Another game, another loss. Head coach Mike Nolan's seat is getting warmer and is on the brink of losing the team. Is it time for Nolan to go? Many in the Bay Area believe so.
What constituted Nolan getting another shot? Nolan's best record as 49er head coach was 7-9, not exactly a winning season. When is enough, enough?
Nolan's game plan and conservative defense played a huge role in the 49ers' losing ways. His meddling of coaching personnel has hindered this team and his time is now coming to an end in San Francisco.
Although firing Nolan mid-season may not be the recourse the 49ers want to go, but a change is necessary if the 49ers are to return to their glory years, which almost seem like an eternity ago.
With Mike Holmgren leaving Seattle at the end of the season, the 49ers should highly consider hiring Holmgren and bring back some of that glory day luster. Holmgren was the 49ers' offensive coordinator during the Joe Montana era and has three Super Bowl appearances under his belt as a head coach, winning one with the Green Bay Packers in 1996.
Although the 49ers' offense has been decent this season, a return to its roots is necessary. The 49ers are known for its West Coast Offense, not Martz's wide open style. With Holmgren, the 49ers would return to this style of offense, the same very offense that aided in the 49ers winning five Super Bowls.
This has been a dark era for San Francisco football and Nolan has not helped the situation any. Fan support is starting to falter and there's the possibility that games could be blacked out next season if things don't turn around soon.
The 49er defense has been porous. This is Nolan's specialty and he has been unable to come up with game plans to stop opposing offenses. A defensive minded coach is supposed to have his unit on top of things. Unfortunately, Nolan and his defense simply cannot get the job done.
Quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan has been average at best. Although he has shined at times, he still gives up too many turnovers. Nolan obviously did not have a real back up plan if Alex Smith was to fail (which he did) and now the 49ers are stuck with a journeyman quarterback that is starting.
Ever since Steve Mariucci was fired, the 49ers have gone nowhere. Times during the Mooch era don't seem too bad now as we actually got into the playoffs and contended. Although Mooch's teams weren't championship worthy, at least they competed.
After another loss to Philadelphia where Nolan mismanaged another game to another loss, it may be time for the 49ers to consider a change at the head coach now. Fire Nolan now, have Mike Martz finish out the season as interim head coach and snatch up Mike Holmgren in the off season sounds like a good plan to me. A return to our roots is necessary for this team to survive for the future.
Although this may seem like a brash idea, the team is truly going nowhere and a shake up is necessary. Nolan is obviously not the man we thought he was and is a waste of coaching space.
With Nolan's apparent departure soon, one can only wonder if the assistant coaches will be let go as well. If Holmgren is picked to be the successor, there is a plethora of capable assistant coaches that are well versed in Holmgren's style of football. Former coordinators Greg Knapp and Marty Mornhinweg come to mind immediately. Who knows, maybe George Seifert can be brought out of retirement to run the defense, a Seifert specialty.
Speculation abounds as Nolan continually scapegoats other players for team failures. However, when it all comes down to it, it's the head coach that is ultimately responsible. Nolan is the man who we should be pointing fingers at.
A change is necessary. Bring on Mike Holmgren.
