Harbuagh adds two DCs

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As you've read on Twitter, the 49ers have finally secured Stanford defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to run their 3-4 defense (first reported by Matt Maiocco on CSNBA, and needlessly confirmed by my team sources).

Fangio is a fourth-time NFL defensive coordinator, but he isn't alone in that experience department.

The 49ers have also landed Broncos assistant Ed Donatell to coach their secondary, according to a league source. He was a defensive coordinator in Green Bay (2000-03) and Atlanta (2004-06) and was the secondary coach in Denver's Super Bowl repeat in the 90s.

Consider Donatell the first step, and a major step at that, toward addressing the NFL's 24th-ranked defense.

Donatell walked into Denver last season and turned an overturned roster into the NFL's third-ranked pass defense. His Packers led the NFL in takeaways from 2001-03.

Coaching up the secondary is Donatell's specialty. He's coached the likes of Champ Bailey, Ty Law and Steve Atwater. Look for him to get more out of safety Dashon Goldson and help develop Taylor Mays into starter's material, as well as whatever cornerback the 49ers decide to draft -- and you better believe they're going to draft one up high.

Harbaugh is clearly the man in charge in San Francisco, but by hiring two experienced NFL defensive coordinators, he's showing a willingness to put the defensive side of the team into the hands of far more qualified people. Given the last head coach's knack for wandering out of his personal wheelhouse, this can only be a good thing.

Now, I'm off to to the city for a 5 p.m. appearance on Chronicle Live (CSNBA).

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | January 14 2011 at 03:11 PM