Battle Tested Win

And on the occasion of his first game calling plays for the 49ers, new offensive coordinator Jim Hostler dialed up an end-around run by wide receiver Arnaz Battle, who took the ball into the end zone from a yard out with 22 seconds left to provide San Francisco with a startling win.

“Two years ago, guys in the huddle would have hoped we could score. Today we knew we could score,” Smith said.

Coach Mike Nolan said the 49ers had worked on the Battle end-around play in training camp but deliberately withheld running it in the preseason.

“That is the first chance we had an opportunity to run it in a game,” Nolan said. “That was one of the plays we worked on. It’s an efficient play. It’s been in our offense for a few years.”

Full Story: A Battle Tested Win – [San Francisco Chronicle]

Battle Interview on KNBR

Update: Audio not yet available from KNBR. Keep checking back, it should be updated soon. 

Battle talked with Kevin Lynch for about a 20 minute interview on KNBR.

Highlights: 2006

Highlights of Battle during the 2006 season.

Starts Where He Left Off

Battle wasted no time picking up where he left off. In the preseason opener against the Broncos, Battle had a nice 26 yard catch that set up the 49ers first touchdown of the game. Battle once again showed why he has one of the best set of hands in the game. Quarterback Alex Smith through a pass where only Battle could catch it, diving and just falling short of the goalline. That was the lone highlight of the evening for the receiver who played only a handful of games.

Hopes to Stop WR Carousel

Sitting in front of his locker, Arnaz Battle rattled off the names: Terrell Owens, Tai Streets, Cedrick Wilson, Brandon Lloyd, Curtis Conway, Johnnie Morton.All of them have come and gone in the last three years, their departures emblematic of a receiving corps that seemingly lost its traditional prominence in the 49ers offense.

But there are signs at training camp that’s about to change, led by the continuing emergence of the underrated Battle and the addition of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who led the Seattle Seahawks in receiving in four of his last six seasons.

Behind Battle and Jackson, a fierce competition has developed for the three or four remaining roster spots among newcomers Ashley Lelie and rookie Jason Hill and holdovers Bryan Gilmore, Taylor Jacobs, Brandon Williams and Marcus Maxwell.

“We’ve got more speed and the best skill level that we’ve ever had since I’ve been here,” said Jerry Sullivan, who joined the 49ers in 2005 as Mike Nolan’s receivers coach.

“I want to see us making more plays and getting our quarterback feeling a great deal of confidence in our skill level and ability. I’d like to see our passing game jump up about 10-12 notches from where we were ranked last year.”

Full Story: Battle hopes to stop wide receiver carousel – [Contra Costa Times]

Battle Enters Camp as Starter

The 49ers opened training camp over this past weekend and 49ers receiver Arnaz Battle is working as the starting flanker and Darrell Jackson the starting split end. The No. 3 job is a wide open competition among Ashley Lelie, Taylor Jacobs, Bryan Gilmore, Jason Hill and Brandon Williams.

Blocks with the Best of Them

The best run-blocking receiver in the league, according to 49ers coach Mike Nolan, is Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers.But the 49ers have a guy who’s not too shabby, either.

“If Hines was a 10, I’d say Arnaz (Battle) was about an 8. I think he’s pretty … good,” Nolan said. “They’re both tough guys — tough, competitive. They play the game like it should be played.”

Full Story: Battle blocks with the best of them, Nolan says – [Sacramento Bee]

Raising the Bar

As a competitor Battle would be lying to say that he hasn’t thought about that one more catch but the fifth-year receiver is moving on, knowing that dwelling too long on the past won’t change things.

“What has happened has happened and you just have to keep moving forward and correct it and try to do better. I think the big thing that helped me understand that and I hate talking about it too much was the death of my brother which happened when we were kids. I can’t bring him back, nobody can. I just have to deal with it and keep living and do the best for my family. I just carry that in every day life, and especially in football. Whether I drop a ball or fumble a ball, I know I have to brush it off and just do better the next time.”

With that in mind, Battle raised the bar for himself when it came time to fill out his goal sheet for the upcoming season.

“I understand what I can do and this year I wrote down 70 catches and 1,000 yards,” said Battle who also had the math worked out and memorized how many more yards that means for 2007. “That’s 11 more catches and 314 yards and I think that’s something that I can get. Obviously that depends on staying healthy and how we all do as an offense.”

As a unit, Battle sees no reason that the 49ers offense shouldn’t soar in the upcoming campaign.

Full Story: Battle Raises the Bar – [49ers.com]