Ed Donatell Hired as Secondary Coach

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.

Maybe he will convince the niners to get Champ Bailey

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
Maybe he will convince the niners to get Champ Bailey

This! Or Nnamdi. Great hire

I have liked all of Harbaugh's hires, but this one has me most excited.

On offense, Harbaugh is surrounding himself with guys he's familiar with, but on D, he's focusing on building an experienced NFL staff (Tomsula, Donatell, Fangio)

Originally posted by Schulzy:
I have liked all of Harbaugh's hires, but this one has me most excited.

On offense, Harbaugh is surrounding himself with guys he's familiar with, but on D, he's focusing on building an experienced NFL staff (Tomsula, Donatell, Fangio)

I'm so pumped for next season! It can't get her any sooner!!

Originally posted by Furlow:

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
Maybe he will convince the niners to get Champ Bailey

This! Or Nnamdi. Great hire

or both

Originally posted by Schulzy:
I have liked all of Harbaugh's hires, but this one has me most excited.

On offense, Harbaugh is surrounding himself with guys he's familiar with, but on D, he's focusing on building an experienced NFL staff (Tomsula, Donatell, Fangio)

Yup, it sounds great! I'm excited to see what he'll do with Mays/smith/Goldson (if here)! And with a focus on 4 blitzing LB's and QB pressures, it should eally play into the strengths of the secondary.

Originally posted by 49ersVic:

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.

wow what a hire. This dude could probably be a DC somewhere.

Welcome to the 49ers!

I wouldn't be surprised if he's used to try to attract Champ Bailey here. "Hey Champ we'll pay you good money and we got your old coach and you get to play with Patrick Friggin Willis". Use him like the Packers use Charles Woodson maybe.

i just hope all of our hires are here to stay instead of going to greener pastures or HC vacancies. we need some serious consistency finally

wow this seems like a great hire, dude has a wealth of knowledge

Originally posted by TalkinBoutWILLIS:
i just hope all of our hires are here to stay instead of going to greener pastures or HC vacancies. we need some serious consistency finally

i doubt that anyone we just hired would get considered for hc position, unless your talking about college level

Originally posted by Genius1310:
Welcome to the 49ers!