Who Will Survive Past 2010? Complete Breakdown and Analysis Of 12 49ers Coaches

The 49ers are among the most under-performing teams in the NFL. They are loaded with talent at a number of positions, and have arguably the most complete roster in the NFC West. Even so, they have regressed to a 4-8 record thus far this season.

When a team takes a step backwards as the 49ers have, coaching appears to be the most logical reason that the team is struggling. The team improved on paper, yet it did not show on the football field. While Mike Singletary may be on the hot seat, there are a number of position coaches whose jobs may be in limbo as well.

Head Coach: Mike Singletary

Experience

• Hall of Fame middle linebacker for one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Won a Super Bowl and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors.

• Linebacker coach from 2003 to 2004 for Baltimore Ravens and 2005 to 2008 for San Francisco 49ers.

• Interim head coach of San Francisco 49ers in 2008, before being given permanent head coaching job in Week 17 in that same year.

• Worked with future first ballot Hall of Fame middle linebacker Ray Lewis and has been instrumental in the development of sensation Patrick Willis.

The Good

• Singletary changed how the 49ers operate from day one. He made everyone accountable and made it clear during his first game, and the press conference immediately afterwards, that he "wanted winners."

• He has been especially good at bringing the most out of Vernon Davis. Davis is an emotional player who comes from a tough background, and was known for getting into training camp scuffles. His performance has gone through the roof since he has been under Singletary and last season, he tied the single season touchdown record set by Antonio Gates.

• Players know exactly what they are getting from Singletary. When he makes a decision, he does not shy away from letting players know what is happening and why he made the decision. Alex Smith in particular commended him for his honesty, referring back to what was seemingly Mike Nolan, as an experience he had with a coach who never let him know where he stood.

The Bad

• Singletary does not seem to know the ins and outs of professional football on either side of the ball. At times, he appears lost on the sideline. There are few in-game adjustments and his coaching style seems to be focused more in the antics he presents rather than the information.

• Singletary has a formula for success that he stresses to his team (No, it is not "we go out, we hit people in the mouth). It is total ball security, execute, dominate the trenches, create great field position, finish and heart. Although Singletary stresses all of these ingredients, they do not appear to excel at any of them.

• He has lost credibility. The more the season goes on, the more it appears he is out of his league. The team is undisciplined and he constantly mismanages the clock and timeouts. The fans are in an uproar and judging by the production on the field, at least some of the locker room looks like they may be at odds with his style.

Job Security Rating: 1

• Singletary has a decent relationship with Jed York. The organization is frustrated and Singletary is at the forefront of the scrutiny.

• The 49ers need a major change and making a play for a quarterback may not be enough.

• There are a lot of attractive candidates that could be a fit in San Francisco. Singletary needs to prove that he is the very best option at head coach by having overwhelming success throughout the remainder of the season. Even that is unlikely to be enough.

Offensive Coordinator: Mike Johnson

Experience

• San Diego Chargers QB coach from 2001 to 2002.

• Worked with Michael Vick as quarterback coach in Atlanta from 2003 to 2005 (OC at tail end of 2003 season)

• Baltimore Ravens wide receiver coach from 2006 to 2007.

• San Francisco 49ers QB coach from 2007 to 2010, before being named offensive coordinator after the mid-season firing of Jimmy Raye.

The Good

• Mike Johnson has a legitimate argument that he is not the reason for the 49ers downfall. He was thrown into the OC spot and did not have any preparation time. He has a head coach who gives him little freedom and a shaky quarterback situation.

• He is comfortable with the personnel. While it does not appear that he will be working with Alex Smith next season, his expertise lies within the quarterback position, which would aide a developing quarterback should one enter the organization in the off-season.

The Bad

• The 49ers rank third to last in points per game this season. At least some of that responsibility has to fall on the OC, especially given the personnel on offense and the opponents the 49ers have faced this season.

• Regardless of what role Singletary has on the predictable nature of the offense, it is ultimately Johnson's responsibility to ensure that the 49ers put together effective drives and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. Mike Singletary wants to be an elite running football team. What is holding Johnson back from putting together a game plan that makes it happen?

• If an experienced head coach comes in, Johnson is going to seem expendable. He is inexperienced and that coach will likely have his own people he would feel more comfortable surrounding himself with.

Job Security Rating: 3

• While it is obviously time to restructure the franchise, firing everyone in a leadership position might be a bit extreme. There are many problems with the organization, but Johnson hasn't been given enough time to showcase what he can do as a coordinator.

