San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen spoke to reporters on Thursday as the team prepares for its Week 1 matchup against the New York Jets. Here's everything he shared.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
What kind of boost is having S Talanoa Hufanga available to start the season for your defense?
"He's working his way back. It's just great to see him out there, to get pads on and have a helmet on and go through individual. Really excited for him. He's really worked his butt off. Hearing how he's gone through this process, I'm not surprised just because of who he is. I think everybody involved with it, but him primarily, the way that he worked to get back to this, it's exciting and really happy for him."
He seems like a really positive guy in the locker room and on the field.
"Yeah, he is."
Do you feel that energy from him already?
"Really always. He's always positive. He's a good dude, but he's also very smart, cerebral, always wanting to talk ball. And the way that he plays, he's a violent player too and he cuts it loose. But as a person, yes, very positive. You can see that he had these goals in mind in talking to him over the last few months. So that's why I feel like I'm not surprised just because of who he is. And when you set goals and you hit those checkmarks along the way, then it can happen."
S George Odum is an accomplished special teamer. How is he looking from scrimmage and coverage to you this summer?
"Like I've said, he's always improved. He's continued to improve. It stinks that we couldn't get him some more reps in that last game, we wanted to. But he's done a great job so far. We've liked what he's done. He's just grown more comfortable in how we play our defense, in his coverage, how he communicates and how he executes."
How would you describe DL Nick Bosa's training camp? He obviously was late last year, and he said that was part of the reason he sort of started sluggishly. How much different does this feel and how much do you sort of need him to get back to that super high level?
"I feel like it's been a great camp. I think he knew from the start, even talking to him when I called him in the offseason, I think that was always kind of his plan. And like you said, he's mentioned it in the past missing some time last year and going through it. He felt certain parts of his game, well now it feels like it's sped up and he's been real deliberate in how he's attacked it. It was cool to have him for a bit of the time in the offseason too. I think all that stuff together, I don't think it's ever one thing, but the fact you get better by practicing and playing football and doing football things. And he's done more of it early. So I think, I expect that he'll have a good year and I think he's in really good shape too. He's in a good mindset and state of mind as far as how he's attacking it and his attitude."
His impact would, obviously, always be significant, but is it magnified at all with Hufanga trying to work his way back, LB Dre Greenlaw out? There's some key players who aren't at full-strength.
"I think he's a key player regardless. He's got to play a lot. He's expected to be successful, and he expects it of himself. So I don't think it, there's no added anything. We expect that from all our players, and they expect it of themselves. Nick is no different. He's a great player and we expect him to play great."
How much do you take into account facing New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers Week One in who you have on the outside in nickel situations? It looks like it could either be the veteran, CB Isaac Yiadom, or it could be the rookie CB Renardo Green. How do you kind of go through that in your mind as far as putting a guy out there that's going to be facing such a prolific veteran?
"I think really, I like all the guys. I think it's more about, [CB Isaac Yiadom] Ike has missed some time and how fast he gets back to where he was. Because he was having a really good camp, and we liked what he did in the offseason. And Renardo just keeps progressing in both spots. I don't think it's so much about it being a really good quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, because he is, I think it's more about focusing on us having our best players who are in the best situation to help us win the game."
Has there been a point with Renardo where you said, "Okay, no more cross training, you're here and let's concentrate on being the best you can be here?"
"No, I had mentioned it a couple weeks ago, we kind of did it in blocks and in phases, about wanting to do both, focus more on nickel, do some corner. So you can kind of compartmentalize it. But he still needs to have the ability to do both. So now we're, keeping nickel alive along with keeping corner alive. It's just kind of being able to do both."
How much of three years with DB Deommodore Lenoir, and obviously he's gotten training at both, how much have you been able to take with that experience to apply it to how you've taught Renardo and those kind of things?
"I think they're all different. You still teach the same. Guys sometimes gravitate towards different types of learning tools, so you kind of use them all. And as you get to know the guys, you find out what works best for them. But guys learn at different levels too. And really the best learning is actually getting the reps. So we want to make sure that you're balancing how many reps you're getting, you're always keeping track, really with all our players, where they're getting reps, who they're getting them with, at what positions. And what reps are we giving them? Zone, man, these types of different calls. So you want them to get a little bit of everything and then if you see something that needs some extra work, you try and script it that way or you rep it in pre-practice or you get it in individuals."
Obviously, Renardo is a lot earlier in this part of his career than Deommodore, but how unusual is it to have two people who can play both positions and what kind of advantage does that give you?
"I think you have to be, you have to have guys that can play multiple spots, I think, in a lot of positions. Especially when you only have a certain amount of guys that can be up. Just like a safety can't be pigeonholed in just a strong or free safety. They've got to have some versatility also. I think that that can happen in a lot of rooms, not just in the DB room. But having those guys, it's a good thing. That's why we started Renardo out, training him early, so that he was prepared for it."
What impressed you guys about DL Sam Okuayinonu this summer?
"He flashed for us. He came to us late, and just the way that he explodes. He's still young in our system, so we just saw some flashes and then it started to apply. It stinks he had the setback with the hamstring, so we wanted to see some more game situations with him and more practices because I think you need that just to gain more information and just for him to get better. But just like seeing upside with him and what's in him, we think that he can be a good player."
Can you describe the emotions you were feeling when you saw DL Yetur Gross-Matos and DL Leonard Floyd go down with the injuries several plays apart?
"It wasn't a good feeling. It definitely stinks. It stinks for anyone in the preseason, but you're also, it's hard because you want to get reps for guys. We spend a lot of time talking about it with [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] and really with all our staff, because you need to get ready to play Week One and then you also want to be smart about it, but you can't control everything. So it was just one of those, it stunk at the time and you were just hoping that those guys were healthy. And that goes for anyone that gets hurt at any time and especially in the preseason for guys before they can even get to the season. So far we've had good news about all that, so that was a relief. But yeah, at the time, it was not a great feeling."
Who is going to decide on gameday what games you guys play up front? Is that you or is that defensive line coach Kris Kocurek?
"What do you mean?"
When you guys are stunting and twisting and doing different things up front with your front.
"Oh yeah, we talk about that as a staff. Kris has thoughts and then you just kind of look at it through run game, pass rushes and third downs, all that. We're always connecting, talking, whether it's in our staff meetings or I like to do one-on-ones with guys too when stuff comes up. Whether it's with [defensive backs coach] Daniel Bullocks in the back end or [linebackers coach] Johnny Holland with the linebackers. And then also as a group too. It's really kind of discussed with all of us, because we want to make sure we're on the same page. And then as far as his specific rush games in certain down and distances, Kris really attacks that in how he studies the tape. It's been good so far and we always try to communicate so we're on the same page with it."
DL Maliek Collins had a play where he took on a double team and got to the running back in the last preseason game.
"The first play, yeah."
Is that what you expected from him or is he just thriving more in the system?
"Yeah, we liked him. That's why we targeted and we got him here. We're excited to have him and really like that whole group of guys that we had and that we brought in. That was a cool play. You don't see that very often to kind of hip toss two guys and then make the play for one or two yards, whatever it was on that first play. So he's been great. Like I said, he's explosive. He can move and he's got wiggle to him and how he rushes the passer. So does [DL Javon Hargrave] Grave and [DL] Kevin [Givens], even [DL] Jordan [Elliott] has that same inside versatility with his body, which even though he is a bigger guy. But Maliek has done a lot of that. And to see him be able to take on a double team like that was awesome."
