when he's been banged up.
00:27 Anytime you can't practice and stuff, it's hard to do that, play in and play out.
00:31 That's what I love, when you can string together some weeks, stay healthy,
00:33 be able to continue practicing, which he's done here for about a month.
00:36 And now he's a big effect without the ball.
00:38 >> You said one of the favorite passes you saw out of Brock was the check down to
00:44 Debo, but he also had a pass where he rolled to the left and
00:48 shot it over to Aiyuk down the side.
00:50 What makes him so proficient and able to move to his left and make that throw?
00:55 >> I think he knows where he's going with the ball.
00:58 And then sometimes when color flashes and you don't have time to wait for
01:02 that to show, you gotta take your eyes off the look and find a way to buy time.
01:06 And once he does buy time, he already saw where to go.
01:09 So then he goes to a spot and now the timing's a little bit off, so
01:12 he did a great job of fading him away.
01:14 Cuz you wanna catch it about 20 yards and Brock was late to it cuz he had to be, but
01:18 it was the right spot to go and then he had to fade him to turn it in about 30
01:22 yards or something, and that was so huge by Chris Conley.
01:25 Just continuing to run down the field, it was a three level throw where they're
01:28 separate from each other.
01:30 But because Brock broke, Aiyuk had to go deeper and Conley was still so deep, so
01:34 we still got those three levels and worked out good.
01:36 >> He mentioned the one throw he made, I think it was to Debo,
01:39 where he noticed that the safety was flat footed.
01:42 Like how next level is that?
01:44 At what point in a quarterback's NFL development is he not just looking at
01:50 a blurry picture and he can actually see a guy's feet?
01:54 >> I mean, I think that's stuff that he does very now.
01:56 I think that's the talent in Brock that you can't always judge.
01:58 I think vision and stuff is very important and
02:01 doesn't just go into like is he 20/20?
02:03 There's different types of vision of looking outside wide, coming in,
02:06 like just the words I never know.
02:08 But it's a big deal how your eyes see things and I think Brock recognizes stuff
02:13 and the speed of things and levels and he knows the whole and the people,
02:18 the defenders and what they should defend, but it's always there's a progression.
02:22 It's like, yeah, this play is gonna go to here, but that guy might not do his job.
02:26 And so you gotta feel that, make sure if he does his job, we're going to number two.
02:31 That's what he usually does and Brock went to number one,
02:34 which hadn't been there on tape, but he wasn't backing up and
02:36 we had a fast guy in the slot and you better back up.
02:40 And he hesitated a little bit and Brock saw that and so he doesn't memorize and
02:44 guess, he kind of sees it and reacts and that's the coolest thing about him.
02:47 >> You're talking about the defensive guy, you draw it up and
02:51 hey, if the defense has played soundly, this is what this guy should do.
02:55 But there are times where it makes it more difficult on the offense because
02:59 the defense isn't doing- >> That's how everything,
03:01 there's always progression.
03:02 But you might call a play where this guy's number one in the progression, but
03:06 the coverage that they play, he's never open.
03:10 So you should see he's covered and then that means number two is open.
03:13 But if you get that coverage and you just go right to number two and
03:17 he's covered, you can't go back to number one.
03:19 So you gotta verify things and so you find, I mean, if I got in there and
03:23 played quarterback, I wouldn't know anything that's going on and
03:25 memorize coverages and I would try to program before and be like, all right,
03:28 I think it's this, let me go to number three.
03:30 And then you get fooled and once you try to come back to number one,
03:33 you're throwing picks or getting sacked.
03:34 So it's knowing what's going on but also still playing the game and
03:38 trying not to get overwhelmed with coach talk or film and all that.
03:43 You gotta be in a pocket and read things and react and
03:45 that's why it's really tough to play the position.
03:47 >> You said on the radio yesterday that you talked to Nick Mullins and
03:51 Mullins told him that his arm might not be fully normal again until halfway
03:55 through the season and Brock said that that indeed happened.
03:59 Can you see that on film with his throwing?
