Aaron Rodgers - What could have been

This weekend's divisional playoff round reflected poorly on the legacy of former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan. The most glaring example was the play of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a player McCloughan scouted as being second to Alex Smith in the 2005 draft. Rodgers is now on his way to being the league's best quarterback, if he's not there already.

In beating the top-seeded Falcons on Sunday, Rodgers showed it all - accuracy, mobility, pocket presence, and an uncanny grasp of knowing who was open. His timing with his receivers was impeccable. McCloughan and the 49ers weren't the only ones to miss on Rodgers. He dropped to the 24th slot in the first round before the Packers stole him and that contributed to his success eventually.

He went to the stable Packers, a team that has stayed with the same offense during five of his six seasons in Green Bay. He sat behind Brett Favre for three years and soaked up the scheme, luxuries not afforded to Alex Smith. Nevertheless, Rodgers' talent is so great, he might have been able to help solidify an offensive direction for the rudderless 49ers.

Now the 49ers are without a quarterback and have no means to get one with a labor stoppage looming.

Another failing of the 49ers was their handling of offensive guards. The Falcons won 13 games with Harvey Dahl as their starting right guard, a player the 49ers kept on their practice squad and then eventually cut. Dahl tried playing tackle with the 49ers, but he wasn't athletic enough. The Falcons signed him and moved him to guard and his chippy, aggressive style sets the tone for their excellent offensive line. The team also dumped Justin Smiley, who's now in Jacksonville, and Kyle Kosier, a starter in Dallas.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 17 2011 at 12:31 PM

49ers Offense - A crazy idea

Word is new coach Jim Harbaugh will leave the defense alone, particularly if he can get his experienced former NFL coordinator, Vic Fangio, to follow him from Stanford. The scheme will likely stay as a 3-4, and all Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke need to do is concentrate on the difficult task of acquiring some cornerbacks and pass rushers.

Offense is another story. One fear is Harbaugh will be seduced by running back Frank Gore, the potential of the young offensive line and do the same thing the two Mike's (Nolan and Singletary) did before him - run the ball.

It seems logical to do just that, particularly with a line that doesn't pass protect and a gaping hole at quarterback. But this strategy has failed miserably. It's the major reason the 49ers remain a winless lot for the last eight seasons and counting. It leads to boring, predictable and ineffective football. That's why the creative Harbaugh needs to get crazy and this is the perfect place and time to do it.

San Francisco is the birthplace of offensive innovation - the shotgun formation, the Alley-Oop pass, the Bill Walsh, west coast offense. Why not eschew the NFL's stodgy obsession with the run and install a college spread?

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 13 2011 at 06:28 PM

David Carr - Starter by default?

Trent Baalke recently said the 49ers next starting quarterback is not on their roster. With Nate Davis signing in Seattle, Alex Smith due to become an unrestricted free agent and Troy Smith due to become a restricted free agent, the 49ers have only one signed quarterback in the fold - David Carr.

This is the wrong year to have a questions at quarterback. With a labor stoppage looming, teams with entrenched starters will be miles ahead when and if a new agreement is reached. Say, for example, a new CBA is in place a week or two before next season. That means teams, and particularly quarterbacks, will only have that amount of time to get ready for the new season. So whoever is on the roster is likely going to be the one who starts the season. In other words, the 49ers might very well be stuck with Carr as their starter depending on the timing of the new CBA.

The team will take a quarterback at some point during the draft. But that player will be unable to practice until labor issues are resolved. The 49ers have already seen what happens when they subject a young quarterback to the rigors of starting before he's ready. Had they waited with Smith, the direction of his career might have been different.

