technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. alias => "bayarea\/\/49ers\/new-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy"
  3. nid => "461086"
  4. title => "New 49ers D-line coach Kris Kocurek might be right amount of crazy "
  5. is_chrome_page => false
  6. article_body => "<p>During position drills at the beginning of each 49ers practice, defensive line coach Kris Kocurek\u2019s gravelly voice can be heard from across the practice field. His antics may be seen as crazy to some, but to many of the players, it\u2019s just the kind of crazy they need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At Arik Armstead\u2019s Charity Gala in Sacramento during the offseason, several defensive players spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area about Kocurek and what he brings to the defensive line room. DeForest Buckner explained that Kocurek\u2019s brand of crazy meshes perfectly with their group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all got to be crazy to play this game,\u201d Buckner said. \u201cI\u2019m just going to say that. We all got to have that little crazy in us. He\u2019s a perfect fit for our room.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s about consistency. He\u2019s the same guy every day. We all know he\u2019s passionate in everything he does. All he wants is to see is us succeed, so we respect it, we love it, we feed off of it when we go out there and practice. We want to be the best that we can be every day. That\u2019s what he expects from us, that\u2019s the standard and he\u2019s just an amazing coach.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Armstead is heading into his fifth NFL season and notes that Kocurek has brought a new energy into the room.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been great,\u201d Armstead said. \u201cHe\u2019s an amazing coach. He\u2019s really passionate about the game, he wants us to be successful. He does seem a little crazy, but in a good way. He\u2019s really motivating and pushing us to reach our full potential and be the best we can be. We\u2019re really excited to have him and have him leading us.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Fellow lineman Ronald Blair detailed that what Kocurek brings isn\u2019t just about football. He is helping the group in all aspects of their lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt really just changes the outlook for all of us as young guys,\u201d Blair said. \u201cHe\u2019s bringing something different. It\u2019s not just about football with him. It\u2019s about outside life, it\u2019s about dealing with your family, it\u2019s about everything that you put in, to just get to this point.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m just grateful to have him as a coach. He\u2019s already done numbers in just the month or two being here. I've got nothing but respect for him. I\u2019m looking forward to the future with him.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Defensive tackle Sheldon Day explained how Kocurek's intensity has changed the mood of the 49ers' defense line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s changed our room completely,\u201d Day said. \u201cHe\u2019s made us be more competitive with each other than we ever have been before. Every day is a competition, everyday we want to be our best, every day we\u2019ve got to be better than the day before.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\"He\u2019s making sure we stay on task, he\u2019s making sure that we detail our work. He\u2019s just bringing the best out of us. We\u2019re definitely grateful to have him in the room.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Richard Sherman might not be a defensive lineman, but he already has seen a change in the defensive line group since Kocurek arrived. Kocurek\u2019s yelling might seem brash to outsiders, but Sherman believes it\u2019s specific and purposeful.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI've never met a person great at anything who wasn\u2019t a little crazy,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cPeople look at the yelling and screaming as a negative thing. It\u2019s not like he\u2019s just yelling and screaming at guys, and that\u2019s the difference between him and a lot of coaches who kind of take that style.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s yelling techniques. He\u2019s yelling 'get off.' He\u2019s yelling run to the ball. He\u2019s not yelling M.F. and cursing at guys for making mistakes, he\u2019s just yelling effort. The effort he\u2019s giving, the guys are just trying to match. And that\u2019s something you can get behind and something you can go with.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s teaching incredible techniques and every one of the D-linemen is saying they are benefitting from it. So you can just appreciate the energy and the amount of time that he spends and amount of effort that he spends every day just to get his guys ready.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[<strong>RELATED: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/49ers\/49ers-impressed-different-solomon-thomas-year-after-tragedy\" target=\"_blank\">'Different Solomon' Thomas impressing 49ers teammates<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>The addition of edge rushers&nbsp;Dee Ford and Nick Bosa already has raised the&nbsp;expectations for the defense.&nbsp;Kocurek's ability to fit&nbsp;all of the moving pieces together will be tested once the season begins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n"
  7. author => "Jennifer Lee Chan"
  8. mps => {"author":"Jennifer Lee Chan","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
  9. published => "1563726480"
  10. created => "1563729949"
  11. changed => "1563732996"
  12. status => "1"
  13. hero_image_credit => "AP"
  14. tags => [{"tid":"1021","name":"San Francisco 49ers","url":"tags\/san-francisco-49ers"},{"tid":"13961","name":"Jennifer Lee Chan","url":"tags\/jennifer-lee-chan"},{"tid":"1881","name":"Ronald Blair","url":"tags\/ronald-blair"},{"tid":"3916","name":"Richard Sherman","url":"tags\/richard-sherman"},{"tid":"11476","name":"Sheldon Day","url":"tags\/sheldon-day"},{"tid":"1506","name":"Arik Armstead","url":"tags\/arik-armstead"},{"tid":"1196","name":"DeForest Buckner","url":"tags\/deforest-buckner"}]
  15. section => "49ers"
  16. team => "49ers"
  17. image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/bayarea\/2019\/07\/21\/web_49ers_talk_kris_kocurek_7-20.jpg","alt":"web_49ers_talk_kris_kocurek_7-20.jpg","title":"49ers excited to play for new defensive line coach Kris Kocurek"}
  18. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/video\/49ers-excited-play-new-defensive-line-coach-kris-kocurek"
  19. is_mediaid => true
  20. mediaid => "aRstdxP8ZXlF"
  21. video_autoplay => true
  22. video_automute => false
  23. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  24. player_id => "bayarea_article"
  25. chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
  26. sponsor => ""
  27. region => "bayarea"
  28. fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=304476467003440&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fbayarea%2F49ers%2Fnew-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy&display=popup"
  29. tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=New%2049ers%20D-line%20coach%20Kris%20Kocurek%20might%20be%20right%20amount%20of%20crazy%20&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fbayarea%2F49ers%2Fnew-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fbayarea%2F49ers%2Fnew-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy"
  30. mailto => "mailto:?subject=New%2049ers%20D-line%20coach%20Kris%20Kocurek%20might%20be%20right%20amount%20of%20crazy%20&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fbayarea%2F49ers%2Fnew-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy"
  31. tags_hide => []
  32. type => "article"
  33. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/bayarea\/49ers\/new-49ers-d-line-coach-kris-kocurek-might-be-right-amount-crazy.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/bayarea\/2019\/07\/21\/web_49ers_talk_kris_kocurek_7-20.jpg"]}
  34. orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2019\/07\/21\/web_49ers_talk_kris_kocurek_7-20.jpg","alt":"web_49ers_talk_kris_kocurek_7-20.jpg","title":"49ers excited to play for new defensive line coach Kris Kocurek"}
  35. article_type => "article"
49ers

