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The San Francisco 49ers recently wrapped up veteran minicamp and are now taking time off to get ready and recharged for training camp. According to many, the team’s offseason program was a rewarding experience which enabled the players to gain understanding of the playbook while getting prepared for the upcoming season. Find out how the offseason workouts went for second-year offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore, who is fighting for a bigger role on the 2012 49ers.

Q: What was the best aspect of having an entire offseason with Jim Harbaugh and his staff?
A: It was much better than last year because we didn’t have anything. Coming in as a rookie out of the lockout it was tough going into training camp. This year, we’re better prepared, we know what to expect, we know the guys now and the coaching staff. Not that it’s going to be any easier, but you get a better sense of what is expected.

Q: What was your favorite drill of the offseason program and how did it improve your game?
A: They took away all the contact so that definitely slowed it up for us. Just going up against spots, going against air, you can still get a sense of where you’re going on certain plays and against certain defenses. It wasn’t just one particular drill, it was just being out there and slowing everything down and taking away the contact. That helped out a bunch.

Q: How prepared do you feel like the offense is heading into training camp?
A: If you compare it to last season when we had a brand new coaching staff, this offense has a better grip of what our assignments are and what we’re supposed to do. We also know what the coaches expect out of us tempo-wise in the drills so that helps. As a whole offense, we feel better about what we’re trying to accomplish.

Q: Is there a particular teammate that you really clicked with this offseason?
A: I spend a lot of time with Alex Boone and Joe Staley; we hang out a lot. Mark LeGree, who I went to college with, he’s my roommate so we spend a lot of time together. When Goody (Jonathan Goodwin) is here, I try to talk to him a lot, too.  After last season you obviously get a good feel on guys, but then seeing guys like a Justin Smith through the offseason – you learn from him as a veteran and an All-Pro. You watch what these guys do and you pick up their habits and just hope for the best. Coach Harbaugh also does a good job about getting the team building stuff in. We all went out for a team dinner and it was a good meal and a good time before we wrapped up the offseason. That was pretty cool to see a couple guys go up there and sing and dance, too.

Q: How will you spend your time off before reporting to training camp?
A: I’ll be back home in Tennessee and spending some time with the family. I’ll also pick up where I left off before I came back out here to start the offseason. I’ll just be going to a local gym myself. I always say, “If you don’t know what you’re doing by now, you shouldn’t be doing it anyways.” I don’t go anywhere specific to train or I don’t pay anyone to train me or anything like that. I’m just out there doing my own thing. Then I’ll be back here ready to go.