Unlike quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who went through a brutal crash course trying to pick up the San Francisco 49ers playbook last season, new running back Jerick McKinnon will have an entire offseason to become familiar with head coach Kyle Shanahan's scheme and get comfortable with it.
"The terminology is different, but I feel like concepts around the league are kind of the similar," McKinnon said during an interview on KNBR on Thursday. "I don't think it will be any trouble picking up on the offense. For me, it will probably just be converting the terminology and just getting to the point where I'm comfortable with that."
One teammate who can help him get up to speed is running back Matt Breida, who was signed as an undrafted free agent last year and is preparing to enter his second NFL season. McKinnon already knows Breida. The two were teammates for a year at Georgia Southern when McKinnon was a senior and Breida was a freshman.
What is it like reuniting with his college teammate?
"It makes it that much better," McKinnon said. "I'm just excited to see how far he's came along since leaving in college, hopefully mentoring him, and give him my advice with this being my fifth year in the league, being that old vet, that veteran voice in his ear, help him come along."
McKinnon can't wait to get into the running backs room with his new 49ers teammates and get to work. He and Breida have already been in contact with each other. The two spoke on Wednesday after McKinnon signed his four-year deal with the 49ers and texted each other on Thursday.
"Like I said before, just get to working with the rest of the running backs group, because that's who I'm going to ultimately be meeting with the most, and doing individual drills," McKinnon told reporters during a press conference earlier on Thursday. "I'm ready to work with him, Kyle (Juszczyk), the whole squad. I'm ready and I know he's pumped. He texted me today and congratulated me and stuff like that. I'm ready."
You can listen to the entire interview with McKinnon below.
