Mike Nolan Era in San Francisco: A Wasted Three-Plus Years

If it wasn't apparent after last season, it is now. The Mike Nolan era in San Francisco is coming to an end. 

Much like his team's current quarterback, Nolan has been extremely hit or miss with his draft choices and free-agent acquisitions.

Draft choices include: Alex Smith, David Baas, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Kentwan Balmar, and Joe Staley.

Now five of those 8 are current starters for the 49ers, but the big tuna of Nolan's draft class was obviously Alex Smith.  Now, the fact that Nolan drafted Smith, who has thrown 31 interceptions over three seasons while only throwing for 19 TDs and a 63.5 quarterback rating, shows that Nolan doesn't have the ability to scout talent. 

Smith was young, played in a primarily shotgun formation at Utah, and Nolan "threw him to the lions" in 2005 by handing Smith the Indianapolis Colts for his first career NFL start.

Free-agent acquisitions: OT Jonas Jennings, WR Antonio Bryant, WR Curtis Conway, NT Aubrayo Franklin, DE Justin Smith, CB Nate Clements, SS Michael Lewis.

The only worthwhile signing so far has been CB Nate Clements, who at times has been extremely effective in shutting down the opposing team's top receiver, but with the anemic 49er pass rush, the secondary has been torn apart. 

Aubrayo Franklin and Justin Smith have done absolutely nothing to strengthen the 49ers' defensive line, which has given quarterbacks such as Drew Brees, Donovan McNabb, and Eli Manning all day to throw the football. 

Offensive tackle Jonas Jennings has been injured almost half the time since being signed by the 49ers and has not been very effective when healthy.

Terrible Challenge Calls

Then there are Mike Nolan's puzzling challenge calls. Nolan always seems to challenge plays that he has no reason to challenge. 

Against the Saints he challenged a six-yard completion around the Saints' 40-yard line because he thought it may have been incomplete. Even if he was right, it would have been 2nd-and-10 for the Saints instead of 2nd-and-4. Six yards? You have got to be joking, Nolan. 

And last week, against the Eagles, Nolan challenged whether or not a field goal was correctly called a good field goal, even though the refs had the best look on the play (standing beneath the uprights). It even turned out to be an unchallengeable play, and on a fumble later in the game, Nolan didn't have a challenge left to use because he wasted it on the field goal.

Terrible Coaching Decisions

Nolan also makes some executive coaching decisions that leave 49er fans dumbfounded. Not going for the first down on 4th-and-inch a couple of years ago against St. Louis and then today against the Giants, he decided not to use his timeout to prevent the 10 second run-off late in the first half after a false-start penalty. 

The 49ers were around midfield with all three timeouts, and they were in a spot where they didn't have to abandon the run. But Mike Nolan decided to not use his timeout with 46 seconds left, and by the time the 49ers snapped the ball on the next play, the clock was down to 30 seconds. Two plays later, with only 22 seconds left, O'Sullivan threw a interception in the end zone.

As a diehard 49er fan myself, I feel appalled at the way Mike Nolan seems to ruin this team. With players such as Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, Patrick Willis, Walt Harris, and Nate Clements, this team should not be 2-5. I think my Spanish teacher put it best when he said, "I can't watch this team, they have playoff talent but they're never gonna get there [to the playoffs]."

He's right, the 49ers aren't going to make the playoffs until they get rid of Mike Nolan.