Nolan “doing a two-two” with “guy rotations”

By Os Davis  |   Monday, August 27, 2007  |  Comments( 20 )

San Francisco 49ers
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As part of his daily press conference dutifully recorded over at the team's official Web site, the very first personnel topic San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan broached was the situation at right tackle.

"From the standpoint of Joe Staley and Kwame Harris, they're going to continue to compete. I'm not going to make an announcement today on who will be the starter, it's very close. They'll continue to alternate in the first group at practice..."

Many eager fans have apparently been hankering for a move to Staley as full-time starter since draft day, when San Francisco notably traded for the New England Patriots' first-round pick, No. 28 overall. That landed the 49ers Staley, who receivedkudos throughout the NFL combine and, thanks to a weak class on the O-line, became a first-round choice.

Though Staley has looked good in the preseason with the 49ers, the returning starter is Harris.

Just how much Harris can be held accountable for the line's so-so performance last season is subject for debate, but the evidence does weigh against him. The 49ers gave up 35 sacks last season, good for a middle-of-the-road ranking of 17th in the category; Harris was accountable for 8.5 of those by the stats.

Check out the effect the all-too-porous line had on the team's other numbers, too: Despite the mighty Frank Gore, the offense managed a pitiful 168 yards per game. What's really mind-blowing about that particular statistic is that Gore averaged 136.25 yards per game, indicating that the 49ers' offensive line of 2006 wasn't blocking for anybody, really. It's also amazing that, rushed as often as he was, Alex Smith tossed only 16 interceptions last season.

The much-maligned Harris did show improvement throughout the season, however. The knock on Harris in the past has been his penalties; last year, Harris ran up just four while playing in all 16 games, shaving his 2005 total by more than half.

It seems Harris will remain the starter, but Nolan, whether through indecision or simply to exploit disparate talents - former TE Staley is always noted for speed, while Harris fancies himself a power blocker - will be rotating the two play-to-play on Friday and perhaps into the regular season.

"I don't have a timetable right now. I was hoping to do something, but at the same time with discussion with the staff and all, but it will happen. It certainly won't be any later than next week. It could be before this game, and it could be after," said Nolan.

Next door at right guard, a similar situation is going on, with last year's starter, Justin Smiley, clinging by his fingertips to the top spot while David Baas, the 33rd overall draft choice in 2005, ascends. Smiley had a good year blocking last season, allowing zero sacks, but ran up the first three penalties of his career.

Some reckon, meanwhile, that Baas may not only have saved his job with a strong camp and preseason, but also his very future with the 49ers.

When asked why the Harris/Staley and Smiley/Baas rotations will be applied - specifically, the reporter asked "Why do you do a two-two?" thereby introducing the official descriptive for the 2007 San Francisco 49ers line - Nolan answered, "To get a guy rhythm. Now, if the drive is really long, we'll go one."

OK ...

In any case, you have to imagine that Nolan won't have the luxury of his "guy rotation" next year, as both Harris and Smiley figure not to be 49ers in 2008; both were heavily rumored to have been on the trading block during the offseason and Harris is in the final year of his contract.

If the Niners' No. 1 line comes out as mediocre as it was last season, however, Staley and Baas will be full-time starters by year's end. These two are the future of San Francisco on the right side, two-twos be damned.

Giving 110 percent on two-twos for the 49ers and the 31 others 24/7 at RealFootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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