The Time Has Come!

49er Football is Back!

Head Coach Mike Singletary

Last season 49er fans listened to all the hype. The 49ers were going to come back and take the NFC West. Unfortunately, Mike Nolan was still at the controls. Like his dad, former 49er coach Dick Nolan, he was a defensive specialist, and also like his dad, he was a stubborn and unbending man. He played defense not to lose, with a very conservative loose scheme that resulted in few sacks and little pressure on the opposing offense.

Offensively, Mike Nolan just didn't get it. He inevitably made the wrong call in crucial situations, and even relied upon guard Larry Allen in a game the previous season, to determine whether or not to kick a field goal in a crucial situation at game's end. Mike just didn't have it and everyone knew it.

At the same time, the offense relied upon a relic, Mike Martz. a man who stubbornly relied upon the 7-step drop, no matter how often his quarterback was sacked. In the fourth quarter of most games Martz rarely called a running play. His rigid system didn't allow for the quarterback to call audibles. Then, in one bonehead moment, the 49ers had a chance to derail the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. With time running out, Martz called for Michael Robinson to run a dive play that is only designed to gain a yard. Unfortunately, the ball had been placed at the 2 1/2 yard line. Robinson gained the yard as the play was designed, but it was Martz' not knowing where the ball was, plus his system which didn't allow for Shaun Hill to call an audible, and that was the season. Despite having to deal with Martz and J.T. O'Sullivan, Singletary was able to finish the season with a 5-4 record.

Jimmy Raye is an upgrade over Martz. He develops his offense around the talents of his players, and features a power running game between the tackles and quick slant and play action passes.

COACHING: Big improvement.

QUARTERBACK

Much has been made about the competition between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith for the starting quarterback position. Unless Hill takes a complete nosedive, the job will be his to start the season. Singletary can thank Hill for saving his job last season. Shaun came aboard and played with poise and toughness and his dive for a first down without his helmet in a crucial game will leave pleasant memories in the minds of Niner fans for a long time.

The only sensible move is to start Shaun Hill this season. He has earned it and it will take unnecessary pressure off of Alex Smith, who needs to sit and watch a quarterback with game management skills, quick decision making ability, and poise and coolness in the pocket. To throw him out there at the start and have him flop may well be the end of Alex Smith in San Francisco. Instead, giving him time to learn the new system and watch would be the best move Singletary can make.

Backup Damon Huard is a proven veteran who could easily step into the #2 spot without hesitation. He has a strong, accurate arm and plenty of experience. Rookie Nate Davis is a guy with a whole lot of potential and little in the way of experience. He is a project and perhaps a worthwhile one. The Niners will have to make a decision as to whether they want to keep four (4) quarterbacks.

Compared to last season, we have lost O'Sullivan and added an experienced backup. In addition, we now have a more experienced and confident Shaun Hill, and an Alex Smith with far greater upside potential than the kid with the damaged shoulder of 2008. Add Nate Davis to the mix.

QUARTERBACK: Big Improvement

WIDE RECEIVER

Last season we had Isaac Bruce, Bryant Johnson, and inexperienced wideouts in Josh Morgan and Jason Hill, as well as the injured Arnaz Battle and newcomer, pencil-thin Dominique Zeigler. This season we have Bruce returning as well as Morgan and Hill back, both of whom could have breakout seasons. We have Brandon Jones, a solid receiver with strong hands from the Tennessee Titans, Zeigler and Battle return to battle for the #6 receiver position, and we have the dynamic and explosive Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech, who the Niners unexpectedly snagged at the #10 pick in this year's draft. Here's a video that says it all:

Wide Receiver: Huge Improvement

TIGHT END

Vernon Davis is looking forward to working with the Offensive Coordinator who developed Tony Gonzales. Unlike Mike Martz, who considered the tight end an afterthought as a receiver, Jimmy Raye features passes to his tight end and may occasionally go to a two-TE formation. This should please the dangerous Delanie Walker and huge rookie, Bear Pascoe from Fresno State. The Niners also have tough JJ Finley, who unfortunately has no room on this deep roster.

