Stubborness is Nolan’s Downfall
As the 49ers prepare for Sunday’s game against the Saints in the midst of a 4 game losing streak, one would expect large scale changes to catapult the team back towards expectation. Afterall, a change at a certain, underperforming position or a new approach to the offense could provide the necessary spark or send a message to the players that the team means business. So why is it not surprising that Nolan announced that Trent Dilfer would start his 3rd consecutive game this Sunday if Alex Smith could not play? You know, that same Trent Dilfer who has fumbled and thrown away any chance at victory the previous two weeks. The same one who has shown that he’s not an effective quarterback for this team, and probably never was an effective quarterback to begin with during his entire career.
It’s not surprising because Nolan is stubborn. Now thankfully, Alex Smith has been able to take all of the snaps thus far this week, so fans will save themselves an eye gouge and the sight of Trent Dilfer flopping over another pass to the wrong colored jersey. But, what if Alex Smith could not go this week? Is Nolan saying that Trent Dilfer’s incumbent position remains unchallenged and that Shaun Hill, the 3rd string quarterback, has shown nothing to at least warrant consideration when Dilfer’s mere precense has almost guaranteed a loss in each of the weeks that he has started? Sure, Shaun Hill has the potential to be worst than Dilfer, but there is an unknown factor. The kind of unknown factor that has transformed quarterbacks such as Tony Romo from clipboard holders to stars. But before we can dream that we have the next Carrie Underwood love interest under our belt here in San Francisco, at least there is the chance of a legitimate and effective backup; something that Trent Dilfer is not.
And that’s the inherent problem with Mike Nolan. Most fans would agree that Nolan, along with Scott McCloughan, has done a tremendous job of retooling and rebuilding the 49er roster after it was left in shambles following 2004. He has been able to establish a good work ethic and build up some sort of foundation for the franchise in the wake of the earthquake that was the Donahue/Erickson regime. So clearly, talent evaluation and accumulation is not Nolan’s problem. He seems to have a way to get the right guys or at least attempt to find the right guys, such as with his numerous trade endeveours. Yet, it’s not the talent evaluation that’s hurting us right now. It’s the talent utilization factor.
Mike Nolan must show less stubborness as a coach and in terms of allowing his players to execute freely during games. When you are as down and as desperate as the 49ers have been the past few years, there is no reason to play it safe. There is no reason why it should take nearly two years to replace a failing RT such as Kwame Harris, who continously made the same killer mistakes week in and week out. It’s just the same as why there is no reason to start Justin Smiley again and again when he’s been run over and dominated much of this season. Especially when there are other players, namely David Baas—the same guy that you spent the 33rd pick in the draft on 2 years ago—who will push the mediocre incumbents.
When I analyze the season thus far, the biggest disappointment has not been the 49ers 2-4 record. We would all be happy to see more wins, but the biggest disappointment has been in how we have played in general. Even in the wins, Nolan’s safe and cautious approach lead to more questions than answers. And then, when things have been failing and there are oppurtunities to try new things, it has taken us weeks to actually make those changes. The offensive line situation described above is one instance. Another is in the WR situation involving Ashley Lelie. Yes, Ashley Lelie was limited during OTAs and training camps. No, Ashley Lelie is not a gamebreaking WR in the Randy Moss or Terrell Owens mode. But when an opposing defensive coordinator stated that he had planned to double team Lelie had we used him, it makes you wonder why Ashley Lelie’s most significant playtime has come a full 7 weeks into the season and purely out of desperation. We all know that Lelie was in Nolan’s doghouse entering the season, but sometimes coaches need to put away their personal feelings towards a player for the benefit of the team. Lelie can help us. His first catch last Sunday was a 47 yard reception that resulted in the longest passing play thus far in the season. He probably will not do that week in and week out, but it’s a hell of a lot more than what we’ve been getting from our incumbents such as Darrell Jackson.
My biggest wish for the remainder of the season, besides getting back on a winning track, is to better utilize talent and process changes that can benefit the team for the long term. This means that Nolan needs to stop being stubborn. And that stems beyond playcalling and decisions such as kicking a field goal on 4th and 1. That implies making wholesale changes that effect the personnel of the team if that is what is needed. This division and this conference that we have the luxury of being apart of is so mediocre that it pains me to see us blow our chances at something that’s very attainable - wins. But to do that, you have to open this team up and let players become players. If a guy like Dilfer continously messes up and gives you no shot, move on and give someone else a chance. Who knows what you might discover when you kick over a rock. I can see how at the beginning of a year of expectation Nolan may have wanted to play it safe and put trust in the vetrans on defense. But right now, we need both sides of the ball to execute. Do not be afraid of making changes, be more open, and make these decisions sooner rather than later and maybe we can still pull off 9 wins this year.
