Every day, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald recalls how bad he was at football in high school (his words). Running back Kendall Hunter remembers being the 40th-best high school back in the state of Texas. In fact, every player is reminded of his past because coach Jim Harbaugh has hung each player's high school picture and recruiting ranking above their respective locker.
"Coach really wants us to tap into what we wanted to be at that time," safety Donte Whitner told the Los Angeles Times. "When you look at this picture, it's like, 'At this moment, what did I want to be?' We all look at this and we understand what we wanted to be, and where we are now."
For some, it's a reminder of how much was expected of them as prep players. But for others, it's motivation.
"I look at it, and I never was that star athlete, coming from Tennessee, and I wasn't ever ranked or anything," offensive guard Daniel Kilgore told the paper. "So just looking back at it, and where all the 'men of football' in the magazines classified you. They never even looked at you, and now look where I'm at. Kind of just rub it in their face now."
The 49ers will next look to rub it in the face of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the NFC Championship game. And for San Francisco, these motivational tools employed by Harbaugh are nothing new.
"[He's] always doing little things to motivate us," Whitner said. "With this, you really don't have to explain it. It's, 'Aw, man, I remember this.' It's something to make you play a little harder on Sunday."
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