49ers name Mike Solari Offensive Line Coach
by David Fucillo on Jan 21, 2010 1:41 PM PST
in San Francisco 49ers News
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PrintGood to know Coach Singletary was on the ball about this. The 49ers announced that Mike Solari will join the staff as offensive line coach. There will be a conference call in a little bit so I'll get some kind of info up on that later tonight hopefully. Below is the 49ers press release about Solari.
Solari, 55, rejoins the 49ers and brings more than 20 years of NFL offensive coaching experience to San Francisco, after having previously served as the tight ends/assistant offensive line coach for the 49ers from 1992-96 under legendary coach Bob McKittrick. Solari most recently spent two seasons (2008-09) as the offensive line coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Under his direction, tackle Walter Jones made the Pro Bowl in 2008.
Following his initial stint with the 49ers, Solari spent nine seasons as offensive line coach for Kansas City (1997-2005), three of which came under current 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye (1998-2000), who held the same position for the Chiefs at the time. With Solari directing the Kansas City offensive line, the team averaged 126.8 rushing yards per game, ranking fourth in the NFL during that time span.
The Daly City, CA, native was promoted by the Chiefs to offensive coordinator in 2006. During his 11-year tenure in Kansas City, the team finished in the top 10 in rushing on seven occasions, in the top five four times, and ranked 6th in the NFL in total offense (359.2 yards per game) over that span. Solari was one of just six assistant coaches in team history to record more than a decade of service with the franchise.
Solari's line produced a trio of Pro Bowl offensive linemen in 2004 and 2005, in guards Will Shields and Brian Waters, as well as tackle Willie Roaf. Kansas City became the first club to accomplish that feat since Dallas from 1993-96. Thanks in part to his strong line, the Chiefs offense led the league in total offense in 2004 (franchise-record 418.4 ypg) and 2005 (387.0 ypg).
Further info and his full coaching history after the jump...
While with the 49ers from 1992 to 1996, Solari was largely responsible for the development of tight end Brent Jones, who made four Pro Bowl appearances, and was instrumental in the team's successful Super Bowl XXIX season.
Solari began his NFL coaching career with the Dallas Cowboys in 1987, where he was the assistant offensive line/special teams coach for two seasons. He moved on to the Phoenix Cardinals for one season, working with Gene Stallings before joining him at the University of Alabama (1990-91).
His coaching career began at Mission Bay (CA) High School in 1976, followed by stints at Mira Costa Junior College (1978) and U.S. International (1979). In 1980, he helped lead Boise State to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship. He also spent time at the University of Cincinnati (1981-82), Kansas (1983-85) and served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh (1986).
A former offensive lineman at San Diego State, he was a teammate of Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards and Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox.
Solari is married to wife, Patti, and the couple has three children, Tamara, Stephanie and Michael.
SOLARI'S COACHING HISTORY
YEARS COACHING BACKGROUND
2008-09 Offensive Line, Seattle Seahawks
2006-07 Offensive Coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs
1997-05 Offensive Line, Kansas City Chiefs
1992-96 Tight Ends/Assistant Offensive Line, San Francisco 49ers
1990-91 Offensive Line, Alabama
1989
1987-88 Assistant Offensive Line/Special Teams, Dallas Cowboys
1986
1983-85 Offensive Line, Kansas
1981-82 Offensive Line, University of Cincinnati
1980
1979
1978
1976-77 Offensive Line, Mission Bay High School
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Sounds like an upgrade to me
"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...
Yay!
A new OL coach and hopefully a Tackle in the first round. Seems that Sing developed a solid backup plan after the Redskins first called for Forester.
Question: did Sing have the right to deny Forster leaving since it was a lateral move? If so, seems he wanted to make this change and allowed it to develop. I’m certainly grateful.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
did Sing have the right to deny Forster leaving since it was a lateral move?
He did have that right, but the question becomes this: do you really want to keep someone on staff that would rather be somewhere else?
Barrows...
Reported that Sing initially denied the request, but being that Foerster is an East Coast guy with family there, he let him go with that consideration.