04:03 >> Yeah, I think just like, it's not that you can see it on film.
04:07 It's not like, wow, it's got a lot more zip, he's throwing a lot farther.
04:10 I think it's about being in shape and
04:13 when receivers go like a month without catching a football, they come back and
04:17 they drop balls.
04:18 And it's not because their hands aren't in shape, it's because their eyes aren't.
04:21 They're not used to running full speed and tracking things that fast.
04:24 And so they just don't see it as well.
04:26 If a quarterback's not throwing in the offseason, he can still,
04:29 they're born to throw and he throws it right.
04:31 And once he was cleared, he was throwing it normal.
04:34 But it's not in true shape.
04:36 He's not just doing it day in and day out and putting all those reps in.
04:38 That's why sometimes guys get hurt and they can't throw for a few weeks and
04:44 they come back.
04:44 They still have their arm strength, but it's just not consistent.
04:46 And I think Brock, his consistency is there.
04:49 I think trying to get his arm back in shape and building up and
04:53 ramping all that up with just the number of throws and stuff.
04:56 Eventually catches up to you and
04:58 I think that's why that week off he just didn't do anything.
05:01 I remember him coming back after the week off and he was rusty that Monday.
05:04 Just didn't throw it that great.
05:06 But by the end of that Thursday,
05:07 I thought he was throwing it better than he had all year.
05:09 Which means it's just part of getting in shape.
05:12 We know how we can throw.
05:14 But when you take a whole offseason off, the conditioning is not quite there.
05:17 Doesn't mean his arm's not, but
05:18 just the consistency over all the throws has changed and I think it's back.
05:22 >> Kyle, what ways do the Cardinals look different than when you saw them earlier
05:26 in the season?
05:28 >> They're doing the exact same stuff.
05:30 They're just better at everything.
05:31 I got a lot of respect of how they've done this year.
05:33 I thought they were real tough at the beginning of the year.
05:35 I thought we had to play flawless on offense to beat them.
05:38 And but that was a real tight game.
05:40 And since then, they have how many ever games it is, nine more games of reps.
05:46 They're playing very hard.
05:47 They're playing together.
05:49 They've added some really good players, especially Buda, who they didn't have.
05:52 I think they've always been real talented on special teams.
05:55 They've also gotten a very great, talented quarterback back.
05:58 So, and they remind me of a lot of us our first year,
06:02 where we started out 0 and 9 and finished 6 and 10.
06:04 I think everything they're doing is the right way.
06:06 And I think they're a real tough football team.
06:08 >> Do you use a lot of the same defensive principles you did to keep Jalen Hurts in
06:11 the pocket for Tyler Murray, or are they different?
06:14 >> They're different.
06:15 I mean, he's still a huge threat to run every time.
06:17 But there's a little different style in how they play and stuff.
06:19 So, but he is a problem.
06:23 Anyway, we all know how fast and quick he is.
06:25 And if you give him, no matter what you do in coverage,
06:27 if you give him those open gaps, he's gonna get 15 faster than anybody.
06:31 >> Brock is very much in the MVP conversation.
06:34 But when you have someone like Christian on the team,
06:36 how hard is it to decipher that?
06:38 What are your thoughts on that?
06:39 >> That's, I mean, trying to get me in trouble with those two guys?
06:42 >> [LAUGH] >> That's the only reason I wouldn't
06:44 overly comment on either one of them, cuz I don't want them to cancel each other out.
06:48 But if any non-quarterback's gonna get a MVP, I don't get how Christian McCaffrey
06:54 can't, I mean, he's amazing in what he's done all year.
06:57 If it's going to a quarterback, then I don't have to talk about Christian.
07:01 I can talk about our quarterback.
07:02 And I'm still, if his numbers is all you see, then I think that solves it up.
07:08 But if you watch the film, then it makes it even stronger,
07:12 which to me is the most important thing.
07:13 >> Kyle, if you, on more than one occasion, we've seen Brock drop back and
07:17 kinda use lefty footwork, kinda drop and then flip the hips and
07:22 back to his throwing side.