Tight End: Big improvement.

RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACK

Starting with fullback, the fact that Mike Martz didn't even want Moran Norris and now he's back at the request of Frank Gore in a Jimmy Raye power running offense speaks volumes about the positive direction in which this team is headed. Singletary and Raye have a plan and getting the best at each position is a good way to start. Norris is a great run blocker and may be backed up by Zak Keasey, depending upon whether the 49ers decide to keep four (4) or five (5) backs.

At the halfback position, Frank Gore is ready for bear and has a new backup to replace Deshaun Foster in Glenn Coffee, a rather small but tough back out of Alabama. Coffee is a hard runner who must overcome his tendency to fumble. The third running back spot will be held by Michael Robinson, a talented back who was horribly mismanaged under Mike Nolan. He has never been given an opportunity to learn the position and has had very few touches from scrimmage. However, last season Singletary found a way to use him as a receiver out of the backfield. Michael responded with 17 catches for 201 yards, and an 11.9 average per catch which ranked #3 in the NFL among RBs with 15 catches or more.

Robinson's value to the team is illustrated not only in his outstanding special teams play, but by the fact that the 49ers have the luxury of counting MRob as the #3 RB and #2 FB, thereby allowing the team to carry either four (4) QBs or six (6) WRs.

Kory Sheets of Purdue, a speed burner with fumble problems and a mouth that got him in a lot of trouble, will very likely make the Practice Squad where he will replace notorious underachiever Thomas Clayton who will be released.

Running Back: Improved.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Last season the 49er Offensive line showed signs of becoming decent, but suffered from numerous breakdowns, including the swan song for Jonas Jennings. Eric Heitman returns at center where he had a very good season and should only get better. He is one of the young vets the 49ers have been developing that is starting to come into his prime. He is backed up by Cody Wallace.

Guard should be a bright spot as Chilo Rachal could well have a breakout season. The tough, physical USC grad will be one of two guards who are expected to do very well this season. 330 lb. David Baas is in the final year of his contract and you can bet his play will reflect his desire for a big contract next year. Tony Wragge is a tough, solid backup.

Joe Staley is expected to improve upon his good performance of last year and former Pittsburgh Steelers vet Marvel Smith, a two-time All Pro, moves in at right tackle which should be a huge upgrade over last season.

Adam Snyder is an able backup, Barry Sims is unacceptable and I expect him to be cut. The most intriguing of the backup linemen is 6'8", 328 lb. Alex Boone of Ohio State, a two-time All Big Ten performer who must overcome his weakness for alcohol. If he is able to do that, he may well be the sleeper of the season for the 49ers.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Improved.


There you have it. There is plenty of reason for optimism this season and as I begin my 64th season as a fan, I simply say: Go 49ers. We will address the defense and special teams in upcoming issues.

Gary Mialocq
The SF 49er Observer







Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

SF – Santa Clara 49er Connections Run Deep...

It is ironic that San Francisco and Santa Clara are involved in a tug of war over the 49ers, and over Bay Area football dominance. I was looking through my old 49er programs from the AAFC and early days of the NFL and I came across one that I didn't remember. It was because this game was played almost four (4) years before I was born. My dad had attended that game.



The year was 1938. Santa Clara was a major college football power, two-time Sugar Bowl champions in 1936 and 1937, and had just seen a string of sixteen (16) straight wins end when they were upset the week before by St. Marys. The game ended in a 7-0 Bronco victory.

Over the next few years, Santa Clara continued to dominate Bay Area football and in 1941 they were called the “Notre Dame of the West”. However, by the end of 1942, Santa Clara was forced to disband football due to World War II. Santa Clara Head Coach Buck Shaw, and assistance coaches Phil Bengston and Al Ruffo would therefore be available at the end of 1945, to sign with the newly formed San Francisco 49ers of the All-American Football Conference for the premier season of the league in 1946. Santa Clara resumed football the same year without their former coaching staff.

