the 49ers first pre-season home game of 2015 at levi stadium and it comes against their old rivals the dallas cowboys. hello, everybody. alongside jeremy newberry, i'm dennis odonnel. we are ready for the second pre- season game. i don't care if it's pre- season, there's always something about the first game at your stadium. >> i don't miss football until i get out on the field and see all the excitement from the fans. what a great environment. the night-time game is a great deal too. i'm not over here sweating like

crazy. there are two factors the 49ers change that are big story lines tonight. they moved the start of the kick off to 5:00. the second story that remains a big factor is the sod. it was only replaced a few days ago. for an update on that, here's vern glen. >> reporter: the ohm battled turf. this of this as a large toupee. even the cowboys were concerned about this surface, all slick. it's been through 16 nfl games, multiple concerts, including taylor swift last week, multiple sporting events. the vice president of stadium operations hope it will take the pounding of nfl games. this one is expected to have

more resodding in store for it before super bowl 50, february 7, 2016. of >> this story is not a story that the 49ers expected to be talking about for the second year in a row, and that's the sod. how concerned should the cowboys be about this grass? >> we were sitting in these seats last year talking about the same thing. you'd think they'd have that figured out by now. you don't want to get somebody injured in pre-season. they should definitely be concerned about it. i'd be quick to pull my starters if the field didn't hold up. >> jerry jones was out here, and he was concerned and said tony romo may not play. we'll see. let's talk about the 49ers first pre-season game in houston last week here on

channel 5. kaepernick went into the game, a cameo appearance. he over threw tori smith. the big story, really gabbert here's a guy who last season did not look good in the pre- season and this year he looked great against houston in his first game. it seems to be of great important importance. >> how do we keep him healthy? it's definitely a competence factor. the backup quarterback being able to play the offense and come in and win some games for them. we'll see when the defense gets a little less vanilla. as the defense gets more complicated, this game and next

hopefully continues to make more strides. >> we expect to see a little bit more on collin tonight. let's talk about the 49ers defense. the first-string offense marched down the field and scored a touch down. the 49ers turned them back, did not allow houston in the end zone. sort of a mixed bag. what do you expect? >> this time of year you normally see defense ahead of the offense because it's easier to install the defense than it is the offense. with such a transition for this defense, they're all different across the board. it's going to be a filling out period. you like to see them have more pass rush, get to the quarterback some more.

hopefully over the next couple of weeks they can develop that continuity across the board. >> you say pass rush minus alton and justin smith, that might be asking an awful lot. one guy will be great to see. he might be on the field tonight is bowman. bowman did not play in houston. he will tonight against dallas. wednesday he practiced without the brace on that surgically repaired knee. before the injury, bowman was one of the best middle line backers in the league with 120 tackles, two interceptions, and four forced fumbles. he told me his career might have been in jeopardy. >> just thinking about in i was going to be able to play this game again, knowing i felt my

whole knee go out the right side of my leg. me not having an injury like that really kind of puts second thoughts in your head and for me to get through it, i just needed my teammates and my family. they were there to support me and help me get through it. >> given the serious nature of that injury, was there ever a time you said i might not play this game again? >> um, i'll say the first day i got out of surgery. you know, i just couldn't see my knee getting back to the way it was or my leg bending the way i play. just because i do such different things in the box that i just couldn't imagine my leg being able to bend that way again. i said to myself once i realized this is the max pain i'm going to feel, i'm going to fight through it. i got to that point and just dealing with the pain or

whatever came with it and got through it. >> where is the knee today compared to where it was? >> it's almost where it needs to be. i've been running around finishing practices and stacking practices on top of each other. that's what you want. you want to be able to build days and not have to take days off. they're keeping you on a rep count. i feel like my knee is really solid. >> patrick tired and chris retired and anthony retired. did you ever have conversations with them about that? about why they're going and you're still playing? >> no. i didn't talk to neither one of them before the retirement announcement. you know, that's a big decision for those two guys, you know.

i'm sure they didn't probably want to get talked out of it or they felt like it was the best decision for them. this game has been a game where you never know who's going to go down. you always have to step up. any time something like that happens, it opens up the door for someone else. that was their personal reason for returning and the best of luck to them. we have to move forward and bring new guys in and they have to play. >> the last two years the 49ers have been a popular pick. now it's kind of under the radar. the division has gotten better. the 49ers have gone under transition. do you think this team -- why will the 49ers surprise people? >> you know, because we've always worked inside. no matter what anybody else thought about us, you know, we've always had a great

defense. we've always had the quarterback and the running back and things like that, but we lost key players. that's what put doubt in peoples' mind. the people doubting will realize soon we're still a great team. we still have weapons and we've added new additions. >> reporter: bowman is suited up and may see his first action since that horrific injury in seattle. jeremy, you suffered an acl injury. what is going through his mind right now as he gets ready to play for the first time? >> i think he's probably pretty confident. he had two years to heal. he's had two off seasons now to get right. i think he's pretty confident he's good to go. >> number 53 expected to play against the dallas cowboys tonight. we are 20 20 minutes away

from kick off. glen on mcfadden next at kaepernick and the 49ers get ready for their opening pre- season game at levi stadium. ki,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

bolden, one of the great steals in 49ers history.

sixth round pick? they got him from harbaugh's brother. smith joins him in san francisco. it's a potent dynamic duo. gore signed via free agency with the colts, and the dallas cowboys lost their running back demarco murray. how do you replace the league's elite rushing back? glen sat down with a man who used to be a raider. >> reporter: making his debut as a cowboy tonight. of course he's coming off a hamstring issue. in fact, injuries have been his achilles heel his entire 7-year career. he's had one 111-yard campaign.