07:24 Is that, I would imagine that's by design?
07:26 What's the coaching point on the lefty drop for the righty quarterback?
07:30 >> Just parts of their action, guards are pulling where backs are going.
07:34 It's, you gotta be able to move both ways.
07:38 And I'd rather move to the left and throw left handed, but
07:41 he can't do that yet, so he's gotta turn around.
07:44 But you try to balance everything out, so
07:46 you just don't wanna be one dimensional.
07:48 So, it's probably easier to go the right, but
07:50 once you get used to doing it both ways, it ends up being the same.
07:54 >> Kyle, what are your coaching points for your wide receivers when they line up?
07:58 See what happened to the KC Buffalo game.
08:00 How do you coach them on that?
08:01 What's your expectation for them and the refs?
08:04 And did you learn something from that play?
08:06 >> That's just how football always is.
08:08 As soon as it's broke, the wide outs gotta sprint and
08:11 get lined up as fast as they can.
08:12 Sometimes the receiver doesn't have the ball set, so they, guess where it is?
08:16 They put their foot there, they check with the ref, and
08:18 then they move on with their life.
08:20 Then there's a motion, something like that, but that's why you gotta get up there,
08:23 get set, look to the ref.
08:25 Usually he gives you a thumbs up or something, and then you go on.
08:28 >> Kyle, your 2016 offense on paper seems like it might be your best.
08:33 You've got five top fives.
08:35 How does this one compare to that and the best offenses you've had?
08:39 >> I'm not sure at all with the numbers.
08:43 I would assume they're close.
08:44 And we're still not done with this year yet, so I don't know.
08:49 But it's got a chance to be like that.
08:53 >> Regarding that, I know this is not a perfect comparison,
08:56 because Matt Ryan was where he was in his career and other differences.
09:00 But the fact that Brock is in his second season with you and
09:04 Matt was in his second season with you, are there similarities in now what they
09:08 can do with their understanding of the offense, what they can see within
09:12 the offense now that they have more reps?
09:16 >> I mean, yeah, everybody gets better with reps.
09:19 Matt was a lot more comfortable the second year, definitely, than the first year.
09:23 I think one thing that was harder for Matt is that, I think I got there his eighth
09:27 year, and he had played for six different coordinators.
09:30 So there's a lot more football in his head.
09:33 So you go through stuff, and Brock was a pretty clean slate.
09:38 So Brock was always just doing the offense and learning and
09:42 reacting and playing like he's always played.
09:44 It's different when you do a lot more schemes before you get with someone.
09:49 >> Kyle, your first match up with Arizona, they played tempo and
09:52 a non two minute drill against your defense, and it seemed to have some effect.
09:56 Do you guys practice up tempo?
09:58 Have you considered changing the tempo and with all the weapons you have,
10:02 maybe trying to play fast in the middle of the game as opposed to just
10:04 a two minute drill?
10:06 >> Yeah, we used to do that all the time.
10:08 2016, we did that probably as much as anyone.
10:11 We do it sometimes, we think it's effective.
10:16 We don't feel like we like what we're doing right now, but
10:20 doesn't mean that we wanna do it.
10:21 I think we have done it a couple times this year,
10:23 it just hasn't been that obvious cuz we don't stay in it too long.
10:25 But we have a whole turbo package that we can go to at any time.
10:29 It's just a couple words and
10:30 we're capable of running our offense on the line scrimmage anytime too.
10:33 So I feel like we haven't done it in a month, but
10:37 we've always mixed it randomly in the games.
10:38 Just not enough for you guys to notice.
10:40 >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:41 >> Yeah, two more.
10:42 >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:43 >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:45 >> Please.
10:46 >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:47 >> There's only one more.
10:48 >> One more arm question.
10:51 >> He probably missed a couple of deep throws in week two in LA.
10:55 Do you think that that is kind of related to what you were describing as
11:00 maybe throws that he wouldn't miss now?
11:06 >> I don't, but could be.
11:08 They weren't easy throws.
