Editor's Note: The above video is from a media session with 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015.

SANTA CLARA – On the surface, 49ers punt returner Jarryd Hayne did not appear to be at fault for a muffed punt on which his teammate, L.J. McCray, was blocked into him after signaling for a fair catch on Sunday.

But 49ers special-teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey set the record straight on Wednesday. He said Hayne waited too long to call for a fair catch in the second quarter of the 49ers’ 17-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

“Just got to make a decision earlier,” McGaughey said. “You can’t wait that late to throw a fair catch (signal) up in traffic like that. That comes with time and experience.”

McGaughey said it’s the job of the players on the return team who are blocking the gunners to continue to block until they hear a cue from the return man that he has signaled for a fair catch.

“They’re listening for a signal, listening for words from the returner, and once he hears that, he peels off,” McGaughey said. “But his job (McCray) is to block, not to watch the ball.”

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Hayne, 27, is a rookie in the NFL after leaving Australia, where he was a star in the National Rugby League. Although he's a veteran of professional sports, he is still an American football neophyte.

"Jarryd is a typical young player,” McGaughey said. “He’s going to make some mistakes. He’s going to make some plays because he’s a talented guy. But you have to take the good with the bad.

“Every situation is a learning situation, it’s a new situation for Jarryd, because he’s never played football before. That’s just one thing, as we move forward, just got to keep learning from it.”

Hayne has averaged 9.3 yards on six punt returns through four games. He has three fair catches with two muffed punts.