Well, we're waiting....
He's an east coast cat?
Just like Larry Johnson?
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by SportsChicken on Jan 21, 2010 3:11 PM PST up reply actions
I have to wonder if Sing half wanted Foerester gone anyway
and this was an easy way to get an upgrade without firing him.
Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.
Well, maybe part of the o-line issues..
was the talent itself, the offensive scheme, etc. and Singeltary didn’t put the whole blame of Foerster for that. I think if Solari wasn’t available, Singletary with Foerster would address the o-line issue going forward.
The great thing is Singletary got his man, and now maybe ScotM will finally draft for need along with having input from a lot of experienced coaches who have coached together prior.
Singletary Football in 2010. Are you listening Scot?
Well, we're waiting....
hard to tell too
because it seems that Sing didn’t initiate this. If he denied the request, that kinda points to wanting to keep Foerster around too. I’ve heard the Linemen loved Foerster as a coach too.
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
I am pretty stoked about this… Good job Sing!
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
I'm stoked as all get out!
I wanted getting rid of Can’t see the trees for the Foerster as one of the Major FA moves. And Solari is a “Bash em Bob” McKittrick guy it kinda sounds like so that’s good too. http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/13370/solari-had-mckittricks-backing
by ChesapeakeBay9er on Jan 21, 2010 3:20 PM PST up reply actions
This is a very strategic move
and thanks for the article
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
I wanted the 49ers to get Solari..
For OC back when he was available. Nice move.
Well, we're waiting....
glad we've got all these vets on staff now
verdict on JR still out but we’ve got some experience now and I hope it translates into player development.
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
Big Improvement
He worked under McKittrick. Super great teacher. This is good! + I wanted Forestor gone half way thru the year, so this is a win win for us.
Yeah
If he was under McKittrick, sounds good to mee.
"A foghorn blowing out wild and cold." -Dire Straits
I really, really like this...
Read over on Mike Sando’s blog on ESPN that Bobb McKittrick really liked Solari when they coached together with the Niners. If he was good enough for Bobb, he’s good enough for me. Sounds like a great hire.
Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...
by Smoke on the Water on Jan 21, 2010 2:26 PM PST reply actions
I was hoping for an o-line coach change
I couldn’t be happier that its a guy from the good old days that worked well with McKittrick. I couldn’t think of a better o-line coach to bring in.
Helps a lot that he’s coached some really good o-lines and as a bonus worked with Rayne when he was successful.
Al Everest left on his own
He wasn’t fired.
That didn’t leave us many options to choose from.
Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.
plus Solari has coached some special teams in the past too
and they’ve all worked together…so that’s good
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
I found this article over at arrowheadpride that sort of ties in with this, it's sort of funny.
http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/1/21/1263864/49ers-trying-to-recreate-the
Tim Tebow = 1,432,219 season tickets next year. Who wouldn't pick him in the 1st round with those projections?
Synergy
I know, sounds like something we’d talk about at work…but with yesterday’s hiring and today’s, it really feels like the niners are building around a common thread. I like it, i feel like these guys will be on the same page. That could spell some really solid decisions as immediately as FA 2010 and the draft.
Great hire
How Foerster didn’t get fired after such a miserable start to the season remained a mystery especially when it became obvious that our guys couldn’t even get a yard on 3rd and 1 situations.
Mike Solari is an awesome hire!!!!!!!!
If anyone remembers the incredible couple of seasons that Priest Holmes had at running back in KC, I believe that Solari was the O-line coach during that time.
Foerster...
… not being fired basically shows that the Singletary and/or McCloughan felt that he was dealt a bad hand with the players he had. Rachal has been considered raw from the beginning. Baas has always been an odd-ball at guard, and the 49ers ran with a revolving door at RT, kind of. You can’t blame all that on an offensive line coach.
Rachal
Well isn’t that the point of a coach to cook raw talent. He only had 1 job and that was to make the O-Line better and the people remained at the same talent level the whole year. But that is only my opinion of a coach, I could be wrong.
