Part 15 of a 32 part series, a running back position analysis of each franchise.
The San Francisco 49ers struggled through one of the most forgettable seasons in franchise history. Many thought that Coach Mike Nolan would be replaced but, despite a 16-32 record in three years as head coach, Nolan returns.
Nolan has relinquished his authority on the personnel front to Scot McCloughan who was promoted to GM. McCloughan has his work cut out for him, especially on the offensive side of the ball where the team was anemic to say the least.
The club ranked last in most statistical categories, including yards per game, yards per play, passing yards per game, sacks allowed, first downs, and third-down efficiency. The 49ers scored a total of 219 points in 2007, matching a 1978 club record for fewest points in a 16-game schedule.
I like history, but this isn’t the type of history the team wanted to make.
Nolan did get into a well-documented rift with starting QB and former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith that could be difficult to repair. There will be open competition at the QB position. Shaun Hill played better than the other four signal callers in just two starts in '07.
The 49ers have some tough decisions ahead of them. Mike Nolan hired former St.Louis Ram head coach and former Detroit Lion offensive coordinator Mike Martz at the same position.
He has a lot of work to do. Smith had a lost season in 2007 starting slowly with, and then suffering, a separated right shoulder in the fourth game. Martz has spoken of having Smith re-learn the QB position to fit his unique offense system. He also said that he likes both quarterbacks’ accuracy, which is a must for his offense.
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Martz has raved about the offensive line and what he calls the teams’ centerpiece RB Frank Gore. Martz's offense needs a go-to receiver, and if Vernon Davis can quickly grasp the offense he could be that guy.
The 49ers rushed for 92.3 yards per game last season.
- Frank Gore: 5-foot-9, 215 lbs, 260 Att, 1,102 Yards, 4.2 YPC Avg, 5 TD’s
- Maurice Hicks: 5-foot-11, 196 lbs, 21 Att, 117 Yards, 5.6 YPC Avg, 1 TD
- Michael Robinson: 6-foot- 1, 218 lbs, 26 Att, 121 Yards, 4.7 YPC Avg
Frank Gore is the guy who carries the rushing load for the 49ers. Gore had a disappointing season, but was still highly productive. He is a hard runner who has also led the team in receptions the past two seasons.
The rushing game dropped off by nearly 600 yards from Gore's breakout 2006 campaign, but he remains a quality running back with excellent receiving ability.
In free agency, the 49ers signed former Panther DeShaun Foster, which will give the team two proven runners. No disrespect to the 49ers, but Mike Martz has been known to favor the passing game over the running game on several occasions and has been criticized for it. The jury is still out on if that trend will continue or end in 2008.
The 49ers have two proven NFL runners in Gore and Foster. Gore can play the Marshall Faulk role of rushing and receiving. Foster can spell Gore when needed.
The team did sign former Ram Isaac Bruce and released Darrell Jackson. The 49ers signed former Cardinal WR Bryant Johnson. They don’t have a need to draft a runner this year, but Martz's offense needs a receiver who can stretch the field and draw extra defensive attention.
No one on the team has fit the bill in recent years. Houston’s Donnie Avery, Michigan’s Mario Manningham, Vanderbilt’s Earl Bennett, or Florida’s Andre Caldwell could be targets.
The 49ers needs are WR, DE, OG, ILB, RT, and QB. The team traded their first round pick to the Patriots to select LT Joe Staley. They acquired the Colts first round pick when they sent their second round pick to them. The 49ers, according to the league office, were caught tampering with Chicago Bears LB Lance Briggs and penalized a fifth round draft pick and must flip-flop third round picks with the Bears.
The 49ers got in trouble for attempting to work out a trade that would’ve sent a first round pick to the Bears and working out a long term deal with Briggs. The tampering was based on more than two telephone calls, as reported, between the 49ers and Briggs' agent Drew Rosenhaus, prior to the Bears and 49ers realizing that Briggs had failed to sign his one-year franchise tender prior to July 15.
This prevented the 49ers from signing him to a long term deal. There were also several e-mails exchanged between key members of the team’s front offices.
The question for the 49ers: How many playmakers can GM Scot McCloughan find in his first draft?
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5 months ago
One things for certain Mike Martz is a running back killer. F,Gore numbers will plummet. Especially now that K.Harris is downing the Silver & Black. The Raiders will be serving crow in 2008. Unlike the Raiders the 49ers have no up swing.
5 months ago
what are you talking about Raider Revenge. He does tend to underutilize the RB, especially in Detroit. But in St. Louis, I'd say he def. used Marshall Faulk. If he has a running back he believes is good enough, and be feels comfortable enough to trust like Faulk, Gore's numbers will be just fine, MAYBE a bit lower from a few less attempts.
5 months ago
How do you explain Kevin Jones?
5 months ago
The same thing can be said about passing 75% of the time. Detroit had mad talent at the qb, wr position and what happened. That's right squat. Martz is becoming a journey coach/coordinator for a reason. One things for sure 49ers do not have the qb for what he wants to do not to mention wr's. If I was defensive coordinator I'm blitz happy having a good day.
