Who Should Be The Niners' Next Coach?

Speaking as a big time San Francisco 49ers fan, I feel rejuvenated the the Niners' finally parted with the ex-Head Coach Mike Nolan.

He had the right mindset coming into the job. 

He wanted to place a quarterback into the system, strengthen the offensive line, running game, create a strong defense, and have high charactor football players who love the game and would give a 110% every play (not to mention caring way too much about his self-image and how he was perceived by others).

Sounds great, huh?

It sure does, but it took him over three years to do those things and some of them he did not accomplish. And once he got there he had no idea what to do from there on out.

He had no idea about the offensive side of the ball. No idea on how to manage players and coaches as individuals. No idea on player evaluation (I would say he got lucky with Frank Gore and Patrick Willis was a no brain-er). No idea about coach evaluations. No idea how to run the front office. No idea about clock management. No idea on how to adjust his team from week-to-week and certainly not from half-to-half. No idea about how to evaluate his team.

The termination of the coach should have been done after year two.

Okay, I'm done with that and will try never to write (or hopefully) talk about that coach again. 

Now lets get to the future.

Who should (or might) be the next head coach?

Mike Singletary is the #1 candidate as of now.

If he can turn things around and win 5 of the remaining 9 games on the schedule I think he will be a lock to be the head coach.

Singletary definitely can make players play harder, tougher, and more emotional, but can he make them play smarter, better, and as one?

I'm not sure. With him were getting almost the same thing as we did with the ex-coach. The same person he has learned from. He's a coach who is inspirational, defensive minded and knows nothing about the offense or improving the team on the field. 

Singletary, I'm sure is a great guy, and would be a good coach but I'm not sure this team is right for him. They've just had a coach just like him for over three-years not to mention it was his boss, mentor, and close friend. 

Pete Carroll

Every high profile team looks towards Carroll. I think he'll do great in San Francisco, but he'll want total control which might be a good thing. Hell, if they gave it to the ex-coach they should have no problem giving it to him, right?

The right dollar amount and power and he'll come, the only thing is whether he can translate a NFL team to great as he's done in college.

Mike Homgren

Holmgren is one of my favorite candidates. Ever since the Niners went away from the Bill Walsh tree we have suffered. Now it's time to get back to it.

The thing with Holmgren is that he told his family that he would take a year off from football. Which I think he will. Unless his family urges him to come to San Francisco. If they don't, maybe he'll come in as the General Manager. Which I think is less time consuming and strenuous from being the head coach. If that happens I'm sure he'll want to bring a coach that he's familiar with. That might be an option. 

Marty Schottheimer

Where has Marty been?

Schottheimer is one of my all-time favorite coaches. Every team he has been with has been winners. Remember when the Chiefs were contenders? That was Marty. Remember when the Chargers were serious contenders for the Super Bowl? That was Marty. Sure he has trouble in the playoffs and making it to the Super Bowl, but if the Niners could just be a contender at this point the fan base would be ecstatic.

Bill Cower

Cower is another one of my all-time favorites. Cower reportedly loves his job as a analysist for CBS. So I think very few things would bring him to San Francisco. However, If Cower was to be the head coach I think the team would instantly become a playoff contender before he ever put on the red and gold on, on the practice field. His intensity, knowledge, aggressiveness, clock management, among other attributes would make the team better instantly.

There will be other potential candidates, maybe some from college and some NFL coordinators but with any unproven there will be a great amount of risk and the fans after five-years-plus of experimenting deserve better.

If the choice was mine this is the order in which I would decide.

#1. Bill Cower

Cower brings credibility. He's a winner. Pick a year he coached in Pittsburgh. There was not one year they were not in contention. The team played hard every play. They were amongst the toughest teams all the time. He built that foundation and it's still strong today. If Cower were to be a Niner the team would instantly be a playoff contender.

#2. Mike Holmgren

Holmgren also brings a ton of credibility. He's also a winner. He's from the Walsh family tree which would be great to see. Although I think he is a long shot to be the coach due to his family wanting him to take a year off, but GM possibly, and maybe his family would want him to return to San Francisco. I really think if he wants it, it's his.

#3. Marty Schottheimer

Schottheimer will definitely make the team better. I really don't know his exact area of expertise but he's just a football man. He's a winner. He gets his team to play together, he makes them better. He's an excellent motivator and a great coach.

#4. Pete Carroll

Carroll is another great coach. He's a great talent evaluator at the college level. However, this has not been  proven in the NFL. It would be a risk to get him. He might realize he made a mistake. He might not have the respect of the players and not get all of them to play like early 20 year old college students. I'm sure he'd be able to do the job, though. I'm sure he'd make the Niners' better but it a risk and I think the fans and owners want something that's going to be as, "for sure" as possible. 

#5. Mike Singletary

He is obviously the front runner right now, but if he continues to lose he'll be gone too. I think he'll be a good coach somewhere. I don't think it will be with the Niners'. It's just the wrong time. He's been learning from the ex-coach this whole time. He is also primarily defensive minded. He is a first time head coach. He'll have his learning curve. He is basically the same as Nolan was coming into the job. I think the players will play tough, hard, and physical but that's not enough in this day and age.

The 49ers' owners, players, and fans have suffered for over five-years. They need someone who is proven. Someone who has shown that they can win in the NFL. Why take another chance on someone that will need to learn on the job and might just take up another few years rebuilding?

We are all tired of waiting to get to the next level.

So my analogy is this:

If your on a long trip, why risk taking a street that you think is the short cut when you can take the same street you've always taken and get to you're destination without taking the risk that you might have to come back and start all over again?