Rathman hired as Running Backs coach

by abasketballfan on Jan 7, 2009 5:26 PM PST

FOOCH'S NOTE: Thanks to abasketballfan and also maveric_87 for getting up FanPosts about this. Maiocco confirmed with Rathman that he's been offered the RB coach job. Nice to get our ducks in a row and slowly get the coaching staff assembled.
_______________________________________

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/2009/01/rathman-back-in-san-fran/

Think it is a good move for the Niners. Rathman is a proven running back coach and it's nice to have a link to the glory years back on the staff. The teams he's coached have had good running games... not sure about the Lions but that's the Lions, I can give him a break.

Wonder if the mustache game was to recruit him over and ease any ill will from the Mooch firing.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

Tweet Comment 23 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

WOODY!!!

Rathman once (I think 1989) dedicated himself to not dropping one pass all year, including practice. I know great players often can’t coach others be like they were, but I hope he can instill that kind of dedication and focus to the Niner backs.

Haven't been to The Examined Life? No wonder your life feels so empty.
"I been waitin' a long time for this! I been waitin' since the f**kin' amateurs!" --WILL "THE THRILL" CLARK

by Josh from Hollywood on Jan 7, 2009 5:48 PM PST reply actions

Sorry but hold up...

I thought the original idea was to have an offensive coordinator come in and have him pick his own coaching staff. Not have the 49ers pick it for him. I understand the desire to have some continuity in place just in case the incumbent o-coordinator bolts after a year, but I would like him to be able to put people he works well with and perhaps have better results with in place.

by StrictlyFootball on Jan 7, 2009 6:03 PM PST reply actions

staff

Maybe that means primarily just the QB coach? You do make a good point though.

by David Fucillo on Jan 7, 2009 6:12 PM PST up reply actions

But that would mean..

The 49ers have an idea of what they’re doing.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 7, 2009 6:39 PM PST up reply actions

I’m thinking that the new OC is already OK with Rathman. And that new OC is probably in the playoffs right now. Just a hunch.

"We'd like to think that tickets will be hard to come by." Bill Walsh

by TripTheNinja on Jan 7, 2009 6:41 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe...

and Rathman’s background is more WCO (even as a coach), so who knows.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 7, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions

Could it be...

Ken Anderson?

"The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing"

by Jeff_Fuller_49 on Jan 7, 2009 8:33 PM PST up reply actions

i see where you're going with...

that new OC is probably in the playoffs right now

however, looking at the playoff teams that are left, i don’t really see many viable options:

1) TEN — heimerdinger’s in his 2nd stint there, and no one else on that staff is qualified.
2) PIT — arians is a cowher follower, so he’s probably waiting for cowher to start coaching again. anderson wasn’t exactly a great OC in his 1st stint in CIN.
3) SD — norvell runs that offense, and the other guys seem unqualified.
4) BAL — cameron just got there, so the only other option is jim hostler. :-)

1) NYG — gilbride might go to OAK as head coach, so palmer is the only other viable option.
2) CAR — davidson would be making a lateral move, and mccoy is too young.
3) ARI — grimm is a hot HC commodity and carthon wasn’t exactly a great OC in CLE. regardless, don’t think ARI is going to let one of their coaches go to a division rival.
4) PHI — mornhinweg obviously has past SF ties ala rathman, but he’s assistant HC there, so he’s probably not going anywhere. plus, he’s not making a lateral move, and he’s not exactly a run-oriented OC.

so tell me, what playoff team is our new OC coming from…and who is he?

by (Florida) Danny Tuccitto on Jan 7, 2009 11:18 PM PST up reply actions

My guess is they think Norv will get fired from SD

For winning his division the last two years and for winning at least three playoff games in the two years.

by methodrampage on Jan 8, 2009 8:27 AM PST up reply actions

lol

by good as gold on Jan 8, 2009 3:29 PM PST up reply actions

Lemme guess..

Steve Mariucci blindsided you.

Well, we're waiting....

by drummer on Jan 10, 2009 10:43 AM PST up reply actions

echoing fooch

QB coach is the OC’s hand-selected right hand man…not the RB coach. most (successful) OCs are former QB coaches, so the QB coach that gets hired by the OC coach is going to be the heir-apparent OC if the OC moves on in a couple of years, not rathman.

by (Florida) Danny Tuccitto on Jan 7, 2009 7:48 PM PST up reply actions

that's what they need

smash mouth football coaches.

by onexmanxshow49 on Jan 7, 2009 7:45 PM PST reply actions

I like this move.

As I have mentioned before, bringing back guys from the past just might rejuvenate the team. Strictlyfootball and triptheninja made some good points.

"The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing"

by Jeff_Fuller_49 on Jan 7, 2009 8:22 PM PST reply actions

Rathman was the man

Now i can say that he is the man… It annoyed me so much to see him leave the organization in the past, now he’s back baby!

by JerseyNinerFan on Jan 7, 2009 8:25 PM PST reply actions

I’m really glad to see Rathman back as a running back coach I’ll admit I was pretty skeptical of having him come in as an OC right off the bat. It just shows that the niners know what they’re doing.

by sundaysfinest on Jan 7, 2009 9:49 PM PST reply actions

other ideas

The new OC might be coming from a team that has recently fired a head coach and the man is waiting for his pink slip (think seattle, jagadinski, Denver, etc.)
Or recently lost playoffs (Vikings OC). There are plenty of guys who are going to get fired in the next few weeks as head coaches are hired, that will dictate who is available afterwards and that might be the OC. I would suggest Chan Gailey (again) from KC as the next OC.

by Gailikk on Jan 8, 2009 8:40 AM PST reply actions

Thanks

For the cred on that. And also for the email about the fanpost. Thought it would get up first but its all good. Thanks

Fans stuck in the 80's are lame. Respect the past, live in the now.

by maveric_87 on Jan 8, 2009 1:49 PM PST reply actions

IMO

I think the niners really should go after Scott Linehan his track record as a OC is kind of remarkable but if not I would try to get Bill Musgrave from ATL, former niner they had a good running and passing game and he helped develop Matt Ryan into a pretty good QB for a rookie he did great things so I would go that route what you guys think.

Dlew49ers

by dlew49er on Jan 8, 2009 2:03 PM PST reply actions