• A head coach with an offensive background could still control the offense with Johnson as the OC. A high profile coordinator could mean less control for the head coach, which makes having a guy like Johnson (who, given his history this season, does exactly what his head coach tells him to) appealing.

Defensive Coordinator: Greg Manusky

Experience

• NFL linebacker for Chiefs, Redskins and Vikings.

• Linebacker coach for Redskins in 2001 and Chargers from 2002 to 2006

• Defensive coordinator for 49ers from 2007 to the present

The Good

• Manusky has experience running the 3-4 defense. In the NFL today, having someone who knows how to run a true 3-4 is considerably rare.

• He seems to bring the most out of players. While Patrick Willis may have succeeded anywhere he went, it is unclear how guys like Aubrayo Franklin would have done elsewhere.

• The 49ers have been a top-10 run defense the past two seasons.

The Bad

• The 49ers are still not as good as they could be on defense. With a player who should be in contention for defensive player of the year and a number Pro Bowl caliber players, the 49ers had expectations of being a top five defense this season.

• There are constantly breakdowns in coverage. 49ers defensive backs consistently look out of sorts and in the wrong position.

• It seems that no matter who the 49ers bring in, they never have an elite pass rusher. At the moment, Patrick Willis leads the team in sacks, along with Justin Smith, with five on the season. In a 3-4, there needs to be a dominant edge rusher. The edge rusher by committee approach isn't an ideal situation and Manusky is at fault for not bringing the most out of first round pick Manny Lawson.

Job Security Rating: 5

• Manusky's future is unclear. Some even suggest his name will be thrown in the head coaching hat, but giving his slight setback this year, such scenarios seem unlikely.
  

Special Teams: Kurt Schottenheimer

Experience

• On a team that is riddled with inexperience in coaching, Schottenheimer is refreshingly seasoned. After coaching at the collegiate level, he went on to coach special teams for the Browns and Chiefs, defensive backs for the Chiefs, was a defensive coordinator for the Chiefs, Redskins and Lions, before becoming the defensive back coach for the Packers, Rams and then returning to the Packers.

• After over 30 years of coaching, he is currently the special teams coordinator for San Francisco. He has only been out of coaching one year during that span.

The Good

• He knows everything there is to know about special teams, having been involved in the NFL for so long on so many teams.

• Special teams has been a bright spot for the 49ers. While they have an excellent combination of kicker, holder and long snapper, the 49ers lacked last year in kick and punt coverage, as well as the return game. Ted Ginn and rookie Kyle Williams are in large part responsible for the increase in the production in the return game, but Schottenheimer can take credit for nearly everything else.

The Bad

• The 49ers are still having problems in the return game. Despite a noticeable improvement from last season, the still rank 26th in kick return average. They went into the off season with kick returner as a main need, brought in a number of players with experience returning the ball, and still struggle.

• Andy Lee has taken a step backwards. After making the Pro Bowl last season, it does not appear he will do so again this year. San Francisco has punted the ball 67 times this season, yet they only forced seven fair catches.

Job Security Rating: 8

• There is no real need to fire Schottenheimer. He is a recognizable NFL figure and has a ton of experience.

• If he leaves, it will have to do with a head coach being hired that has a negative experience with Schottenheimer. Dom Capers could fit that description, though perhaps not on a personal level; Capers was involved with a team that let Schottenheimer go in the middle of the season.

Quarterback Coach: Jason Michael

Experience

• Video and offensive quality control coach for Raiders in 2005.

• Quality control coach in 2006 and tight end coach in 2007 for Jets and University of Tennessee in 2008.

• Worked with San Francisco as offensive assistant in 2009 and is currently the quarterbacks coach.

The Good

• His background is at the quarterback position. He led the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers to a division 1-AA championship when he played there.

• He has had to deal with the quarterback position in San Francisco, transferring from Alex Smith to Troy Smith back to Alex Smith.

• If Jon Gruden comes in, Michael will be able to take notes and be a spectator. Gruden owns the quarterback position, so he doesn't need a high profile guy, and he may like the fact that an up and comer is in that position.

The Bad

• He has little experience. Unless you were an avid Hilltoppers fan in the early 2000s, you probably have no idea who this guy is.

• Easy come, easy go. After Jimmy Raye was fired, Mike Johnson became the offensive coordinator, leaving the quarterback coach position unmanned. Michael worked closely with the quarterbacks and was familiar with the playbook, making him the default QB coach.

Job Security Rating: 4

• One thing is clear, the 49ers are getting a new quarterback. They will likely want to put a guy with more experience in this position.