Now, some 64 years later, Santa Clara and San Francisco continue to be embroiled in the race for Bay Area football superiority, this time over a stadium. San Francisco took their coaches, now they want the 49ers. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Gary Mialocq
SF 49ers Observer







Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

Do Big Bad Boys Provide Hope for the Future?

As many fans know, the draft is a crapshoot. Many projected stars never make it while gems are sometimes found in the far reaches of the draft. #87, Dwight Clark, a tenth (10) round draft pick comes immediately to mind. Without his miraculous Catch against Dallas, we may be looking back on a different history.

This season is no different and the 49ers showed their willingness to take a shot at two young men with tremendous upsides, as well as some behavioral problems.

Alex Boone

The first is Alex Boone, a 6'8" 328 giant offensive tackle from Ohio State who admits to having an alcohol problem since the age of eight (8), and whose DUI arrest in 2006 (blood alcohol double the legal limit) and recent arrest in Southern California where he had to be tasered twice by police to subdue him, resulted in his being overlooked completely in this year's draft.

At Ohio State Boone exhibited steady play, durability and a willingness to work. He was a four-year starter who was named All-Big Ten the past two seasons. Boone is ideally suited to play right tackle in the pros.

Combine Results:

40 Yard Dash : 5.16 seconds

Bench Press : 33.0 reps

Vertical Jump : 27.5 inches

Broad Jump : 103.0 inches

3 Cone Drill : 7.83 seconds

20 Yard Shuttle : 4.69 seconds

Here is a video of Alex Boone's performance at Ohio State:

Ricky Jean-Francois (Frenchy)
"The Freak"

The second is a 6'5" 295 lb. defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois (Frenchy), who seems to have a knack for saying the wrong things at the wrong time. His "threat" to Tim Tebow along with his getting caught cheating on a test cost him a lot of money as he dropped to the seventh (7th) round before being selected by the 49ers.

Ricky was an outstanding shot putter for the track team at LSU with a best throw of 59' 1 3/4", as well as a top-rated defensive lineman.

CAREER
Played in 25 games for LSU, starting nine times ... Drafted in seventh round of 2009 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers ... Opted to leave LSU following his junior season ... Capped career with 56 tackles, 10 tackles for losses and 5.5 sacks ... Named defensive MVP of 2007 BCS National Championship Game.

Here is a video of Frenchy at LSU:




Each of these players possesses the athletic ability and potential to become established NFL stars and presents the kind of challenge that Mike Singletary looks forward to as he develops his team. Boone will learn behind Marvel Smith and provides an intriguing presences for the future.

Frenchy is a high-energy defensive lineman who will very likely contest Ray McDonald for the last available spot on the defensive line. He comes up big in big games and his size, strength and speed bode well for his future as part of the 49er defense.

These two will bear close watching as training camp nears.

Gary Mialocq
The SF 49er Observer






Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

Chasing the Dream

Jimmy Raye, 49ers Offensive Coordinator

Our article on Michael Robinson evoked an interesting response from a reader:

"You make some very loose connections to give credibility to your opinion. Jimmy Raye having won a Big 10 Title has nothing to do with Michael Robinson."

Actually, there are many similarities between new 49ers Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye, and multi-talented Michael Robinson, many of them having to do more with life than football. Jimmy Raye, long before he became the black double for Uncle Fester from the Addams Family, was an exciting young quarterback who played for Michigan State from 1965-67.


In 1965, his team was undefeated at 10-0 and won the Big 10 title, only to lose in the Rose Bowl to UCLA in a surprising upset. Undaunted, J.R. came back the next season and led his team to another undefeated record and faced equally undefeated Notre Dame in the final game of the season. That game ended in a 10-10 tie, with both teams being considered co-National champions.

This was a great accomplishment for a young quarterback, especially given the fact that he was black at a time when it was a very rare sight to see a black quarterback. In fact, once drafted by the NFL, they were inevitably switched to the "skill positions", either wide receiver or the defensive secondary. So, upon being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, and then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, J.R. saw any hopes of his being an NFL quarterback dashed by the political climate of the times. Jimmy played a couple of seasons out of position, then his career ended.