Also, if there's little time to get ready for the season, bringing in a free agent quarterback doesn't make much sense. Compounding the problem is the lack of talent on the potential free-agent market. Philadelphia is likely to sign Michael Vick at their first opportunity. That leaves Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, Seneca Wallace, Brady Quinn, Matt Moore and Trent Edwards as possibilities. With the exception of Hasselbeck, Carr is equal to or better than the rest of that group.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 12 2011 at 05:12 PM

BCS draft prospects

BCS PROSPECTS: While one part of the 49ers building tries to compile new coach Jim Harbaugh's future coaching staff, another part is attempting to evaluate Harbaugh's future players, and that's where tonight's BCS Championship game between Auburn and Oregon comes in. 49ers fans should watch for these players tonight:

Auburn on offense: Cam Newton -quarterback. The junior Heismann Trophy winner did everything imaginable for this Auburn offense, including accounting for for 49 touchdowns (28 passing, 20 rushing, and one receiving). Yet some draftnicks don't like him. ESPN experts believe he's not a first round talent.

Terrell Zachery WR - Late round prospect and the second-leading receiver for the Tigers. Is also dangerous on end arounds.

Mario Fannin RB - Another late round prospect, but he has the size (230 pounds). He shares the back field with freshman Michael Dyer and sophomore Onterio McCalebb.

The Tigers have other prospects, particularly on the offensive line, but that's not an overriding need for the 49ers. The main one here is obviously Newton.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 10 2011 at 03:46 PM

Roger Craig and Eddie DeBartolo Jr. don't make HOF cut

Too bad that running back Roger Craig and former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. didn't make it as finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Craig was a main cog in the glory years, particularly in 1988, the year the 49ers rebounded from a 6-5 start to go 10-6 and win Super Bowl XXIII in dramatic fashion over the Bengals. That was the last 49ers team Bill Walsh coached, and he would later say that he relied too much on Craig that season. Craig set a then team record with 1,502 rushing yards that year.

That was also the season he broke seven or eight tackles in a historic run against the Rams in Anaheim. That run was recently compared to Marshawn Lynch's tackle-bursting 67-yard bull-doze to the end zone to beat the Saints on Saturday.

I've also thought DeBartolo never got the credit he deserved for crafting a winning organization. Walsh often left and returned to the 49ers; and the team won with a completely new roster in 1994 from the one in 1981. The one constant was Eddie.

Recently, he went on KNBR to explain that he was never banned from the NFL. Suspended, yes, for his role in trying to illegally obtain a Louisiana riverboat gambling licensee, but never banned. DeBartolo said if he wasn't forced to sell part of the team to his sister, he'd still own the 49ers. Former 49ers Charles Haley and Deion Sanders made it to the next round of voting.

COMING: Players to look for in tonight's BCS Championship Game.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 10 2011 at 02:36 PM

Jim Harbaugh - Three impressions

Three impressions on the 49ers hiring of Jim Harbaugh:

IMPRESSION 1: In the slew of interviews Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke conducted, the most revealing was on KNBR with Tom Tolbert and Ralph Barbieri. When Tolbert has new football coaches on, he asks them what they do if they were faced with this situation: You're on defense, there's a minute left, the score is tied, you have no time-outs, and the opposition is deep in your red zone. When Tolbert outlined this situation to Harbaugh, he immediately said, "let them score." In fact, Harbaugh even has a defensive call for that circumstance, which he called "highway." The thought is to allow the opposition to score so you can get the ball back.

Tolbert said when he puts this scenario to coaches, they either have never thought of it, or they say allowing a team to score under any circumstance is against their philosophy. Harbaugh has not only thought of this situation, he has a defense designed for it, and he's not foolishly wedded to a stop-the-offense-at-all-times theology.

IMPRESSION 2: Harbaugh has precious little control, with Baalke having final say on trades, the final roster and the draft. But many believe Harbaugh will wrest control of those areas rather quickly, but I don't think so. People shouldn't underestimate Baalke. While he may not be as savvy with the media as Harbaugh, he's equally ambitious and he's a grinder. He's not going to give up his authority easily.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 09 2011 at 11:53 AM

Harbaugh hired - News conference highlights

Here are the basics of the Jim Harbaugh news conference.