• Should Mike Johnson step down as offensive coordinator and relinquish his position as the QB coach, it wouldn't necessarily mean Michael would forfeit his chance to obtain a job elsewhere in the organization.

Defensive Line Coach: Jim Tomsula

Experience

• Tomsula experienced a huge amount of success at a number of levels as a defensive coach in NFL Europe.

• He was named the 49ers defensive line coach in 2007 and remains there today.

The Good

• Tomsula has made improvements since his arrival in San Francisco. Since 2007, their sack total has increase from 31, to 34, to 44. While a big part of that comes from the linebacking corp, the defensive line is instrumental in blitzing success.

• Justin Smith and Aubrayo Franklin have both had Pro Bowl caliber seasons with the 49ers. It is easy to get overlooked in a 3-4 defense as a lineman, as it involves a lot of unselfish play. That being said, both Franklin and Smith manage to stand out.

The Bad

• The defensive line as a whole lacks depth. Isaac Sopoaga could be the 49ers' next best defensive lineman after Smith, which is a huge dropoff. Good coaches bring the most out of everyone, not just their best athletes.

• Kentwan Balmer showed no improvement and fizzled under Tomsula. Coming out of college, he was a first round pick and though he was a project, Tomsula did nothing to develop Balmer, who is the only one of the 49ers last eight first round picks not starting in the upcoming game vs. Seattle.

Job Security: 7

• He has done well with what he has to work with. He makes strides every year and defensive line is clearly not the biggest need in the organization.

• When a position group is not overly impressive, people tend to point to the coordinator rather than the position coach. The 49ers might be able to snag a pass rusher, either at defensive end or outside linebacker, and if Tomsula is lucky, he will be on staff.

Offensive Line Coach: Mike Solari

Experience

• After coaching at the collegiate level, Solari became an assistant position coach for the Cowboys and Cardinals, before returning back to college to coach at Alabama.

• Solari went on to join the 49ers from 1992 to 1996, earning a Super Bowl ring.

• He was with the Chiefs for 11 seasons as their offensive line coach. During that time, the offensive line paved the way for Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson, who helped the Chiefs become a top five running team four times in that span.

• He then moved to Seattle as their O-line coach, and now coaches the 49ers' line.

The Good

• Solari is going to be key in the development of the two rookie linemen the 49ers drafted this season. The linemen have already undergone growing pains this season; just imagine how amplified they would be without the direction Solari provides.

• Solari has the potential to push the offensive line to become great. He has worked with all-pro players before, and with four first round linemen, including Vernon Davis, Solari has his work cut out for him.

The Bad

• Let's forget about the age of the offensive line and the injuries for a moment. The 49ers have not produced on the offensive line this season. Not only have they been shut down physically at times, the mental errors play a role in destroying drives.

• The false start penalties are getting out of hand. It seems that it is a fixable reccurring problem that needs to be addressed by the line coach first and foremost.

Job Security: 9

• It is unlikely that the 49ers will be able to make an improvement at offensive line coach, should they choose to part ways with Solari.
• Unless Solari decides he wants to venture elsewhere, it appears as though the job will be his. With so many injured and young players on the line, the struggles could easily be deferred to one of those factors.

Running Backs Coach: Tom Rathman

Experience:

• Rathman was the fullback on the 49ers for eight years, where he helped the 49ers get to seven division titles and won two Super Bowls.
• He coached for the Raiders, Lions, and is in his second coaching stint with the 49ers. He has helped Frank Gore become the first 49er with four 1,000 yard rushing seasons in history.

The Good:

• Not only is he a strong running back coach, he is also a beloved figure in the 49er organization. He is the only position coach many touch and go fans recognize by face or name.
• He has made Frank Gore into the running back he is today, well not today, but rather pre-injury. He also helped Charlie Garner, Kevin Jones and Justin Fargas to 1,000 yard seasons.
• He has is a credible source for running back knowledge. As a key part of one of the greatest offenses in NFL history, players can unabashedly absorb his knowledge.

The Bad:

• Glen Coffee retired unexpectedly during training camp, citing his pursuit of the Lord as his reason for doing so. Coincidentally, Rathman and he happened to have what some called a falling out. Rathman is a no nonsense coach, and some players don't take to that. This is the NFL though, and if harsh criticism is really the catalyst behind the Glen Coffee retirement, it speaks more about Coffee than Rathman.
• Rathman was only able to develop Frank Gore this season into a running back that brought everything to the table. Bryan Westbrook and Anthony Dixon were used in limited capacity all season long, which indicates they believed something was lacking in both of their games.