11:10 I remember the one in LA, he had to go all the way across the board to Devo and
11:14 just missed him on a post.
11:16 But no, I don't think that had to do with arm fatigue.
11:19 I just, those are the few he hasn't hit.
11:21 >> All right, two quick minutia questions that may be lame, but.
11:27 >> Probably.
11:27 >> When you guys audible and guys touch their helmet,
11:31 why is that the thing, to touch their helmet?
11:36 And then the motion.
11:38 >> That's pretty lame.
11:39 >> [LAUGH]
11:42 >> This could be worse.
11:43 >> [LAUGH]
11:44 >> The motion where Optima Caffier or
11:47 Devo will loop back around the quarterback.
11:50 They'll go in motion but then loop back around.
11:52 That seems newish or not.
11:54 And what's the idea behind that?
11:57 >> No, we started, I think the first time we did it was 2019.
12:01 Yeah, the idea is just, is it slot, is it trips, is it pro, is it two back,
12:05 is he going back into two back, is he going across?
12:08 It's some people have calls out of two by two,
12:11 then the defense changes to three by one.
12:13 Then it's empty, then it's back to,
12:15 and it just makes it hard on the defense and you just try to balance everything out.
12:19 And we just let everyone know we're on the same page changing our play.
12:23 We used to go like this and it was a little too drastic, so
12:25 we just made it simpler in this.
12:26 And I think some people do this, it's just whatever you decide.
12:30 All right, the injuries for today, Eric Armstead, foot and knee won't practice.
12:34 Dwelly, ankle won't practice.
12:36 Hargrave, hamstring won't practice.
12:38 Traverius Ward, groin won't practice.
12:41 Burke's knee won't practice.
12:42 Greenlaw, hip and ankle won't practice.
12:44 Burford, knee won't practice.
12:47 Elijah Mitchell, knee will be limited.
12:49 And Luters, full and back.
12:52 Go ahead.
12:53 >> How difficult does it make it to practice when you have seven guys out?
12:59 >> Not as bad at this time of year, just because we're going half speed anyways on
13:02 Wednesdays regardless.
13:04 If this was early in the year, we'd probably have to go half speed just by default.
13:08 >> And it obviously helps with the couple years ago adding the 16.
13:13 >> It's everything.
13:13 Yeah, that's helped in so many ways.
13:16 So it's been crucial.
13:16 >> Kyle, you obviously don't want Lenore to get kicked out of games,
13:23 but he is notably feistier, I guess, this season, in a good way.
13:30 Does that come with confidence, just growing up in this league?
13:34 Or what are your impressions of him?
13:37 >> I think, I mean, just knowing Dimo's history, I think he's always, I mean,
13:41 just how he was in college and what we had on him coming out.
13:44 He's always been a pretty feisty guy.
13:45 But I think the more in this league you learn to play with an edge,
13:49 whatever that edge is, you need something.
13:51 And he's found that.
13:52 A lot of guys do it that way, some guys do it separate ways.
13:55 But you gotta have an edge in this league to kinda get you over the top.
13:58 And Dimo's found a good way of doing that cuz he's playing at a higher level each and
14:02 every year.
14:02 But that's a line you can't cross.
14:04 I mean, that's something our team takes a lot of pride in.
14:08 Our team, we feel we are as physical as you can be, but
14:11 we don't think that's something we ever do.
14:13 So that was disappointing with him.
14:15 He knew it, our team knows it, but that's never the goal.
14:19 If you get a penalty, you're wrong.
14:21 If you get ejected, you're twice as wrong.
14:23 >> How did he reach out to you?
14:25 >> What's that?
14:25 >> When he apologized, how did he reach out to you?
14:27 >> They all do, text.
14:29 Yeah.
14:30 >> You didn't get them on FaceTime after you got the text?
14:34 >> No, that's usually what I do to them, and sometimes they don't answer.
14:38 But they'll call back and just be like, I have a bad service, or text back.
14:42 I do it to my kids sometimes, and they're like, what the hell is this?
14:45 We don't look at each other, we text.
14:47 (laughter)