you wonder if you can expect anything different tonight. >> it's been an up and down career for him. the down part is dealing with the injuries, man. you know, the upside of it to me is i know once i'm out there and healthy on the field, i know what i can do. i'm not going to let anybody take that confidence from me. >> we want you to get better, man, but you can't be tripping over cotton candy or something like that and pulling your hamstring. >> you have a nice veteran player who knows what he's doing. that's my main thing i worry about is protecting our quarterback back there. what i can do with the ball in my hands, the coach and everybody already knows. >> reporter: we've only seen glimpses of his true

explosiveness. insiders feel like his best fit with the cowboys has been in pass protection. it is unknown how much he will truly play tonight. >> thanks a lot. ahead of 49ers preview as we lead you up to kick off, how mobile, alabama has become 49ers country. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

it was just an ordinary night. until he showed up-with a hungry look in his eyes. and then, he made the shot. and when jaws dropped ... he had something for that, too. the new spicy nacho chicken sandwich. with two tacos, halfsies, and a drink for 6 bucks. all in a munchie meal.

it's like what kind of name is that? >> reporter: they aren't household names just yet. it's a different story, however, in mobile, alabama. >> around alabama, man, everybody comes together when it's football. when you see friday night lights, you see signs in the stores saying they're closed to go to the high school game.

>> the san francisco 49ers select tarp. >> reporter: tarp was taken in the second round a year following his best friend jimmy ward who went to san francisco in the first round. >> once they dropped the egg, i was like i'm probably not going to san francisco. >> when it happened, i think i was more excited for him than when i got drafted. >> reporter: they took different routes to the nfl. ward is a football lifer. his first love? basketball. >> i end up playing for the ymca and i kind of caught on to basketball. i was like, i'm pretty good in basketball. i'm going to be a basketball player from now on. >> i stayed off the court. i was strictly football. if i come to the game, i'm the person sitting in the stands laughing when somebody miss the lay up. >> reporter: he realized that

basketball wasn't his ticket to a college scholarship and decided to switch sports to honor his grandfather who had recently passed away. >> we had to beg him to come and play football. will his last year he came out and earned a starting job. >> reporter: ward went to northern illinois, tarp to stanford university where he sat out his first year. >> i was like, i should have just stuck with basketball. he got to play his freshman year. he was a true freshman. i'm like, man, football may not be for me. >> let me tell it first. i remember the first time he hit me up. we were heading to college. he's like, i'm going to make it to the nfl. i'm going to focus on school. it's a positive to focus on school, but he was just doubting himself too early. i knew he was good so i was like, what is he talking about? he was just talking on the phone. and then next year we end up

comparing stats. he was out-stating me by picks. he was making plays, tackles too. >> you had me in tackles. 100 each year? >> no. >> reporter: nearly 800 miles apart, they competed like teammates fighting for playing time. in four years, they were barely able to see each other. >> he stayed in alabama. he probably got tired of being home. me, when i finally get the chance i'm at home. i get to see friends. i'm out. he's tired of mobile. he's going to stay in the house and relax. >> reporter: little did they know a reunion would be coming in the bay area. >> we'd hang, sometimes go to the movies, sometimes relax. sometimes chill with, you know, females. sometimes chill by ourselves. mainly watching film, studying film, questioning each other.

really we just be pushing each other. >> reporter: it seems friendly competition stays on the football field. >> did you guys ever fight over girls? >> no. we were raised not to. >> none of that. yeah, it's none of that. if you want him, you can have him. if you want me, you can have me. did we ever mess with the same girl? probably. >> good stuff. hopefully they both make this roster. it's kind of wide open at quarterback. ward had that foot injury last year so he has his foot in a special brace right now. outsider brock it looks like the other quarterback position is up for grabs. we were watching warm ups working with the first team. he may get to start. you know, there could be a lot of pressure on that quarterback in the 49ers can't put a pass

rush up. >> they're going to have to find a starting left corner and a starting nickel corner. they have two holes to fill on the defense that are going to be huge. with some of their pass rushers not on the team anymore, they gotta play big back there. >> i think this is a big game tonight for that quarterback position as the 49ers trying to find out who is going to start opposite brock. kick off coming up in just a few minutes. the 49ers and the dallas cowboys will warm you up a little bit more after this.

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ripped off a big 53-yard run to set up the 49ers lone touch down of the game. the former rugby star fought for a roster spot with the 49ers. >> jarrod hayes doesn't need any money. he doesn't need any fame. what does he need? he just needs to continue doing what he's doing and learning the game of football and playing and not trying to carry a country on his back. i just want him to focus on football and the game and keep it right there and play.

>> okay. he obviously ripped off that run last week, jeremy. and everybody's talking about him. what does he have to do to make this team at this point? >> continue to make plays like he did. they have to get the ball to him in space. in rugby, there's a lot of balls in open space. he has good vision, speed, he's a big back. >> there's a lot to watch for tonight. we'll see you on the fifth quarter after the game. >> looking forward to it. >> i'm looking forward to another season of football on channel 5. big brother and 60 minutes can be seen at their regular time on our sister station kbcw. you can see that tonight if you're not watching 49er football. see you after the game. right now alalalally a hug. see you after the game.

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>> this is the official preseason television partner of the san francisco 49ers, kpix 5. last weekend gave us our first glimpse of the 2015 49ers. >> we are not here to predict the future. we don't have a crystal ball. okay. we're not going out and writing checks. we're going the pay with cash. >> tonight, they welcome a familiar photo levi stadium. >> we need 11 people to win every down. i don't care who gets the glory. >> the latest chapter in one of football's greatest rivalries starts right now on the kpix sports network. >> ted: the first football game of year 2 at levi stadium and who's