Mike Singletary Fired: 10 Things for the 49ers to Fix in 2011
Mike Singletary fired is the latest headline from the NFL. ESPN is reporting that the 49ers have parted ways with their head coach.
The 49ers owner Jed York canned Singletary and replaced him with defensive line coach Jim Tomsula on an interim basis. The news comes on the heels of the 49ers' latest loss—a heartbreaking loss to division rivals the St. Louis Rams.
The loss officially ended San Francisco's hopes of making the playoffs, making the coach expendable before their last game of the season. The 49ers were supposed to run away with the division, but instead, choked away the season.
Now, they are left with a team that needs to fill tremendous holes if they are to get back to the playoffs—something they have not done since 2002.
Here is what they can do.
10. Quarterback
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The 49ers have tried many times to draft the next great quarterback. The franchise that has touted so many greats has been left with some duds lately.
Alex Smith fell out of favor, and Singletary went with Troy Smith. That is, until the fourth quarter today, when he decided that Troy was not the guy. The 49ers need an arm quickly. Either by the draft or otherwise, this spot must be filled with an arm that can get the job done.
Lucky for them, this draft will be flush with talent.
9. Secondary
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The 49ers were adept at containing the running attack but failed at stopping the pass. A man who was so good at defense himself was unable to provide an answer on that side of the ball.
Any team that hopes to make a mark on the NFL needs to be able to stop their opponents from stretching the field. The 49ers allowed too many teams to do just that. They need to get tougher and quicker in the secondary.
8. Chemistry
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The next head coach will have to deal with his players a lot better than Mike Singletary did. The latest loss today was beset by a televised argument he had with quarterback Troy Smith.
Smith was seen yelling at the coach. It was a visible cue that Singletary had no hold on the team. That could very well have been the last straw. When the coach loses the locker room, he loses the team.
7. Offensive Line
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The 49ers had an extremely porous offensive line in 2010. It was one of the reasons they were dealt so many injuries on that side of the ball. They even managed to get David Carr just enough time to do what he does best—get sacked.
The offensive line is one of the unheralded parts of the game but is arguably the most important. The next chief needs to put an emphasis on getting some timely blocking and protecting whatever arm they choose to throw out there.
6. Running Game
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This may be an easier fix once the offensive line gets revamped. The 49ers' rushing attack was near the bottom of the NFL. It didn't help matters that their most prolific offensive weapon, Frank Gore, missed most of the season due to injury.
A better running game will put pressure on opponent's defenses. They will need to make note and stack the box, freeing up players like Michael Crabtree to get open.
5. Discipline
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The scuffle along the sidelines between Mike Singletary and Troy Smith let us all in on a little secret. This team is not the most disciplined bunch.
You cannot think that a tirade like that would happen along the bench of the Steelers or the Patriots. There is a chain of command that players must observe. The 49ers need a general that will not stand for such shows of disobedience.
4. Turnovers
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The one glaring issue that beset the Chargers' season also hampered the 49ers'. This team just could not take care of the ball. That aspect of the game comes between the ears. When the focus of a player is lost, they are prone to make mistakes.
That should have been a red flag that Singletary had lost the minds of his players. Their minds just were not on the task at hand. That will need to be addressed if the next coach would like to maintain his job.
3. Stability
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One aspect of the woes the 49ers have on offense could very well be their stability. Alex Smith has had to deal with a great many offensive coordinators. It has been at times a revolving carousel of coordinators.
The next head coach must feel confident that his pick to helm that side of the ball is the man he will stand behind throughout his tenure. A quarterback needs to feel comfortable in the pocket. It is detrimental to constantly learn new formations and philosophies.
2. Urgency
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The 49ers are too storied of a franchise not to matter. Since 2002, they have been a mediocre team that has not made the playoffs. As we have just seen, that will not do for San Francisco brass.
The next head coach will have a great many things to instill in his players, the greatest of which will be urgency. He needs to make these players believe they are great and that they are called upon to do great things. This year, the 49ers were allowed to wallow away a perfect opportunity to seize the division.
This cannot happen again.
1. Coaching
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All of these reasons led up to the greatest hole that the 49ers had all season. That is the one position that is the most important—the head coach. He is a leader that needs to set a path towards a clear destination.
The team needs to be motivated and have the tools necessary to complete the ultimate task. Singletary failed at all of that. This team was left lifeless at sea. At no time did we see a righting of the ship. They sort of just died. That is unacceptable from a man that has been known for such passion.
The team needs to understand from day one. This is what we are shooting for, and this is how we get there. The 49ers were beset by an unstable bunch of components that never gelled together. A head coach worth his salt would have had this talented team well above the NFC West rabble.
One thing is certain. The next head coach has his work cut out for him.
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