We now flash forward to the year 2009. Jimmy is now 62 years old, and has been coaching in the NFL for 32 years. His first job as an assistant coach in the NFL was with the 49ers in 1977. Just as his opportunities were limited as a quarterback, plum jobs for black assistant coaches in the NFL were few and far between. Over the years, he was hired by rebuilding teams, and teams with very little chance of success. His best team was working with the Rams during the days of Eric Dickerson.

Over the years he gained valuable experience working under Marty Schottenheimer, and also gained experience working for Norv Turner, John Robinson, Herm Edwards and Eric Mangini. Now, as his career winds down, he finds himself returning home with a tremendous opportunity to develop and create an offensive machine under San Francisco 49er coach Mike Singletary. THIS is his plum job.

"Nothing to Do with Robinson"?

Like his new Offensive Coordinator, Michael Robinson, led his team to the Big 10 Championship. MRob as he is affectionately called, is a 6-1, 228 lb. powerhouse whom Penn State coach Joe Paterno referred to as "the greatest athlete I have coached in my 55 years at Penn State".

Michael was a standout on a losing team. He was used mostly as a wide receiver, but also played a little halfback and a short time at quarterback. It was then that Paterno made Michael his quarterback for his senior year.

Robinson responded by leading his team to an 11-1 record, winning the Big 10 title and a victory in the Orange Bowl, and being named Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 17 TDs and ran for eight (8) more. Throughout his career in college, he ran for 1,637 yards, caught 52 passes for 629 yards, threw for 3,575 yards and accounted, either by passing, throwing or running for 46 touchdowns. He was also their best player on special teams.

Like his new Offensive Coordinator, Michael Robinson's dream was to play quarterback in the NFL, and like Jimmy Raye, his hopes were dashed without being given any opportunity to prove his worth at that position. Michael pleaded with Nolan to give him a chance to no avail. So, upon being drafted by the 49ers and despite his plea to be given an opportunity to at least try out for quarterback, Michael was put on ice by Mike Nolan who expressed his unwillingness to allow most rookies to even play with the classic statement: "Young players play young".

No, Michael's chances were not curtailed by his race like his coach, but by the stubbornness of a coach who was clueless as to how to utilize his players. No matter the reason, both Jimmy and Michael had his dreams of performing as an NFL quarterback denied without being given an opportunity.

Michael Robinson has never publicly complained about his being denied his dream. In fact, he has simply gone out and played with reckless abandon demonstrating the same kind of 100% effort for which Mike Singletary became famous. Michael has been a standout whenever he steps on the field.

The Connection

But now back to quarterback. Since the Miami Dolphins introduced the Wildcat offense with some success last season, many teams experimented with it including the 49ers. Michael, at 6'1" and 228 lbs., has the passing and running ability that is perfect for this formation, and it is our bet that Jimmy Raye is already designing plays using the Wildcat formation with Michael in mind. As he does so, he may be thinking back to what might have been had he himself been given the opportunity to take the snap from center in the pros.

To say there is no connection between Jimmy Raye and Michael Robinson is to deny the importance of a dream to a young player. If Jimmy's dreams were curtailed by politics, that must have cut very deeply although he never complained. I can't see him denying those same dreams of Michael Robinson, even if it only means playing QB in the Wildcat formation on rare occasions. It will be very interesting to watch this situation develop.

Gary Mialocq
The SF 49er Observer






Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

Frankie Albert - the Little General

Over the years the Niners have had some sensational quarterbacks. Names like Montana, Young, Tittle, Brodie, Garcia, etc. The least known but one of the absolute best was a little left-hander who started it all -- Frankie Albert. He was the first QB in Niner history and played from 1946-1949 in the old AAFC, then from 1950 -1952 in the NFL.

Frankie was 5-10, 166. He was a great ballhandler who often mystified the defense who on occasion didn't know who had the ball. He was also very quick and mobile, and a very accurate passer with a rifle arm for a little man.