49ers

During position drills at the beginning of each 49ers practice, defensive line coach Kris Kocurek’s gravelly voice can be heard from across the practice field. His antics may be seen as crazy to some, but to many of the players, it’s just the kind of crazy they need. 

At Arik Armstead’s Charity Gala in Sacramento during the offseason, several defensive players spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area about Kocurek and what he brings to the defensive line room. DeForest Buckner explained that Kocurek’s brand of crazy meshes perfectly with their group.

“We all got to be crazy to play this game,” Buckner said. “I’m just going to say that. We all got to have that little crazy in us. He’s a perfect fit for our room.

“It’s about consistency. He’s the same guy every day. We all know he’s passionate in everything he does. All he wants is to see is us succeed, so we respect it, we love it, we feed off of it when we go out there and practice. We want to be the best that we can be every day. That’s what he expects from us, that’s the standard and he’s just an amazing coach.”  

Armstead is heading into his fifth NFL season and notes that Kocurek has brought a new energy into the room. 

“It’s been great,” Armstead said. “He’s an amazing coach. He’s really passionate about the game, he wants us to be successful. He does seem a little crazy, but in a good way. He’s really motivating and pushing us to reach our full potential and be the best we can be. We’re really excited to have him and have him leading us.”  

 

Fellow lineman Ronald Blair detailed that what Kocurek brings isn’t just about football. He is helping the group in all aspects of their lives. 

“It really just changes the outlook for all of us as young guys,” Blair said. “He’s bringing something different. It’s not just about football with him. It’s about outside life, it’s about dealing with your family, it’s about everything that you put in, to just get to this point. 

“I’m just grateful to have him as a coach. He’s already done numbers in just the month or two being here. I've got nothing but respect for him. I’m looking forward to the future with him.”  

Defensive tackle Sheldon Day explained how Kocurek's intensity has changed the mood of the 49ers' defense line.

“He’s changed our room completely,” Day said. “He’s made us be more competitive with each other than we ever have been before. Every day is a competition, everyday we want to be our best, every day we’ve got to be better than the day before. 

"He’s making sure we stay on task, he’s making sure that we detail our work. He’s just bringing the best out of us. We’re definitely grateful to have him in the room.”  

Richard Sherman might not be a defensive lineman, but he already has seen a change in the defensive line group since Kocurek arrived. Kocurek’s yelling might seem brash to outsiders, but Sherman believes it’s specific and purposeful. 

“I've never met a person great at anything who wasn’t a little crazy,” Sherman said. “People look at the yelling and screaming as a negative thing. It’s not like he’s just yelling and screaming at guys, and that’s the difference between him and a lot of coaches who kind of take that style. 

“He’s yelling techniques. He’s yelling 'get off.' He’s yelling run to the ball. He’s not yelling M.F. and cursing at guys for making mistakes, he’s just yelling effort. The effort he’s giving, the guys are just trying to match. And that’s something you can get behind and something you can go with. 

“He’s teaching incredible techniques and every one of the D-linemen is saying they are benefitting from it. So you can just appreciate the energy and the amount of time that he spends and amount of effort that he spends every day just to get his guys ready.” 

[RELATED: 'Different Solomon' Thomas impressing 49ers teammates]

 

The addition of edge rushers Dee Ford and Nick Bosa already has raised the expectations for the defense. Kocurek's ability to fit all of the moving pieces together will be tested once the season begins.