Remember Matt Breida?

In Breida’s junior year, his 1608 rushing yards were the fifth-most in a season by an Eagle in school history. That put his name in the minds of NFL scouts.

As a senior, though, he had 35 fewer carries than the year prior and almost 1,000 less yards than he had in his monstrous junior season.

So what was wrong with Matt Breida?

Apparently, nothing. Breida’s successful summer in the Bay Area seems to suggest the burden of his subpar senior season should fall on Georgia Southern’s offensive strategy change, not Breida’s poor performance.

Halfway through the preseason, Breida seems poised to make the roster of the San Francisco 49ers after signing an undrafted free-agent deal in April. He had 11 carries for 40 yards in the Niners preseason opener, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter predicted he would make the team as the third or fourth running back on the depth chart.

NinersWire.com, USA Today’s coverage site for the team, said Breida had a “strong hold on a roster spot.” This is all despite being under six feet tall and weighing less than 200 pounds.

Breida said after training camp and through the beginning of the preseason,  that he’s learned to be “more detailed,” because the players in the NFL are “10 times better and 10 times faster.”

“Nothing is given to me,” Breida said.

He said 49ers legends such as Jerry Rice and Steve Young have visited the team throughout the summer, and he claimed to be learning swiftly from veterans like Carlos Hyde, Elvis Dumervil and NaVorro Bowman.

Breida acknowledged his mentors at Georgia Southern, including running backs coach Chris Foster. He credited Georgia Southern with teaching him how to “put in the film work.”

Breida also gave his thoughts on the upcoming Georgia Southern season.

He seemed hopeful as he mentioned junior safety Josh Moon, calling him a “great defensive leader.”

“They got a young team, but they have a chance to be good,” Breida said.

Finally, he offered some advice for his former team: “At the end of the day, you just got to GATA.”