In 1939, Albert was Stanford's starting single-wing tailback. When Clark Shaughnessy became the school's coach in 1940, he installed the T-formation and moved Albert to quarterback. The new formation called for skilled ball-handling and faking, as well as accurate passing.

Albert not only was skilled at all three, he was also a great kicker. He had a 79-yard punt against Oregon State in 1940. Stanford was undefeated that season, and Albert kicked all three extra points in a 21-13 win over Nebraska in the Rose Bowl. He was named All-American quarterback and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.

Frank made All-American again in 1941, and was drafted #1 in 1942 by the Chicago Bears. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he signed with the 49ers of the newly formed All-America Football Conference (AAFC). In 1948 he led the AAFC with 29 touchdown passes and shared the Most Valuable Player award with Otto Graham. He was also named Pro Football Player of the Year by Sport magazine.

The following season, he threw 5 touchdown passes in a 56-28 win over Cleveland, had an 82-yard punt against Buffalo and led the AAFC with a 48.2 yard punting average. He had to be named to the All-AAFC team but Otto Graham was the Bill Russell of football. so rather than leave the deserving Albert off the All-Pro team, they named him to the team as a halfback, a position he hadn't played since his sophomore year at Stanford.

In his career with the Niners, he passed for 10,795 yards and 115 TDs. He rushed for 1,272 yards and 27 TDs, and even caught a TD pass. He punted 70 times for a 43.0 average with a long of 82 yards, and even kicked an extra point. He also returned 5 kickoffs for a 19.0 average.

Albert returned to the 49ers as head coach in 1956 and had a 19-16-1 record in three seasons.

Frankie set the tone for all Niner quarterbacks to follow. He was small, but feisty and tough. I salute the Father of our Quarterbacks, Frankie Albert -- a great player.

Gary Mialocq

The SF 49er Observer





Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

Fickle 49er Fans Flaunt Foolishness

#24 - Michael Robinson

It is well known that sports fans often favor the underdog and become impatient with the status quo, wishing to replace their players with others, often lesser known or even less talented. This is apparently the case with some 49er fans, especially the young ones. In browsing through various forums and blogs I came across an interesting situation that will impact the coming season.

We know that Mike Martz often ignored the running game in favor of his outdated 7-step drop philosophy. Much has been made about the fact that Mike Singletary favors a "power running" game. Many wrongly believe that this means the 49ers will be a run-first team and nothing could be further from the truth. The difference will be that Jimmy Raye will direct a power running game that goes between the tackles, rather than outside the tackles like the "finesse" running game advocated by Martz.

Frank Gore will again be the featured back and will have his personal bodyguard, Moran Norris, back at fullback leading him through the line. It is expected that Glenn Coffee will be his backup at the #2 RB position as long as he can overcome the fumbling tendencies that hampered his college career. That leaves Michael Robinson, rookie Kory Sheets from Purdue, and the long dormant Thomas Clayton as the other backs. Sheets is a speed burner who was plagued with fumbles throughout his college career. He also plays special teams as a kick returner and may well be headed for the practice squad.

The point of this article is the rather bizarre opinions of some fans that Thomas Clayton should remain and Michael Robinson should be cut. That, my friends, is insanity and demonstrates how little many fans know or understand about the game of professional football. I often ask these fans what it is about Thomas Clayton that excites them enough to cut one of our most valuable players. The answers are usually "he has led the league in preseason for two years". It is my firm belief that they are infatuated with his body. The man looks like Tarzan, but plays like Jane. No mention of the fact that Clayton sat on the practice squad the last two seasons and any of the other NFL teams could have picked him up for a loaf of bread and none did.

Let's compare their records. Clayton runs a 4.63 40, the slowest of all the 49er RBs with the exception of Norris. During his four-year college career, he gained just over 1000 yards and scored only 7 TDs. His senior year at Kansas State, he gained only 330 yards as the 3rd string running back. In his first two seasons with the Niners he has yet to impress the coaches enough to even set foot on the field. It is one thing to be a classic underachiever, but quite another to never have achieved success at all.

