Hayne to return to new-look 49ers

Jarryd Hayne begins the second year of his NFL journey this week at a familiar place inhabited by different faces.

He will drive through the same gates at the San Francisco 49ers’ Santa Clara headquarters and walk into the same cavernous locker room on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) for the first day of the NFL team’s off-season program.

Unlike last year, it won’t be the mustachioed Jim Tomsula and his team of co-ordinators greeting Hayne and the 90 or so other 49ers.

It will be new 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, dubbed a mad scientist of American football for his unconventional bag of tricks and high-speed offence with the Philadelphia Eagles and University of Oregon, welcoming the team.

Kelly will be flanked by a mostly new team of co-ordinators and support staff.

In a positive sign for Hayne, Kelly has said the former NRL star “has a skill set that’s intriguing”.

“You get really excited to see what he can do and what type of jump he can make in year two with a better understanding of how the game is played,” Kelly said back in February, in one of the few times he has spoken publicly since taking the 49ers job.

Kelly has watched tape of Hayne, but because of NFL restrictions on off-season communications between players and coaches, is yet to talk football with him.

The next two weeks will focus on strength and conditioning.

The former Parramatta Eel was a punt returner and running back under Tomsula, but Kelly, with his mad scientist brain, might identify Hayne for a different position.

The 49ers, after a dismal five win, 11 loss season, needed a coaching change and so did Hayne.

As the 49ers were sinking halfway through last season, Tomsula and his special teams co-ordinator Thomas McGaughey tossed Hayne overboard and on to the practice squad.

Hayne only played the last two games because the team’s running backs had been decimated by injury.

McGaughey, who was fired with Tomsula, didn’t use Hayne as a punt returner for the final two games.

While Hayne can look forward to a clean slate with Kelly and his new co-ordinators, he might have to go back to stuffing a cheat sheet down his pants while trying to learn the new offence.

Hayne was criticised by Tomsula last season for his lack of execution, particularly in fluffing a touchdown opportunity against the Detroit Lions.

Kelly runs a rapid offence with little time to think between plays.

If Hayne is going to make Kelly’s 53-man squad in September he’ll need to have it down pat.