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2016

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49ers begin year with high hopes in Chip Kelly era

BY EDDIE RUIZ

Turlock Journal

There is no doubt that the San Francisco 49ers are heading into the 2016 season with more questions than answers.

It has been years since the 49ers were projected to be one of the worst teams in the National Football League before the start of the regular season, but that is the situation the team currently finds themselves in.

After finishing 2-14 in 2004, San Francisco experienced a resurrection thanks to Jim Harbaugh, Alex Smith and eventually Colin Kaepernick.

This improved 49ers team made it to the Super Bowl, but from then on it has basically been a downward spiral for the organization.

But even though things look bleak for the 49ers, there is a new era with a coach who has had flashes of success — Chip Kelly.

With a much more qualified resume than his predecessor Jim Tomsula, Kelly has brought in his up-tempo offense that is based much more on passing than what Harbaugh had implemented.

“It’s awesome to see the high-tempo offense and see what we could do and wear out the opposing defenses, of course we want to see Colin but Blaine is also good,” said 49er tight end Vance McDonald in a press conference.

The team also looks drastically SEE 49ERS, PAGE 2

Last Season by the Numbers Record: 5-11 NFC West: 4th Total Passing: 3,646 Total Rushing: 1,544 Total Passing Allowed: 4,375 Total Rushing Allowed: 2,020 Team Leaders: Blaine Gabbert (Passing) Carlos Hyde (Rushing) Anquan Boldin* (Receiving) NaVorro Bowman (Tackles) and Kenneth Acker and Tramaine Brock (Interceptions) EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

*No longer on team

The 49ers defensive backs chat between drills about what needs to be worked on during training camp.

Raiders look deep and poised; Oakland ready to make a statement that they are here to stay Oakland heading into 2016 with one talented squad

BY EDDIE RUIZ

Turlock Journal

No other team in the National Football league seems to have had a better offseason and progressive year in 2015 than the Oakland Raiders.

Last year's Super Bowl champs, the Denver Broncos, are part of the AFC West division along with the Raiders who should surely make a postseason run and in preseason are already expected to be one of the most dynamic and competitive teams in the league.

They picked up last year's interceptions leader Reggie Nelson and a stud cornerback in Sean Smith from their division opponent—the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that many insiders have finishing first in the AFC West this upcoming year.

The Raiders looks more poised

and ready for the season ahead.

“We look ready to compete and hopefully this year is better than last,” said Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio in a press conference during training camp.

Although J.J. Watt was the NFL sack leader last season with 17.5, Khalil Mack was just 1.5 sacks behind, and he wasn't the one who just went through back surgery, a delicate procedure with an unknown timetable to return.

So you take Watt out of the equation and the Raiders have now arguably the best pass rusher and sack master. Yes that is right, he is better than Von Miller.

Even if you don't agree, his play speaks for itself, Miller is never able to take on three linemen at once— SEE RAIDERS, PAGE A3

Last Season by the Numbers Record: 7-9 AFC West: 3rd Total Passing: 4,129 Total Rushing: 1,457 Total Passing Allowed: 4,351 Total Rushing Allowed: 1,678 Team Leaders: Derek Carr (Passing) Latavius Murray (Rushing) Amari Cooper (Receiving) Malcolm Smith (Tackles) and Charles Woodson* (Interceptions) *No longer on the team

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

Raider's starting quarterback Derek Carr and starting fullback Marcel Reese share a handshake after making a big play during offensive drills in training camp.

2016 NFL Preview

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Q & A with Colin Kaepernick

FRANKIE TOVAR/The Journal

Turlock Journal and Studio 209 reporter Eddie Ruiz interviews Colin Kaepernick during the 49ers Training Camp. Watch the whole interview at turlockjournal.com/multimedia or YouTube.com/turlockjournal.

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

The Chip Kelly era has begun for the 49ers in their new season and after their first preseason game, it looks as if the offense is in a high tempo pace, something new to the 49ers.

Turlock Journal and Studio 209 reporter Eddie Ruiz visited with Turlock hometown favorite and Pitman High alum Colin Kaepernick after he and fellow Niners quarterback Blaine Gabbert participated in 7-on-7 drills at the training facility in Santa Clara earlier this month.

Kaepernick is competing with Gabbert for San Francisco's starting quarterback role. Kaepernick lost the starting job midway through last season. He missed the offseason program after undergoing operations on his non-throwing shoulder, left knee and right thumb.

Q. How are you feeling after surgery?

A. Feeling great; everything is strong, healthy, ready to go. It feels great to be back on the field again playing football. I get to feel like an athlete out there again.

Q. What has the competition been like for you coming back after the surgery?

A. It's always a competition when you step on the field. It doesn't matter if they say there is one or not. My mind said every time I step on the field, I'm there to compete, I'm there to win. This year's no different.

Q. What is Chip Kelly bringing to the table?

A. A lot of energy. He is a very high-energy guy, very positive, very focused on what we need to get done, how we need to do it and pays great attention to details, which in turn the team does. I think that's important and I think it shows on the field thus far and it will continue to show.

