Coach Jim Harbaugh was a pretty happy camper after the San Francisco 49ers’ solid offensive outing in last week’s Week 1 preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. With the focus of the media appearing to be more offensive-driven, Harbaugh addressed the quarterback and pass-catchers questions after practice on Tuesday.
Possibility of Keeping Four QBs For 2012 Season
“Anything is possible. We’ll do what’s best for our football team. What we feel like helps us be a better team and helps us win games. This is one of those things that was foreseen, that we have four very good quarterbacks.
“These are four quarterbacks that will all play a very long time in this league,” he added. ”Knew that it would be very competitive in the offseason and in training camp. It’s been of great value, in that we don’t take a bad rep in practice because of the quarterback not knowing what to do or not having the ability to make any of the particular throws, etcetera.
“It’s also played out as we had foreseen,” Harbaugh continued. ”This competition, it moves. It’s fluid. It goes up, it goes down, it goes sideways, and it’s still playing out.”
Photo Credit: 49ers.com
On Colin Kaepernick Emerging In The Three-Way QB Tie For No. 2 QB Spot
“I would say Colin has emerged there. It’s been very good. Nothing is set in stone in that regard, but there has been some emergence. Really, all that can be said about that has been said. The rest we watch play out.”
Order For Four Signal-Callers in Saturday’s Showdown Against Houston Texans
“It’ll be Alex [Smith], then Kap, then Josh Johnson and then Scott Tolzien.”
Whether TE Delanie Walker Will Be Available For Season Opener On Sept. 9
“I would think so. Yes, I think he would be. Don’t have a crystal ball though, on any of this. That’s why we’re always hesitant to talk about, he’ll be back a specific day or it’s a certain specific injury. We tend not to talk too much about those things.”
Last year, TE Konrad Reuland said that when he came in, he felt like he needed to gain strength and become a better blocker. What have you seen in that area from him this summer?
“It’s been real positive. Konrad is very much on track and doing an excellent job. Improving in all phases.”
He seems to have a knack for always coming up with the football no matter where the ball is thrown. Ugly throws over the middle, he always comes up with it. Is that something you saw from him at Stanford as well?
“Yes. He can make the big catch. He can make the tough catch, the challenge catch. Konrad is just one of those guys that will do anything in his power to help the team.”
Were you able to see QB Andrew Luck’s debut at all?
“Some of the highlights. Looked good.”
Thoughts On Eric Bakhtiari As A Player And Where He Fits Into This Team
“I think a lot of him as a football player, as a person, and a guy. Very talented, hard working guy, who you can count on. He’s a count-on-me guy. Great to see him get in the ball game and have some real success and open eyes. That’s an important thing now to come back and put an exclamation on that for Eric Bakhtiari, this week in practice and in games.
“Really happy for the way he’s playing and competing,” he added. ”Where he fits in, he’s got his competing like Brian Tyms, like those quarterbacks that you mentioned. They’re playing, they’re competing, they’re working and hopefully not worrying and things will take care of themselves.”
Photo Via San Francisco 49ers Official Facebook Page
On Whether Demarcus Dobbs’ Experience At TE Last Week Helped His Development
“I think it can help a player’s development, especially a young player’s development, in a lot of ways. In how much they can contribute to the football team, but also defensive end, tight end.
“You learn a lot about the defensive end because you know what the tight ends are doing,” Harbaugh added. ”You know more as a tight end because you know what the defensive ends are trying to get accomplished. So there’s a real carry over there. As it relates to special teams as well. There’s a lot of carry over to offense and defense, but directly one side of the ball offense to defense, tight end to defensive end, defensive end to tight end. Those two positions are playing across from each other quite a bit of the time.”
With Delanie Walker Injured, Do You Expect Dobbs To Play More On Both Sides of the Ball?
“Everybody wants a piece of Dobbs right now, on both sides of the ball and special teams. He is a popular guy with our coaching staff. It’s something that’s being, to the best of our ability, thought out and planned and utilized, that he’s not overused, overstrained and we don’t get diminishing returns. We want to hit on the rewards and high returns in that area.”
On Whether Alex Boone Is Seizing The Right Guard Position Right Now
“He’s doing it. There’s been no change there, and continues to get better.”
Quotes by Courtesy of the 49ers
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