Revolving door at O-coordinator continues for 49ers

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Wednesday, February 04, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Maybe former first overall draft pick Alex Smith -- who has produced next to nothing for the San Francisco 49ers since entering the NFL in 2005 -- isn’t such a bust after all. Assuming Smith is still a member of the 49ers next season, he'll work with his fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons. Could any quarterback endure turnover of that degree and be a success? It’s highly doubtful.

While Smith’s tenure in the Bay Area has been turbulent, it’s been even worse for the 49er faithful. In total, San Francisco has now sported an astonishing seven different offensive coordinators in the past seven years.

Further complicating matters is the recent hiring of 62-year-old Jimmy Raye. Even if Raye does turn around a dismal 49ers offense, how long will he stick around? Unless he plans on making a Joe Paterno-like run, San Francisco could be looking for yet another coordinator very soon.

Looking back at the 49ers’ past offensive leaders, Raye is just one of a number of questionable hires. Sure, many of them came under different head coaching regimes, but the majority of the results have been disappointing.

Mike Martz and Jim Hostler were disasters. Both were ousted after just one season in San Francisco. Norv Tuner and Mike McCarthy made it out of the Bay Area on their own two feet, but the remaining balance were casualties because of poor performance.

With head coach Mike Singletary trying to create a new identity for the struggling 49ers, the selection of Raye -- who's a 12-year O-coordinator with six different teams -- is a head-scratcher. His best season came in 1999 with the Kansas City Chiefs, who finished eighth in total offense.

Even more ironic is Raye’s history of lackluster running games. Singletary went on the record stating that he wants someone who will emphasize a strong running attack. However, Raye’s offenses' best finish in the league in total rushing yards was 18th.

Raye obviously deserves a fair chance to prove himself in San Francisco, but things don't look promising right now.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To ...
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