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Lowrance | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
All valid points, many of us have cried for on a weekly basis….
Nolan, I love what you’ve built so far…. Without offensive production, it all goes down the tubes for this year… what’s best for the team? Bottom line…protection…
RobBase | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Development. Hostler is a 1st year coordinator. If Norv didn’t leave last year, he would be out the door this year. Sometimes plans are made for long term solutions that aren’t good short term solutions. Firing the OC would only give Alex Smith and the rest of the O their 4th OC in 3 years. Making overall evaluation of Alex Smith even more diluted. Dilfer made the mistake of coming in a cowboy when he was hired to be a player coach and game manager. Once Alex went down, as predictable as it might seem, they should have relied on the run. Rotate lineman and running backs and punch the opposing team in the mouth. Stretching the field is an experiment. It isn’t our forte. Let’s push that envelope when we have 4 or 5 Ws under our belt. Dilfer’s upside outweighs his downside. Unfortunately, his downside has equated into game changing mistakes. You can’t have a knee jerk reaction every time there is a failure. There have been too many various failures to hold anyone accountable. Eventually, and probably soon, they will have to be held accountable, just not yet. I wouldn’t say he is being stubborn, maybe just a bit more patient and accurate with his critique than you are. We don’t see the game plan, film, or tendencies of our opponent.
Call me crazy, but I am frickin hyped for this game against the Saints. I have a Jersey on it with this LA cat up here in Colorado. It will be a big game for Michael Lewis and EJ. I hope Davis can make a catch, Gore rips their defense to shreds, Clements robs Brees for a TD, and Willis squashes Bush.
Rob | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Here, here. Nolan has proven he isn’t a bad coach. He is certainly much better than the previous regime (though that isn’t saying much). But, his unwillingness to make changes when they are needed is mystifying. I mean, I’m all for giving guys you think can succeed a chance. But, if they don’t produce, maybe it’s time to try someone else. This is the NFL. We only have 16 games in a season. Which means that if you give a guy two months to try and figure out how to play successfully, you are exposing your team to a good chance for numerous losses. I won’t pile everything on Nolan’s head. While Hostler is definitely not the “superstar” OC Dilfer claims, Nolan has no choice but to stick by him, at least until the season is over. And, while Dilfer isn’t that good, I’m not convinced that Hill would be any better, so I’m not too upset about that. Still, Nolan does need to be more flexible, or he could find himself in the hotseat if this season continues going south…
Ryan the 1st | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Yes, I agree, but Nolan also needs to realize when he is holding the offense back as well. This conservative crap is getting us no where. I don’t know how many more games we need to lose and have our offense look pathetic during the process, but usually you make adjustments after something doesn’t work. DJAX isn’t carrying his weight, Jennings isn’t carrying his weight, Smiley isn’t carrying his weight (this is why our QB is gettting killed), Davis is NOT PERFORMING like the best tight end in the league or the top ten for that matter (and he is paid the best)….Davis needs to quit dropping balls. He can have all of the ability in the world, but if he can’t grab the ball when the pass is at least a decent pass then I have an issue with that. Davis is dropping ok passes, good passes, and great passes. This is unacceptable based on the fact that we used the sixth pick on him. You can run a 4.3 without the ball…it doesn’t matter. I want Davis to succeed, but right now….he is one of the big reasons why our offense isn’t getting the first downs and also a major reason why we aren’t spreading the field. Players from the other team are starting to realize that he will drop the pass…why else would he have been THAT OPEN during the Giants game. Furthermore, CAN WE PLEASE KEEP MORAN NORRIS IN FOR PROTECTION…we need all the protection we can get. I like Nolan, but he needs to clue in along with Hostler…THEY ARE BLITZING THE O LINE EVERY OTHER DOWN AND WE STILL AREN’T PREPARED FOR IT!!!
Douche Bag | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
More than stubborn, Nolan is tentative and does not have faith in the offense and it is no surprise his offensive players play that way.
RobBase | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
It would be nice if a QB could pick up a blitz at the line.
Ryan the 1st | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
It would have been nice if we would have just picked Tony Ugoh with our second pick last year. Do you guys see who phenominally he playing at Left Tackle for the Colts. It is amazing that we didn’t get that guy when he was sitting there for the taking. Yeah, we have a first pick, but last year we should have just capitalized on what we had if we were goin gto pursue Staley as well.
