Garcia poised for more success in upcoming season; talks about
new coach, Owens
SANTA CLARA – Some things remain the same at Niners’ camp – like flamboyant wide receiver Terrell Owens making headlines by volunteering not to show up – and some things have changed – such as the arrival of new head coach Dennis Erickson and the release of nine-year vet J.J. Stokes.
But one thing’s always for sure – All-Pro quarterback Jeff Garcia is working hard at the Santa Clara Complex for the four-day optional camp and still on a mission to bring the storied franchise back to the Super Bowl.
“I feel good. I feel sharp. I feel strong. I feel healthy. I feel like these 33-year-old legs aren’t aging as fast as my age is, so to speak,” said Garcia, after walking off Tuesday’s practice field while sharing words with his father and biggest supporter, Bobby Garcia. “Every day is a sense of competition, a sense that I compete with myself on a daily basis to better myself… I’m out there trying to learn, trying to absorb, trying to help the younger guys as much as possible.”
Something is a little bit different about Garcia, though. He’s more comfortable, more confident, and more determined that ever before.
“The only person who is going to take this job away from me is myself. As much as Tim Rattay is going to push me, and he’s doing a great job, he’s worked extremely hard, it’s basically my job to lose and I don’t see that happening in the near future,” the garlic-bred slinger said. “Every day is a struggle for me to just go out there and continue to battle and continue to stay positive and enthusiastic. Because once you lose that enthusiasm, once you lose the idea that the game is no fun anymore, it’s time to step away from it.”
Garcia is not ready to step away or to slow down – not one bit. The two-time Pro Bowler has already proven he’s got the skills to be a big-time quarterback in the National Football League. Last season, he proved he could win the big game – orchestrating one of the greatest playoff comebacks in franchise history over the New York Giants.
“I want to see more consistency out of myself. Obviously staying healthy is the key; and doing enough things to prepare myself, not only physically but mentally; going to every game with an attitude that I’m the best player on the football field and really play with a lot of hunger,” said Garcia his white long-sleeve undershirt drenched in sweat.
“I think there were times last year where I was a little bit to passive and I want to get more so, almost that anger, that hungriness, that attitude that we can’t be stopped, that I can’t be stopped,” said the Gilroy High and Gavilan College alum who raised thousands of dollars for both footballl programs in his first-annual golf tournament, “that I’m going to do everything within my realm to put this team in a position to win games. And I’m going to create energy by my own enthusiasm on the football field.”
All that and it’s only June.
After a drawn-out offseason coaching fiasco that started almost immediately following a second-round loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs – and one in which Garcia strongly voiced his opinion on – the Niners top brass finally brought in Erickson.
And even Erickson has some garlic roots.
“I’ve been to Gilroy before. Garlic Festival, are you kidding me. When I coached at San Jose State, I think I hit about every place around here. It’s changed a little bit since them,” said Erickson, as he fielded questions from reporters on the practice field. “(I’ve gotten to know Jeff) pretty well. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together. He’s a guy that I go to – along with some others – and just visit about different things not just all football, about the team itself.”
Garcia is happy to have Erickson aboard.
“I think Coach Erickson has done a great job of coming in and taking control in certain ways and also blending in in certain ways and allowing the coordinators to pretty much express what he wants as far as the control goes,” said Garcia of his new coach. “I just really enjoyed his style, his demeanor, his personality. I think it’s been a real positive mix.”
Gilroy’s hometown hero is also excited about an upgraded offensive strategy – meaning the ball will fly down field more often in the upcoming season.
“There hasn’t been any major, drastic changes. I think it’s just more so a sense of evolving and growing within the system. I think certain things have been changed to clear up the terminology and Coach Erickson is going to add some of his own identity to the offense – which I think will be great,” Garcia said. “I think there’s just more of an attitude to get the ball down field, take advantage of certain opportunities during games to create big plays. That’s I think more so the attitude of what Dennis brings to this system.”
While Garcia is at camp – perfecting that system and bringing his leadership skills to the younger players – the ever-controversal T.O. is stirring up more turmoil by opting not to attend the volunteer mini-camp. Owens’ decision is one that both Erickson and Garcia are both indifferent about.
“I think it matters in a sense of leadership to this team, in a sense of team loyalty. It doesn’t necessarily matter in a sense of him missing opportunities on the practice field because he knows what he’s doing and he takes tremendous pride in being in shape and coming out and working hard when he is out here,” said Garcia of his hot target.
“But there are a lot of young receivers in this camp. It would be nice for them to see how he takes care of the job, how he handles his business on the field,” he added. “But in retrospect, it’s also nice in a sense that there are a lot of young guys who are getting reps, who are getting opportunities to work out because he’s not taking the reps.”
Garcia isn’t throwing to his other familiar target, either. Stokes was released by the team earlier this week.
Instead, Garcia is hooking up with returning receivers Tai Streets, who took the No. 2 job last season from Stokes and Cedric Wilson, who is expected to step into the No. 3 role. In addition, draft picks Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd as well as rookies Mike Bush, Bosley Allen and Troy Mason. Also getting reps are hopefuls Aaron Lockett, Nate Jackson, James Jordan, and Arland Bruce.
“We have some holes to fill. We have to find a No. 3 and a No. 4 receiver. Cedric Wilson has done an outstanding job. There have been some other guys that look extremely positive as far as their work ethic, their attitude, their athletic ability. The draft picks are extremely talented. It’s a matter of those guys maturing and getting more confident, more comfortable.,” said Garcia of the receivers at camp.
But even Garcia can’t deny what’s missing.
“It’s too bad because this is a team game. You’d like to see all of your teammates take part. Even though it’s not a structured or an organized, so to speak a mandatory workout – but everybody else is here,” Garcia said. “Everybody else is working hard trying to do whatever it takes to get this team to that next level and that next level is the Super Bowl. I mean we’re so close to getting there that we just need to work on a consistency and work on staying healthy and growing as a team.”
With Owens being Owens and Stokes off to land with another team – the wide receiver position becomes a glaring focal point. Coach Erickson believes Wilson can fill the No. 3 need – but nothing else is set in stone.
“Cedric’s got great feet. He gets out of breaks. He’s catching the ball a lot more consistently. He’ll be a great player in this league,” Erickson said.
As for adding a new addition or sticking with unproven rookies, Erickson added: “That’s something we need to evaluate. To me, that’s not out of the question. But I’m kinda happy with some of these other guys. That’s something we’ll discuss more next week when we get done with these things. It depends who’s out there and who can help us. We’re not just going to take somebody, just to take somebody.”
NINERS 2003 SCHEDULE
Pre-season
8/9 at Kansas City
8/14 vs. Oakland
8/23 vs. New Orleans
8/29 at San Diego
Regular season
9/7 vs. Chicago
9/14 at St. Louis
9/21 vs. Cleveland
9/28 at Minnesota
10/5 vs. Detroit
10/12 at Seattle
10/19 vs. Tampa Bay
10/26 at Arizona
11/2 vs. St. Louis
11/17 vs. Pittsburgh
11/23 at Green Bay
11/30 at Baltimore
12/7 vs. Arizona
12/14 at Cincinnati
12/21 at Philadelphia
12/27 vs. Seattle
