The Mike Singletary era begins against Seattle

Singletary brings intensity to 49ers' sideline

For a franchise in desperate need of consistency, forward progress and momentum to reach better days, the firing of head coach Mike Nolan can’t be looked upon as a positive. Yes, Nolan, in his fourth year, deserved to go after the 49ers’ 2-5 start and three losing seasons with him at the helm. But, the departure of Nolan means San Francisco will again rip its blueprint off the wall and start over from scratch. It’s probably a good idea because this one failed to work, but the 49ers seem to be stuck in a permanent state of flux. And now with inexperienced Mike Singletary as interim head coach, San Francisco will again wade into the unknown.

The promotion of Singletary from linebacker’s coach to head coach represents a giant step. While Singletary is known for his intensity and motivational abilities, not much is known about how he’ll coach the 49ers. His resume speaks for itself, Hall of Fame linebacker, which should provide instant credibility in the locker room and possibly inspire the players in the short-term. One would think he’d lean on his coordinators and put his time into energizing this deflated team.

The exit of Nolan had been expected and would have happened during the team’s bye week after this week’s home game against Seattle. But, on Monday, news broke about the 49ers’ intentions, which sent Nolan to management and caused his hasty exit. Rumors swirled for hours until management finally made an official announcement late Monday night. The scenario typified the lack of leadership and desire San Francisco’s owners have to run its team.

In the span of a few months, San Francisco has said goodbye to its top draft pick and potential franchise quarterback in Alex Smith and the coach who selected him. What happens next, nobody knows. But, maybe the 49ers get lucky and stumble upon a solid coach in Singletary who can guide this team out of the gutter. San Francisco’s problems go deeper and higher up the management latter, which might make Singletary’s stay short-lived. Until the team hires the right football men to build and run the team, San Francisco will continue to be a wayward franchise, floating aimlessly in the NFL’s rough waters.

In the meantime, Singletary can improve the team’s plight by playing conservative football. He can reign in offense coordinator Mike Martz, demand running back Frank Gore receive 20 carries per game and settle down quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan. Martz’s pass-happy attack has looked smooth at times, but for the most part, O’Sullivan appears to be overwhelmed and on the brink of a breakdown. Against the Giants, O’Sullivan threw two picks and lost three fumbles. A heavier workload for Gore should mean better passing situations for O’Sullivan, which might allow him to regain his confidence. If not, maybe backup Shaun Hill gets a shot.

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On defense, the 49ers have appeared lost, especially in the secondary. The unit needs to tighten up, put some stops together and get off the field. Linebacker Patrick Willis is a start, but big-ticket free agents Nate Clements and Justin Smith have failed to live up to their large contracts.

A win against lowly Seattle on Sunday would provide a needed boost, but in the end would only mask the larger problems of this team. Nolan didn’t do a lot to help himself during his tenure in San Francisco, but he’s not the only one who should have been fired on Monday.

By Jim Bucci
ProFootball-fans.com San Francisco 49ers Correspondent