5 months ago
The Raiders might be the worst team in professional sports and they will remain that way for the forseeable future because they blew unreasonable amounts of money on players no one else wanted.
from 3 months ago
Unless you've got a twin, I'll take a fair shot at this.
Ya, Willie Brown was a good cast off. So was Daryle Lamonica, Jim Plunkett, and John Matuzak.
All of them were given up by teams, thinking they were too old, too out of shape, or too wild.
Plunkett gave us two rings, Matuzak got a couple, and Lamonica led us to the AFL Championship in 1967.
Could also make note of guys like, oh, Rice, Rod Woodson, and others that helped up to the super bowl in 2002.
Or are you part of the selective memory generation?
5 months ago
your a fool, did Al Davis sell the team, as long as Davis is the owner, the Raiders wil;l suck
49er Revenge
from 3 months ago
hmm....mindless, faceless, worthless comment. Please disregard.
3 months ago
If Alex Smith can just manage games, they have enough talent to actually score some points this year, especially with Martz running the offense and Nolan not spreading himself so thin. I'm excited about this year, but then again I was last year too. Good article.
from 3 months ago
Thanks for the compliments and feedback, Steve. I'm interested to see how things change seeing as Mike Nolan has basically tied his wagon to Mike Martz so to speak. I've two concerns 1) It seems like it takes new 49er receivers a long time to see the field. That has to change with Josh Morgan he is talented. 2) The depth at OT behind Joe Staley and Jonas Jennings. I thought the 49er draft was good, I think all will make the roster with the possible exception of Larry Grant he's got some veteran competition ahead of him.
3 months ago
RaiderRevenge: "One things for certain Mike Martz is a running back killer. F,Gore numbers will plummet. Especially now that K.Harris is downing the Silver & Black. The Raiders will be serving crow in 2008. Unlike the Raiders the 49ers have no up swing."
Here's a little lesson for you.
First off, still laughing at your "Especially now that K.Harris is downing the Silver&Blackouts" Harris? KWAME HARRIS?? Dude..do you WONDER why NO TEAM even gave Kwame a SNIFF FOR THE FULL WEEK before Al stupidly threw big bucks at him?? BECAUSE HE SUCKS. The guy is one of the worst defenders against the pass, in the league. He's had "back to back to back" holding penalties TWICE.
Yeah, read again, got beat like a drum so bad he just had to grab and hold on..and again...and again..in succession. Would have been more, except he got yanked from the game.
As far as running back killer? Faulk was the second back in the history of the NFL (The Niners Roger Craig was the first) to have 1000 yds rushing and 1000 yds receiving in the same year.
Courtesy of Martz.
Nolan needed a strong OC in Martz, just as he needed Norv Turner. Nolan's forte' is defense, and is completely defensive minded. Didn't know enough to make changes in his OC last year, but give him credit for hiring Tolvert to help out, and ultimately Martz to revamp things.
Before getting hurt in game 4, Smith had won 3 of his previous 4 games, looking very solid in doing so.
One thing Martz is known for his being an excellent OC, and that's what we needed.
The only OC I can recall who sucked as bad as our OC last year was Greg Knapp.
Where is he now?
Oh yeah, lol...he's yet another of our fired rejects that Al hired.
3 months ago
RaiderCard: "Unless you've got a twin, I'll take a fair shot at this.
Ya, Willie Brown was a good cast off. So was Daryle Lamonica, Jim Plunkett, and John Matuzak.
All of them were given up by teams, thinking they were too old, too out of shape, or too wild.
Plunkett gave us two rings, Matuzak got a couple, and Lamonica led us to the AFL Championship in 1967.
Could also make note of guys like, oh, Rice, Rod Woodson, and others that helped up to the super bowl in 2002.
Or are you part of the selective memory generation?"
Mike49er: Wonderful. You bring up Lamonica, Plunkett, and Tooz. Weren't we still fighting in VIETNAM back then?
Let's move up a bit, shall we?
Geriatric Geezer Al also went after Kerry "I suck, therefore I'm going to go play with the Raiders" Collins. He didn't just GO AFTER HIM, when Turner said "Enough is enough..Collins can't hit water from a boat, we can't win a game if our life depended on it, I'm putting in Tui these last 4 games, to see what he can do"...(You know, a decision a HC is SUPPOSED to make) Al overruled him, and told him "Put back in Collins" who then proceeded to lose the FINAL FOUR GAMES..
Al also made that astute decision to hire Aaron Brooks...passed on Cutler and Leinart to sign his 5th DBack in 6 years, and then proceeded to sign McCown and Culp, both better than Collins and his other awesome hire, Walter. But, as Al is want to do, then gets rid of McC and Culp to KEEP WALTER, who sucks, and is now the backup to Russell, who, in spite of basically not even being used properly last year, is annointed the starter.
Sorry RaiderCard, but you're exactly what YOU accuse others of being..a "Selective Memory" poster.
You're reduced to bringing up players who are currently grandfathers and great grandfathers.
Way to live in the DISTANT PAST.
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