Q. Pitman lost back-to-back games to Turlock for the first time ever. Do you having any tips for the Pride coming into this season?

A. Preparation. Preparation is the key to winning. You have to make sure you're prepared when you step onto that field it should be like practice. You should practice at a level that when you come onto the field to play a game it's easy for you.

NaVorro Bowman of the 49ers was the leading tackler on the National Football League just a year ago with 154 tackles after missing the prior year with a knee injury.

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

49ERS

FROM PAGE 1 different than it did just a season or two ago with a lot more youth loaded onto the roster. In fact, there are only seven players that are 30 or older. Everyone else is 29 or younger.

Don't expect the 49ers to provide a crazy spark on offense because there is no question they will have to rely on the entire defense to hopefully keep them in games, as was the case last season with the worst overall offense.

NaVorro Bowman is back at the inside linebacker position and was without question the comeback player of the year after recovering from a knee surgery. A year after recovering, Bowman went on to lead the NFL in tackles with 154, four ahead of the second most.

He started all 16 games and looked to be almost as good as he once was before his grueling knee injury he sustained in Seattle during a playoff game.

“I think we are ready on defense and I am just excited to be a 49er for life,” said Bowman after signing a four-year contract extension in the offseason.

So look for the defense to be the staple of the team if they hope to achieve any success.

The front seven will be the anchor of the team backed

by Bowman's ability to captain from the middle linebacker spot. Tank Carradine has been showing big signs of improvement and Glenn Dorsey, Quinton Dial and Tony Jerod-Eddie are all back.

Not to mention the rookie defensive linemen in Ronald

Blair and 6-foot-7 and first round pick DeForest Buckner seems to be a high quality talent and will be joining his collegiate teammate in last year’s first round pick, Arik Armstead, who is also a whopping 6-foot-7.

Safeties Eric Reid and Antoine Bethea are the veterans in the backfield, but the team also returns defensive backs Tramaine Brock and Kenneth Acker. Marcus Cromartie showed flashes of a solid starter in various games last year and Dontae Johnson should be penciled in as a starter.

Keith Reaser, Rashard Robinson and Will Redmond should all provide depth as well but also look for Prince Charles Iworah to possible pick up some playing time.

For the offense, right tackle Anthony Davis, 26, is back after taking a year off football and reported to training camp in good shape, suggesting he maintained a consistent workout regime. The team also adds rookie first round guard Josh Garnett from Stanford and was projected as one of the best linemen in the 2016 draft along with veteran guard Zane Beadles.

The team will need all the help up front they are running a high pace, high intensity offense with Kelly at the helm.

There is a chance that the 6-foot-8 monster Trent Brown might start at right tackle, and if that is the case then Davis could perhaps be moved to right guard to compliment Marcus Martin at center and Joe Staley at left tackle, which then might not look too bad on paper.

The offense was atrocious just a year ago but the line was among the worst in the

league, allowing 53 sacks for the year. The 49er offense was 31st out of 32 teams in yards per game at 303.8 and were dead last in points per game (14.9).

On the skill side, the receivers will be led by veteran Torrey Smith who will be the No. 1, but the spot for the rest still seem to be wide open with a plethora of talented players worthy of starting.

Some of those consists of rookie wideouts Devon Cajuste, Bryce Treggs and Aaron Burbridge along with returners Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton, Jerome Simpson and DeAndrew White who showed sparks after the team’s first preseason game against the Houston Texans.

Also look for tight end McDonald to finally step up like he never has and Garret Celek should help there although he has proven over time that he is a much better run blocker.

“We just go out and try to execute soon and quickly as we can and it opens up things, so we like to see that,” said McDonald.

The position that seems to be wide open for contention is the running back position.

Although Carlos Hyde is the heavy favorite, the ability for him to stay healthy brings up a red flag, but luckily the roster includes plenty of talents such as Kelvin Taylor, DuJuan Harris, Kendall Gaskins, Mike Davis and Shaun Draughn.

The 49ers are heading into the new year with one of the, if not the most, toughest schedules and are predicted to finish among the worst and possibly dead last. But don't count out a team that has a rich tradition just yet, first wait and watch.

Looking forward to a great football season!

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Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio gets involved with his players during training camp, chatting with them all as they stretch and warm up.

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

The Raiders offense should be one of the best in the NFL this upcoming season, especially since they return 10 of 11 starters.

For the Oakland Raiders, the defense will look to match the offense in success for this upcoming season. Both will have to mesh if they hope to make a deep postseason run.

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

RAIDERS

off the field, and he has just two seasons under his belt.

“It's been a great offseason,” said Carr in a press conference. “We’re just trying to put the work in to make sure we go out there and earn some more wins than we earned last year, so far it’s going good but I can’t wait.”

Playing for a Raiders team that has been working towards their winning ways since their Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003, Carr looks like he is destined to become the next quarterback great in Oakland if he continues his progression.

