How 49ers DL Coach Kris Kocurek Gets the Best out of Kerry Hyder

Kerry Hyder is back with the San Francisco 49ers.

After spending a season with the Seattle Seahawks, Hyder makes his return to the place where he had a career year in 2020.

2021 wasn't ideal for Hyder. He was essentially a non-factor there, which makes sense why he is returning to the 49ers on a cheap one-year deal. He knows the 49ers are the team where he can find efficiency and maybe cash out again after the season should he succeed.

The main reason that Hyder had a career year in 2020 and returned to the 49ers now is because of defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. Hyder twice has had his best seasons with Kocurek. Once with the 49ers and once with the Detroit Lions. Hyder is just a different player when he pairs up with Kocurek.

My editor Grant Cohn asked Hyder on Thursday at his introductory press conference how Kocurek is able to get the best out of him.

"I think it's trust," said Hyder. "He puts me on the field and he trusts me to make it happen. It's not a situation where he's worried about what I'm gonna do or he's gonna pull me or he's not gonna like what I'm doing. He trusts me to get the job done and I'm able to get out there and really get into a rhythm. I think that's kind of the biggest thing."

That trust instills confidence in Hyder. It fuels him and catapults him to greater heights that allows him to actually reach his full potential. He put it on display in 2020 with the 49ers when he tallied eight and a half sacks, and he did that without Nick Bosa. Because he has that trust with Kocurek, there isn't anything weighing him down. The pressure is alleviated and he is able to play free.

"It's not a situation where I gotta go out of my way to prove myself or do something outside of my body. Kris knows what I can do and what he expects from me and as a player that's important to be able to come into a building and know what they want from you and what they expect from you and what you can do for them."

The 49ers will be hoping Hyder can rekindle his 2020 form and better in 2022.

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