Solari said in his presser
that he was excited to work with guys like Joe Staley and Chilo Rachal. So he must see something in Chilo that he thinks he can get to come out. With how much bad press and bust talk Chilo has received I think he’s plenty pissed off enough to play RG with the mean streak he needs…maybe Solari will give him some wedgies or something to unleash the beast!
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
Solari was OL coach
from 97-05 and OC from 06-07
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
I've been banging the 'dump Chris Foerster' drum for months
As for the Solari hire, I’m a fan of this. As Sando mentions, Solari knows the NFC West inside and out, and seems like he has connections with the right guys both scheme-wise (Jimmy Raye) and history wise (Siefert, McKittrick, etc.). Imagine what the offense would be like if we had 3 linemen grow into pro bowlers! Of course, that’s setting the sights probably way to high, but if we even had one guy go, I’d be thrilled.
Jason Hill is turning the corner!
The crazy thing about that Chiefs era was that the OL was really just about all they had. They had an all-world TE in Tony Gonzalez, but no other weapons in the passing game. Their defense was crap. But that OL… jeez. It was like the one team in the league other than the Niners where I knew about every starter up front. Hell, I still remember them— Roaf, Shields, Wiegmann, Waters, and Tait. That unit was awesome— they made Priest Holmes look like he was almost as good as Marshall Faulk, and let me tell you, Priest Holmes was NOT almost as good as Marshall Faulk.
If Solari has anything close to that level of success here, I think we’d all be ecstatic.
Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...
by Smoke on the Water on Jan 21, 2010 5:19 PM PST up reply actions
Another underrated thing here:
I like the fact that Singletary immediately had a guy in mind as a backup if his current coach left. It seems like common sense, but as we saw with the OC situation when Nolan hired he-who-shall-not-be-named to succeed Norv Turner, having a coach with a contingency plan shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Jason Hill is turning the corner!
In one of our post someone has all the stats for Foerster's OLines. Can someone find one for Solari
I also love the name.. Solari.. sounds like it comes with respect.. of course having the McKittrick connection is just as good.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"
lol
49ers Al Grito De Guerra!!! hahaha
by 49erSalvatrucha on Jan 21, 2010 6:53 PM PST up reply actions
782?
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
by SportsChicken on Jan 21, 2010 10:56 PM PST up reply actions
Don't worry
Mike Johnson is a younger guy and when he comes up to OC that will improve the average a bit. Solari is what, 55? So other than Raye and Schott we’re in the mid-to-low fifties…
"Vernon is going to be a great tight end one day, but he's got to put the whole package together." - Thanks Sing for echoing this.
I share the sentiments of most of you here.
This is a huge piece of the puzzle. I can’t help but think that he will have a positive influence on Raye and the offense with his insight.
What a great fit!
We now have two new experienced minds going into an off season -the draft -with both of our biggest needs OL, and ST… what an astounding coincidence?!
They also just happen to fill overall strategic needs for the team as a whole.
Somebody has updated his wikipedia page already
Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.
Solari's line stats from Football Outsiders
Kansas City
1997—5th against the run, 8th vs the pass
1998—12 against the run, 13th vs the pass
1999—10th vs the run, 3rd vs the pass
2000—21st against the run, 11th against the pass
2001—3rd against the run, 17th against the pass
2002—5th against the run, 10th against the pass
2003—3rd against the run, 4th against the pass
2004—3rd against the run, 9th against the pass
2005—2nd against the run, 15th against the pass
Seattle
2008—27th against the run, 22nd against the pass
2009—27th against the run, 21st against the pass
Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.
sheesh
take away seattle and that’s a very nice resume. Frank is probably foaming at the mouth.
by srill waiting on Jan 21, 2010 6:53 PM PST up reply actions
LOL yeah I bet
49ers Al Grito De Guerra!!! hahaha
by 49erSalvatrucha on Jan 21, 2010 6:54 PM PST up reply actions
His line in Seattle was decimated by injuries.
Yes Drew K, Tim Tebow will get picked in the first round.
Bye Chris Foerster
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. This feels so different . . . maybe the storm clouds are parting from the organization.
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