With a calm demeanor and love for the game, his teammates and family, Carr looks seasoned well beyond his years and everyone who is part of the silver and black love it.

Carr threw for 3,987 yards and finished the year with 32 touchdown passes and just 13 interceptions for a passer rating of 91.1 and a completion percentage of 61.1, up three percent from his rookie season percentage of 58.1.

He also did a wonderful and efficient job of distributing the ball to his teammates. Seven players had 28 or more catches for the year, with nine tallying a dozen or more.

Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper each had strong years. Cooper, playing hurt, had 1,070 yards on 72 catches and played with a foot injury that he neglected to mention until after the season ended. Crabtree tallied a team-high 85 grabs and nine touchdown grabs, finishing with 922 yards.

FROM PAGE 1

Mack has done it multiple times—including against the Pittsburgh Steelers last year in their week 9 meeting.

Miller only had 11 sacks last year, tied for eighth with Geno Atkins (Cincinnati), Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams), and Kawann Short (Carolina), and these three are all defensive tackles, which means sacks are not primarily their job.

“It makes me happy that he [Mack] is on my team,” said quarterback Derek Carr in a press conference.

“I’m glad he’s not rushing me with that kind of anger.

We have our own pass rushers in our division to worry about, he’s one I’m just glad I get to play with. Not only that, we’ve become really good friends, which is more important to me than anything.”

The work of an interior defensive linemen is simple—stop the run and consistently take on double teams to create space for the rest of your teammates.

Needless to say, the stats speak for themselves.

“We have that belief in one another,” said Carr. “I can go up to him at some point at the end of the game and say, ‘hey man go finish this thing, go get this sack and end this game,’ and he’ll do it. We have a great relationship, we can tell each other anything. To watch him play, to watch him work, is such a joy.”

Carr, 25, is without question one of the leagues favorite quarterbacks, on and

Together, Crabtree and a healthy Cooper could quite possibly be the most electric and dangerous duo receivers in the NFL. You add 1,000 yard running back Latavius Murray into the offensive mix and that blend seems like a result for success, especially when you take a look at the Raiders strong offensive line that includes arguably one of the best guards in the league in Gabe Jackson.

Jackson was previously moved to right guard after starting all 16 games at the left side, but the move should help the offensive line in the interior since they added free agent acquisition Kelechi Osemele and the return of one of the best centers in Rodney Hudson.

“I mean, it's a learning process and there are growing pains but it's also fun, too,” said Jackson in a press conference. “You can't over think it. You've just got to be a football player.”

There is still question as to who will start at right tackle for the upcoming year but the left side seems to be filled by Donald Penn.

It looks like the offense will have a difficult time being stopped and the defense will contain some of the most feared pass rushers if you add what Mario Edwards and Dan Williams did just a year ago from the defensive line position.

The defense also added Bruce Irvin, who when healthy and not suspended is a phenomenal pass rusher to compliment Mack well.

Look for the Raiders to succeed and to make moves during the 2016-17 season, especially in the AFC West.

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49ers 2016 Season Schedule SEP 12 SEP 18 SEP 25 OCT 2 OCT 6 OCT 16 OCT 23 NOV 6 NOV 13 NOV 20 NOV 27 DEC 4 DEC 11 DEC 18 DEC 24 JAN 1

10:20PM VS RAMS 1:00PM AT PANTHERS 4:05PM AT SEAHAWKS 4:25PM VS COWBOYS 8:25PM VS CARDINALS 1:00PM AT BILLS 4:05PM VS BUCCANEERS 4:05PM VS SAINTS 4:25PM AT CARDINALS 4:25PM VS PATRIOTS 1:00PM AT DOLPHINS 1:00PM AT BEARS 4:05PM VS JETS 4:05PM AT FALCONS 4:25PM AT RAMS 4:25PM VS SEAHAWKS

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

Derek Carr leads his team in warm ups by being the first one to the finish line.

Raiders 2016 Season Schedule

EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

The 49er inside linebackers will be relied on heavily, especially for special teams and if Bowman were to ever be out of the picture.

SEP 11 SEP 18 SEP 25 OCT 2 OCT 9 OCT 16 OCT 23 OCT 30 NOV 6 NOV 21 NOV 27 DEC 4 DEC 8 DEC 18 DEC 24 JAN 1

WATCH 209magazine.com

WITH EDDIE RUIZ studio209.tv

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10:00AM AT SAINTS 1:25PM VS FALCONS 10:00AM AT TITANS 10:00AM AT RAVENS 1:25PM VS CHARGERS 1:05PM VS CHIEFS 10:00AM AT JAGUARS 10:00AM AT BUCCANEERS 5:30PM VS BRONCOS 5:30PM VS TEXANS 1:25PM VS PANTHERS 1:05PM VS BILLS 5:25PM AT CHIEFS 1:25PM AT CHARGERS 1:05PM VS COLTS 1:25PM AT BRONCOS