Job Security: 10

• The firing of Tom Rathman would hit home for many 49ers fans. Jed York is all about appeasing the masses, so it is unlikely Rathman is going anywhere.

• Rathman is a good coach and the 49ers could lose him to another team. Should a promotion present itself, it is likely Rathman would leave his running backs coach post.

Wide Receiver Coach: Jerry Sullivan

Experience

• After coaching at the collegiate level, Sullivan went on to coach in San Diego, Miami and Arizona.

• He has worked with Anquan Boldin, David Boston and Herman Moore.

• He is currently the wide receivers coach in San Francisco.

The Good

• Michael Crabtree had a relatively successful rookie season, despite missing the first four games and being absent throughout training camp.

• Sullivan has been around a number of good receivers in his career, which is an indication that he may play a role in their success. David Boston is an example of an over-achieving player who excelled under Sullivan.

The Bad

• Even though the 49ers refuse to convert to a balanced offense, Michael Crabtree could be having a better season. He was a player many thought would go in the top three picks. He has unlimited potential, but the 49ers have not seemed to completely delve into it.

• With Josh Morgan, Ted Ginn, Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker and Kyle Williams on the field, there should be mismatches everywhere. The 49ers fail to consistently win favorable matchups at wide receiver, which reflects poorly on Sullivan.

Job Security Rating: 6

• The wide receiving corps could do better as a whole. With developing talent and quite possibly one of the best tight ends in the league at his disposal, it does not bode well for Sullivan that the passing game is still struggling.

• The 49ers will probably jump at a chance to secure a coach who can bring the developing receivers to the next level.

Secondary Coach: Vance Joseph

Experience

• Joseph was a collegiate quarterback at the University of Colorado.

• After coaching at the collegiate level, he went on to become the 49ers secondary coach in 2005, where he has remained since.

The Good

• Joseph is now the lone secondary coach, after fellow secondary coach Johnnie Lynn unexpectedly parted from the team last week. This increases his stock in the team.

• Joseph is finishing his 5th season, which is a considerably long tenure for a position coach with his experience.

The Bad

• Nate Clements saw a heavy decline after the 49ers picked him up in free agency. Joseph has been with the team during that period of time.

• There are consistent break downs in coverage. Taylor Mays is seeing the bench due to the holes in his coverage skill set, but how much is Joseph to blame for the lapses?

• The 49ers only have nine interceptions this season. With a struggling offense, the defense needs to make more plays on the ball for the 49ers to win football games.

Job Security Rating: 3

• Joseph might not be a good enough coach to handle the secondary by himself. He has had long enough to make a difference in the secondary, yet the pass defense struggles.

• With Taylor Mays and Dashon Goldson at the forefront of rising talent in the secondary, it is imperative that the 49ers teach them how to cover properly, as they are both known for their big hitting ability.

Linebackers Coach: Jason Tarver (Outside) Vantz Singletary (Inside)

Experience

• After being a grad assistant at UCLA, Tarver went on to be a quality control coach with the 49ers. He was then promoted to offensive assistant, and finally made the move to outside linebacker coach, where he has been for six years.

• Vantz Singletary, the nephew of head coach Mike Singletary, coached in college for 17 years. He was brought in when Mike Singletary was made the full time head coach.

The Good:

• The strength of the 49ers could easily be the linebacker corp. Production at every other position group has lacked to some degree, but the linebackers have been far and away the most consistent.

• Patrick Willis could go down as a hall of fame middle linebacker one day. The coaches get some credit for this, though Mike Singletary should probably get the biggest tip of the cap for his development, despite his improved play year to year.

The Bad:

• The 49ers don't have a great outside linebacker. While Parys Haralson has played well in recent years, the 49ers don't have a guy like Shaun Phillips, Clay Matthews, Demarcus Ware, Cameron Wake etc.

• The pressure has been forced to come inside out. The idea of a 3-4 is to have a number of ways to send pressure. The heat has been largely dependent on Patrick Willis. Willis has other duties to attend to, and while he is effective at blitzing, a double digit sack edge rusher would be beneficial.

Job Security Rating: Tarver 9, Singletary 1

• Tarver has the experience to take on full linebacker coach duties. He is approaching the seventh year in his duties, so a promotion is likely headed his way if he chooses to stay. He would have the luxury of having Willis in his prime, so his attention would be largely placed on the development of Navarro Bowman, as far as middle linebacker is concerned.

• Vantz Singletary is on his way out with his uncle, should Mike lose his job. If Tarver shows he can assume the duties as middle linebacker coach, Singletary is likely to be forced out. If not, Singletary is still likely to follow his uncle out the door.