Shanahan gets coaching help from afar
49ers’ Kyle Shanahan talks coaching over phone with his father Mike, who has plans to attend five or six games this season
Mike Shanahan sounded invigorated and exhausted as he came off the ninth green Tuesday with three of his young grandchildren at a pristine, Denver-area golf course.
This heartwarming image beat flying to California and watching the team he famously once coached, the Denver Broncos, face off against a 49ers team now coached by his son, Kyle.
Training camp is ending with Mike not once coming to check on Kyle, nor does he feel the need.
The Broncos and 49ers can practice together without Mike’s supervision Wednesday and Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s exhibition at Levi’s Stadium.
“I just know him, having been around him,” Mike said in an exclusive phone interview with this newspaper. “I’ve watched him coach. With how well he’s organized, and with his X’s and O’s, he’s on top of things.”
The 49ers went through a relatively uneventful practice Tuesday, a sort of calm before the storm that arrives in joint practices with the Broncos. Here are the top three things learned leading into them:
1. MIKE SHANAHAN’S PLANS >>
When Mike did visit Santa Clara this offseason, it was more to see how “enlightening” the 49ers complex has evolved since he left as their Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator in 1995. When he first did stop by practice in late May, it was from afar, to study the game, not a son who long ago earned his respect.
“I haven’t been to a lot of his games over the years because I know as a coach the workload he has,” Mike said.
Kyle indeed has been busy in his
first camp as 49ers coach, but he has kept in contact with his dad via phone, as was the case after Friday’s exhibition-opening win at Kansas City.
“I asked him what he thought of that and stuff. He told me all the things I did wrong,” Kyle said with a smile. “I try to learn from him and argue with him a little bit on it.
“But, I always talk to him about stuff to get feedback. He’s been a huge asset to me my whole life in that aspect.”
The Shanahans worked together in Washington from 2010-13, with Kyle serving as his dad’s offensive coordinator. Tackling the nuances of a headcoach role is new to Kyle, and he kicked himself for failing to call a timeout just before halftime Friday after a long, third-down conversion into Chiefs territory. An illegal formation penalty followed and the 49ers ended up having a 51-yard field-goal attempt blocked.
“I knew I was going to get a text (from his dad) about that very fast,” Kyle said.
Mike, 65, plans on attending five to six games this season, including the Sept. 10 opener against Carolina at Levi’s Stadium.
“I’m enjoying the grandkids, having fun, and still being involved in football through Kyle because it’s still enjoyable and a passion,” Mike said. “I’m pulling for them as much as I’ve pulled for any team.”
Kyle said he hasn’t felt sentimental or nostalgic about preparing to face the Broncos. He interviewed with them before they hired Vance Joseph and he had a “gut feeling” he wouldn’t be their coach. 2. REUBEN FOSTER NAMED
STARTER >> Kyle Shanahan confirmed Foster is his starting weak-side linebacker, which is where the rookie lined up in Friday’s opener. Nothing is set in stone but this acknowledges that the first-round draft pick essentially has beaten out veteran RayRay Armstrong for a role vacated when Malcolm Smith suffered a pectoral tear Aug. 5.
“He started last game and these practices he’s been getting most of these reps, which I believe he needs,” Shanahan said. “But by no means, no one is just (assured). He can get beat out at any time.
“We’ve got some good players behind him, too, and if they start performing at a higher level than him, then it wouldn’t be the case.”
Foster has battled a left ankle injury over the past week, and he appeared to hurt his right foot Tuesday before resuming practice. 3. SUBTLE HISTORY IS MADE
>> Shanahan confirmed that Katie Sowers is being retained on his staff after her summer internship, making her the NFL’s second-ever, full-time female assistant.
“She’s a hard worker, and you don’t even notice her because she just goes to work and does what’s asked,” the coach said. “Because of that she’s someone we’d like to keep around.
“So we’re still figuring out exactly titles and stuff and what that aspect is. But she’s done a good job for us two years in a row in camp and we’d like her to help out throughout the year.”
Sowers, 31, broke into the NFL last season as an intern with the Atlanta Falcons, whose offensive coordinator was Shanahan. She reunited with him and many staff members this summer on the 49ers while serving as an assistant to wide receivers coach Mike LaFleur.
Her Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Fellowship ended with Friday’s exhibition opener in her native Kansas City.
• Defensive end Aaron Lynch (right ankle) did not practice, and he will need to return in the next two days if he’s to play in Saturday night’s exhibition, Shanahan said.
• Free safety Jimmie Ward (hamstring) remains on the physically-unableto-perform list despite faring well in conditioning tests the past two days.
“It’s looking positive,” Shanahan said.
• Wide receiver Louis Murphy made back-to-back catches in a hurry-up drill, his most significant action since getting signed last week.
• Vinnie Sunseri, who has rotated at free safety with Lorenzo Jerome, had an interception.
• The 49ers and Broncos will have a full-contact practice Wednesday and only don shoulder pads Thursday.