Ryan the 1st | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
That would give us one more lineman with a year under his belt and he could have learned from Larry Allen. Yeah, Larry Allen isn’t having a great year, but he is in the twilight of his career. I have said it many times…we should have taken Ugoh with our second pick and then gotten rid of one of the weak links on the line.
Douche Bag | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
I would really like to see Hill get some reps. I mean, Gilmore sucks. Jackson is nothing special. Why not use Battle, Lelie and Hill as our WR’s.
samra | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Alex Smith was named the starting quarterback for the 49ers’ game Sunday against the Saints. Coach Mike Nolan made the announcement after practice today. Smith took every snap with the first-team offense for the second day in a row.
StupidApologetics | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Why in the hell does everyone on this site continue to make excuses for Nolan and Smith. The reality may be harsh, but just maybe its time to really question if these two are the answers. I think people are afraid of realizing the setback of admitting this truth. Strollin with Nolan. Fire Nolan if he does not turn the offense around and make something of this season. That is the precedent set in this league of rotating coaches. And for Smith, how long can you wait to see a good game? Blame the coordinator. Blame the line. Blame the receivers. A good quarterback would make up for that!
Self Scientific | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Yea, I don’t get why J. Hill has not seen any time yet. I heard he had a pulled hamstring or something like that, but how long does it take to come back from that kind of injury? Come to think about it, Brandon Williams didn’t see any time his first year either, what’s the deal on that?
AXEGRINDER | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Brandon Williams didn’t see any time his first year or this year becuz he sucks ass, simple as that. I mean, that guy was and still is a fucking disgrace. Watch that bling video and get all the answers you need to assess that guy’s character.
And I also don’t think that a good quarterback can make up for all the inept-ness on this offense. That’s ridiculous to even say. Smith IS a good quarterback. There’s so many other factors that contribute to a consistent offense. Protection, penalties, dropped passes, blocking downfield, playcalling, the list goes on and on. So many things need to come together for this offense to click. We have the talent to be a playoff team, so execution is the name of our game.
straighthate | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
I agree Nolan’s been stubborn, and with most of your article, but I think leaving Dilfer in if Smith couldn’t go would have been the right move. Not that in the long run putting, hell, Arnez Battle or Michael Robinson behind center wouldn’t be better than Dilfer, but with Smith coming back, I don’t think putting in a new QB for one week would help.
If Smith was out the whole year, I’d say give Hill a shot, but three QBs in three weeks wouldn’t give any sort of comfort to the offense. They’re just getting used to Dilfer (maybe getting used to him is expecting bad passes and turnovers) and he at least has a veteran presence in the huddle.
I don’t know, I just think Dilfer in week 7, Hill in 8, and Smith back in 9 wouldn’t have helped the offense. On top of that, I don’t think Hill’s much more than a clipboard holder in the NFL. I cold easilly be wrong though. Look at Cleveland and Buffalo.
Next year, I’d like to see the Niners grab a solid number 2 QB though. Either in the third or fourth round or better yet, an established NFL QB that can start if Smith doesn’t improve. Best case it’s insurance if Smith doesn’t start playing like a first rounder as well as lighting a fire under his ass. Worst case, it’s insurance that the season isn’t over if Smith gets hurt again.
Xaos50 | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
StupidApologetics is right, Alex Smith will never be a superstar or a great QB. It’s unfortunate but we’ve been patient. He still look’s uncomfortable in the pocket even when he has time. Every time he even drops back i get nervous, i dunno, i think his nfl career will ever go anywhere.
Self Scientific | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Xaos50, while I some what agree, you have to look at Smith’s surrounding cast. The man has shit for WR’s, maybe Battle (even he would be a 2 or 3 on most teams) a shitty O line and a new O coordinator every year. I feel like it is just too hard to say if he is going to make it in the NFL or not. I’m sure he will never be a super star, but can he be a decent QB is the real question.
Medford | Oct 26, 2007 | Reply
The niners really need a backup qb next year. Maybe we could pick up Culpepper or Mcowan I dont think the raiders will be keeping both of them next year. But Dennis Dixon would sure look good in the Red and Gold next year!!!
Bryon | Oct 26, 2007 | Reply
All good points and stuff except that its totally wrong. Dilfer isn’t starting.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/Alex-Smith-could-start-against-Saints;_ylt=AvGyrF.aOMBYaY_HYU_0U1qX2bYF?urn=nfl,50650