Players returned from their day off and produced a bevy of highlight plays Wednesday at 49ers training camp. Here are the top three things we learned:

1. Carlos Hyde wakes up camp: It took five practices until the 49ers received an eye-opening, bone-jarring play, and it came from running back Carlos Hyde late in Wednesday’s session. Hyde bulldozed rookie cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon at the goal line, catching him flat footed on a 6-yard touchdown run near the left pylon.

Offensive teammates, including quarterback Brian Hoyer, rushed over to congratulate Hyde, who is out to prove he can thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s new offense in what also is Hyde’s final year under contract.

“That was awesome,” Hoyer said. “… He sees the opportunity ahead of him. He’s in the right scheme. Kyle knows how to run the ball and we have a good offensive line, a good fullback, receivers who block their butts off.”

Hyde ran Wednesday with fiercer determination and power. He’s had an otherwise quiet camp, but his starting job doesn’t appear in jeopardy amid respectable competition from Tim Hightower, Joe Williams or Matt Breida.

Coach Kyle Shanahan praised Hyde for “making a move” midway through the offseason program regarding his “work ethic” and “attention to detail,” not to mention streamlining his body. Said Shanahan: “I can tell he’s put in the work and has given himself a chance to have a good season.”

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh defended Witherspoon’s actions, or lack thereof against Hyde because it was a non-tackling drill and Hyde merely surprised the rookie. “He’s not a coward by any means,” Saleh said of Witherspoon. “He will get in there. He will tackle. He’s been showing up in run fits. He’s physical with his hands at the line of scrimmage. We’re excited to see what shows up on game day. We think it’s going to be pretty cool.” For complete 49ers coverage follow us on Flipboard.

2. Simpler defensive scheme: In the wake of last season’s defense allowed the most points and rushing yards in franchise history, Saleh has installed a simplified scheme that is approved by at least one veteran, linebacker Ahmad Brooks.

“We installed about 10 defenses. That’s it,” said Brooks, a 12th-year veteran. “That’s what we’re going to be running throughout the season. So keeping it simple. We’ve got a lot of new guys on the team and that’s definitely helping out.”

Brooks said past defenses have included as many as 30 different calls. This straight-forward scheme, which Saleh learned as a Seattle Seahawks assistant, relies on an eight-man front, with a free safety corralling the secondary.

“Because we don’t do a lot of scheme, the emphasis will always go back to fundamentals and representing the style we’re trying to create,” Saleh said. “It’s been going good. Guys have bought into the system and are working everyday on the details.”

3. Unsettled depth chart on defense: Saleh emphasized he will be rotating players into the first-string unit to test them throughout camp and the exhibition season, allowing youngsters a shot at being out veterans.

The most intriguing candidate for a promotion is rookie linebacker Reuben Foster, whose Interception of The Day came in one-on-one drills, and only after Foster got beat on his three other matchups.

“Reuben has a lot of flash plays,” Saleh said. “The best way I can express it with Reuben is he’ll get his opportunity when he absolutely, absolutely deserves it. The credit really goes to the ’backers in that room, also, that they also deserve every opportunity they’re getting.”

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On the defensive line, DeForest Buckner injured his left ankle midway through practice, and among those who saw resulting first-team work were top draft pick Solomon Thomas and versatile veteran Chris Jones. The first-string defensive front typically features Brooks, Tank Carradine, Earl Mitchell, Arik Armstead and Buckner. More depth this season will allow more of a rotation and fresher bodies.

“You can have talent, but if you don’t have depth and the front four gets tired, it’s not going to be good for you,” said Quinton Dial, who’s been mostly used as a backup nose tackle.

EXTRA POINTS

— Dontae Johnson is making a strong case for a starting cornerback role, and he made an acrobatic interception of a Hoyer pass Wednesday while Keith Reaser, Johnson’s challenger, rehabbed a knee injury. Johnson also broke up a potential touchdown pass from Hoyer to Aaron Burbridge in red-zone drills.

— Undrafted rookie Lorenzo James got the first-team snaps at free safety while Jimmie Ward (hamstring), Jaquiski Tartt (rib) and Eric Reid (ankle) remain sidelined, although Reid returned to individual drills Wednesday. Tartt didn’t suit up but watched practice, a positive sign after Monday’s injury.

— Rookie Trent Taylor made one of camp’s best catches, leaping at the front-left pylon and landing with his feet barely inbound on a Matt Barkley pass.

— Adrian Colbert shifted from cornerback to free safety, as a result of so many injured safeties, and he intercepted a Barkley pass in which a receiver apparently ran a wrong route.

— Rather than crush an offensive player, linebacker Brock Coyle followed orders and the 49ers’ No. 1 rule under Shanahan: “Protect The Team.”

— Newly signed wide receiver Louis Murphy stretched with the team before going to a side field for individual conditioning.

— Linebacker Eli Harold (head) did not practice, and Dekoda Watson saw more action in his spot.

— Santa Clara residents can sign up for four tickets to an Aug. 16 practice between the 49ers and Denver Broncos. Space is limited and registration on the 49ers’ website ends Aug. 9.