NERVOUS, SCARED, CONFIDENT?: Said he was comfortable and said he has unshakable confidence.

HOW MUCH FACTOR WAS MONEY: Said he didn't want to talk about money. Said the factor in being with the 49ers was that York and Baalke wanted him and that he's excited about that.

INFLUENCE OF BEING A QB ON HIRE: Baalke said he had the chance to go to Stanford practices and games and he admired the way Harbaugh related to his quarterbacks.

WHAT CHANCES BAALKE MAKE: Said he will hire a personnel guy and that there will be some changes in the scouting department.

WHAT HE THOUGHT OF LUCK DECISION: Told Luck to do the best for himself and his family. Supported his decision. Said he has taken a lot from him. "From his mouth has come some extraordinary things."

BAALKE'S TAKE ON MEETING: Said he was looking for the fit. Like the enthusiasm. Said he liked the passion. More than what he said, but how he came across. "He's a ball coach" Baalke said.

DETAILS OF THE MEETING WITH 49ers: Said Baalke was the driving force of the meeting. Said Jed was there to talk about his vision. Said they were cool cucumbers.

Said he talked to Andrew Luck and the Stanford players through text. Said he was going to be right down the road.

ON WHAT STANFORD DID TO WOO HIM: Reiterated that he just wanted the NFL shot.

ON PLAYING PETE CARROLL: Said he was just excited about tonight's work.

CHARACTERISTICS HE LOOKS FOR IN A QB: Accuracy, intelligence, decision-making. He said he could go on and on. Said it was more the most important position on the field and the most difficult position in sports.

QUARTERBACK QUESTION: Said he would talk to current players on the team first. Then check out the avenues to upgrade the position.

QUESTION ASKED ABOUT MOVING TO SANTA CLARA: "I don't know what you are talking about." Answered questions in football terms.

WHAT HE LEARNED THE LAST FEW DAYS: "If it's on the internet, it's true." His first joke. Said he did a lot of homework and made a lot of phone calls. After that, he knew the 49ers were the choice.

HOW HE FEELS ABOUT COACHING AGAINST HIS BROTHER NEXT YEAR: He has talked to John about it. Said John told him the game could be the Thursday kickoff game for the league.

JUMPING TO NFL DURING NO LABOR AGREEMENT: "We'll win at what we can win at each day." He said any obstacles he will overcome.

THE HIRING PROCESS: Baalke said he encouraged Harbaugh to take his time to make his decision.

WALSH INFLUENCE: Has a picture of him on his computer screen. Met him as a player and at Stanford. Can't put JH and Bill Walsh in the same sentence, Harbaugh said.

ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN GM AND COACH: The final say on roster will be with Baalke.

CAN HE OVERCOME COLLEGE COACH STIGMA: "I hope to be under estimated." - Harbaugh. Baalke said he had no doubt that Harbaugh would succeed.

WHEN HE MADE THE DECISION: Through his six-hour meeting with York and Baalke.

WEST COAST OFFENSE: "We will be installing the West Coast offense in San Francisco, the birthplace of the West Coast offense." - Harbaugh.

WHAT WERE LAST TWO DAYS LIKE: Hearing the vision from York and Baalke swayed him he said. "Losing is not an option."

COACHING STAFF, WHO WILL TAKE FROM STANFORD: Won't mention names until they sign contracts. Said will meld the two staffs, 49ers and Stanford.

WHY LEAVE STANFORD NOW: Perfect opportunity, at Stanford said they were signature years. Said he got married there and had two children. "The chance to compete at the highest level was overwhelming to me."

Harbaugh said his first task will be to call and meet with players.

Baalke said he has known Harbaugh for seven years. Met him at a college all-star game. He liked his energy.

Music accompanied the intro to Jed York and GM Trent Baalke to start the Harbaugh news conference.

-The 49ers set up a conference call with Jim Harbaugh's brother John at 4:45. John is the head coach of the Ravens.