Michael Robinson was horribly mismanaged by Mike Nolan for two years. Nolan didn't like to play rookies and Michael was no exception. Like his new Offensive Coordinator, Jimmy Raye, Michael Robinson, led his team to the Big 10 Championship. MRob as he is affectionately called, is a 6-1, 228 lb. powerhouse whom Penn State coach Joe Paterno referred to as "the greatest athlete I have coached in my 55 years at Penn State".

At Penn State, MRob was a standout on a losing team. He was used mostly as a wide receiver, but also played a little halfback and a short time at quarterback prior to his senior year. It was then that Paterno inserted Michael, who had never played the position full-time before, as his quarterback for his senior year. Robinson responded by leading his team to an 11-1 record, winning the Big 10 title and a victory in the Orange Bowl, and being named Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 17 TDs and ran for 8 more. Throughout his career in college, he ran for 1,637 yards, caught 52 passes for 629 yards, threw for 3,575 yards and accounted, either by passing, throwing or running for 46 touchdowns. He was also their best player on special teams.

In direct contrast to Clayton's college career, Robinson achieved and then some. So, upon being drafted by the 49ers and despite his plea to be given an opportunity to at least try out for quarterback, Michael was put on ice by Mike Nolan who expressed his unwillingness to allow most rookies to even play with the classic statement: "Young players play young".

So, Michael has been a standout on special teams and has made a few memorable plays, despite being overlooked and woefully mishandled. Since coming to the 49ers, Robinson has established himself as their premier special teams player. He has been the leading tackler and his blocking resulted in two kickoff returns for TDs, the first for Delanie Walker in a preseason game, the second,a great block that led to Alan Rossum's opening kickoff return for a TD against the Arizona Cardinals. In fact, Robinson threw two blocks to spring him.



In addition, Robinson is the Captain of the 49er special teams and his inspirational play and leadership are well known. Some fans complain that he is "not a real RB". Well, he came to the Niners as a quarterback and has only averaged about 2 carries per game. It is well known that a running back needs several carries to develop a rhythym and Robinson has never been afforded that opportunity. He has, however, made several impressive runs in his short stint at that position. Here are just a couple. In the first, he breaks off a 20 yard gain with a swing pass breaking five (5) tackles.



It is important to note that once Mike Singletary took over as coach last season, Robinson became a weapon receiving out of the backfield from the backup FB position, catching 17 passes for 201 yards, an 11.9 average per catch.

Robinson also took a few snaps last season from the Wildcat formation and is expected to be the man behind center if and when Jimmy Raye utilizes that formation this season. It is important to remember that the new running backs coach is Tom Rathman, who played with another #24 in the early 1980s, Harry Sydney, also a former QB who was instrumental in a playoff victor by throwing an option pass to Brent Jones. Tom has a long memory and Robinson possesses similar skills to Sydney.

Because he is such an excellent receiver, blocker, runner and passer, as well as the best special teams performer, his versatility is important not only to Mike Singletary but to the front office as well. He is under contract, long-term and his versatility will allow 49er management to get creative if necessary. Let's say the team decides to keep all four (4) QBs or 6 WRs. This is where Robinson's value comes through. He can be carried as both the #3 RB and #2 FB, thereby enabling the 49ers to fill five (5) roster spots with only four (4) players. They can then retain a Nate Davis or an Arnaz Battle thanks to Robinson.

Clayton offers no such options. He will be gone after the preseason.

Gary Mialocq
The SF 49er Observer








Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

Defense Saves First Super Bowl Victory

Dwight Clark's incredible catch of a Joe Montana pass in the NFC Championship game against Dallas eventually led to a Super Bowl matchup in Pontiac, Michigan agaist the Cincinnati Bengal. Dan Bunz and the 49ers defense made an incredible goal line stand to propel them to victory in Super Bowl XVI! Watch the defense step up and seal the deal for the first of five 49er Super Bowl victories.








Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved