49ers defense: Upside of continuity?
by David Fucillo on Jun 9, 2009 11:30 AM PDT
in San Francisco 49ers News
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PrintA few days ago, Patrick Willis stated that he thought the team's defense could be top 10 or better this season: "Not only top 10, if not top five – if not No. 1." Certainly bold words, but not exactly surprising coming from one of the players. Even if it doesn't happen, I'd certainly prefer the players think it can happen.
In conjunction with that comment were some interesting rankings. The Sporting News recently completed ranking the top 20 players at various positions, and recently moved on to coaches. A few days back they ranked defensive coordinators. Greg Manusky cracked the top 20 at 19:
19. Greg Manusky, 49ers. He emphasizes a 3-4 press-type style with lots of different looks and frequent shifting of personnel. The key element for opponents is trying to figure out where the fourth pass rusher is going to line up. Frequent blitzing by cornerbacks and safeties is a staple -- as well as lots of man-to-man coverage -- but the main pass rush must come from the outside linebackers. He also will show a 4-3 nickel front in passing situations. This defense will resemble the Steelers at times, and don't be surprised to see Patrick Willis unleashed as a blitzer.
A lot of us have whined and complained about the lack of continuity on offense giving the rotating door known as the offensive coordinator (yours truly included among the whiners). Coach Manusky is entering his third year as defensive coordinator, which is practically a lifetime when compared to his offensive counterpart.
Given that relative continuity, I was wondering what people think that could mean for the defense in 2009? I realize questions persist about the pass rush and the secondary. However, will the team strongly benefit from having not only the same DC for a third year, but what I'd imagine is the system as was used in most of the last 8 games under Mike Singletary. Will the team be able to develop some kind of defensive identity this season? A year from now, where do people think Manusky end up being rated among DCs in the league?
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Now that Nolan is gone...
I see the defense making huge strides. Sure last year we got a little taste of how Manusky wants to run things once Nolan got canned, but I think a whole year of straight up 3-4 is going to make a big difference. Thank god there’s no more BIG SUB.
by Smithisstilltheanswer on Jun 9, 2009 11:33 AM PDT reply actions
Continuity
You have to remember that this will only be Manusky’s first season without Nolan controlling his defense. The big-sub package from last season was a Nolan thing, and it’s difficult to determine how much of Manusky’s scheme was in last year’s defense. With that said, Manusky at least got some kind of a head start on implementing his scheme, which is certainly more than any of his offensive counterparts could say they had.
I think it was more hating Nolan then Manusky
"I'll be honest with you, I love his music, I do, I'm a Michael Bolton fan. For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when he sings "When a Man Loves a Woman"
i like his name "manushky" thats how i say it
vote nate davis as holder of the 49ers future
message has been approved by the davis party and nate davis himself
Top 10
I think the quote more reflected what Nolan forced upon Manusky than reflecting his actual defense. His 19 ranking is Nolan not Manusky. I don’t think after Nolan left our defense had as much “frequent shifting” as stated in the quote. I kept hearing how we simplified everything with less shifts once he left and how his defense was a “chameleon” defense. I think our Defense will be Top 10. I think our pass rush will be better. I think we will get about 5 more turnovers this year which I think will be HUGE. If not even more. I think Goldson is good for close to 5 by himself. I don’t think we can be top 5 because I think 5 of these teams will be better than us. Ravens, Steelers, Titans, Dolphins, Vikings, Bears, Eagles, Redskins and Giants. Yes I said Dolphins…with Joey Porter, Jason Taylor and the CFL BEAST Cameron Wake I think they will surprise and they gave up less than 20 pts a game last year vs our 23.8.
Not just Willis
I believe earlier during OTA’s Justin Smith was quoted as believing the team was top 10 maybe top 5.
It's easy to blame Nolan
for all the woes we saw defensively.
That’s because things like the “Big Sub” were so awful. Nolan, to his credit, atleast hired Manusky. That’s about the only good thing from Nolan’s defensive expertise.
I’ll rag on Nolan until the end of days about his poor defensive management while HC. Manusky gets to do his thing now, and doesn’t have an “Xs and Os” HC looking over his shoulder in the scheme of things. A straight up 3-4 is what the team needs to be consistent, and the team has versatility to play other fronts if needed, which is a bonus too. I’m just glad we’ll start seeing a more solid 3-4 regularly.
Nolan
Also brought Mike Singletary.
I still hate Nolan though.
by SportsChicken on Jun 9, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions
Not so Optimistic
If healthy the unit should be good, but it lost some depth this year and I imagine will have to play a few games with a major defensive hole due to injury. The secondary is too thin. It’s rare to have Spikes stay healthy the entire year. We already lost two contributors on the defensive line to injury and free agency.
It’s rare to have Spikes stay healthy the entire year.
I hope McKillop shows enough to step in ahead of Ulbrich as a starter if Spikes goes down. It seems the 49ers are pretty excited about the kid.
He's not bad.
He’s solid, much in the way Mark Roman is solid. This is not to mention that I don’t really envision Ulbrich being a vital role of that defense, so it’d be nice to see if the youngster can contribute as a starter.
Maybe next year
McKillop is already a tackling machine.
He just has to get used to the speed of the game.
by SportsChicken on Jun 9, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Nolan
He may have failed as a head coach, but his career as a defensive coordinator has been relatively successful. Of course, one could argue that he was handed a defensive unit in Baltimore. So it’ll be interesting to see how he builds up the defense he now has.
Doesn't look good so far...
I don’t see how Robert Ayers will fit in with Nolan.
Nolan may pull another Manny Lawson….He isn’t going to give Ayers a defined role.
by SportsChicken on Jun 9, 2009 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Ayers...
… is slightly different than Lawson, though. He is undefined as it is. Lawson, even if a tad undersized, was screaming “OLB! OLB!” However, you can’t really figure out what Ayers will be right now, as he seems to be a big too big for OLB, but seems to be a tad on the smaller side to put his hand in the dirt at end.
I wasn't exactly comparing them.
Just saying that Nolan might screw over Ayers by putting him in the wrong situation.
We don’t know where Ayers should be playing, but neither does Mike Nolan.
by SportsChicken on Jun 10, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Perception of our defense is solid.
From those that I converse with outside of 49erland, it seems to be a relative consensus that the 49ers have a solid D with lots of Q’s on offense. I think this would be the consensus here as well.
The reason for this I think touches on the fact that Nolan did install some of the basics of our current D. He should get credit for a that as you guys have mentioned. We can now peacefully move on from the Nolan era with Singletary.
We have made steady progress on the defensive side and it shows in the rankings. There is definitely continuity on defense.
The question remains, “Will we be better”? Back to 49ers perception.
Those outside of 49erland seem to believe that our defense will be about the same as last year, so why will we be better?
Those outside
Generally don’t know as much about the team as us.
I know a few guys that don’t even know who Justin Smith is.
by SportsChicken on Jun 9, 2009 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Sando
He’s been great about linking to us, as well as the other NFC West blogs.
by David Fucillo on Jun 10, 2009 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions
TOP 10
You can talk all you want about a thin secondary but i have faith in brown and i think bly is just or even better than harris, And besides pass rush fixes all that stuff corners dont have to stay with them as long and hurries qb into bad passes. We finished 13th to think we are going to be worse is stupid, you guys need to rember when mike sing took over our defense was 26th so we all know how stats get once there down that far its hard to get them back up so 13th could have been 9 or 8 so if when satan left (nolan) we were more around 21-18th it Could be completly diffrent and also remaber haralyson got took out alot when nolan was incharge so who knows how many sacks he can have. with a full amount of plays
cppeter
by foreveryoung66 on Jun 10, 2009 12:26 PM PDT reply actions
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