-Ray Ratto said Harbaugh won some concessions on power over the roster and coaches. We'll see what they say in the press conference.

-Stanford and Giants broadcaster Dave Flemming turned out to be out right. He said on KNBR that he wanted to be in the NFL. Somehow, Flemming knew more than Harbaugh's brother John, who said he was going back to Stanford.

-Harbaugh apparently hired two agents, one to handle the pro side, David Dunn, and another Jack Bechta, on the college side, according to CSNBA's Mindi Bach. Read More 'Harbaugh hired - News conference highlights' »

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 07 2011 at 04:06 PM

Jim Harbaugh - Is money the issue?

Money? Really? According to the latest reports the 49ers might lose out on Jim Harbaugh because they are unwilling to meet the Dolphins contract numbers. Miami is reportedly offering $7 million per, the 49ers are at $4.5 million.

You often hear around the 49ers that the Yorks are willing to pay to make the team better, to get the team they want. Obviously, they want Harbaugh and if it's true they could lose out on him because of cash. That would be a bad sign and a PR disaster.

That also seems unbelievably short-sighted. Wouldn't the 49ers make the $2.5 million difference with season-ticket renewals, luxury-box sales, and corporate partnerships? To say nothing of the momentum Harbaugh could build for the new stadium?

Other factors are likely roiling behind the scenes. As the most sought-after coach in the nation, Harbaugh is likely going to want more than money. He's going to want control over his roster, his coaching staff, personnel, maybe even the draft. That would infringe on new general manager Trent Baalke's hard-won territory, and the ambitious Baalke probably doesn't want to give that up.

The 49ers gave their last two coaches, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary, wide authority. When Nolan won the job, he had as much or more authority as anyone in the league. Nolan helped hire personnel man Scot McCloughan. According to Nolan, he had say in stadium matters and broad administrative powers. When the team kept losing, Nolan was stripped of his personnel "trigger", which was then handed to McCloughan. Nolan, who had never been a head coach before, didn't react well to the reduction of his power (who does?). He was eventually fired and McCloughan extinguished his own rising star with a personal issue.

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Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 06 2011 at 10:10 AM

Harbaugh interviewed

Several outlets are reporting that Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh met with the 49ers Wednesday afternoon. Also, on KNBR, Giants and Stanford radio broadcaster Dave Flemming said he believes Harbaugh wants to go to the NFL. Flemming said that's always been his goal. Harbaugh is also being courted by the Broncos.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 05 2011 at 05:29 PM

Orange Bowl Observations

Here are some notes from Stanford's big win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, with particular attention to Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers want to hire him as their next head coach.

Jim Harbaugh - Out coached on the first drive. On third down, all out blitz and Tech had receivers covered, but then Stanford really took control. Plays are complex, lots of verbiage in the huddle. Great halftime adjustments. 15 blitzes netted three sacks by the third quarter. They don't make the mistakes that Virginia Tech makes. They play relatively mistake free and then they punish you when you make mistakes. On a third quarter touchdown pass, a flag was thrown and Harbaugh knew right away what happened. It was defensive holding and he knew it. When a offensive lineman committed a personal foul late in the game, Harbaugh pulled him out and then yelled at him on the sidelines. He really knows how to use a tight end, which would be great for Vernon Davis.

Offensively, the multiple shifts confused the Hokies and led to some big runs. Wherever Harbaugh goes, he'll likely take defensive coordinator Vic Fangio with him. The Stanford defense is multiple and underrated.

Harbaugh is cocky. Stanford didn't need to throw the ball deep late in the fourth quarter, but they did in order to score the final points of the game. At one point, he shifted the offensive line three times before finally running the ball, which drew a death stare from the Virginia Tech defensive coordinator. He's a little bit of a wildcard; if things get tough, you could see him melting down. He looks hyper, and he munched on gum during his post game news conference. Read More 'Orange Bowl Observations' »

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 03 2011 at 09:51 PM