The top priority is signing Singletary to a long term contract.
No need to beg Martz to stay on when Singletary has I'm
sure numerous contacts that would jump at the chance to
work with him until championship is achieved. Martz has
done his part to be sure, but the fact that we'll always be
looking over our shoulder at the next suitor for his head
coach offer is a position I no longer care to be in. If he
wants to stay until the objective is realized fine, if not then
it's better to part ways now rather than after next year.

Agree 100%. I'm with Sing.

I don't think you just toss away a OC of Martz caliber away like it's milk going sour. I think Sing should do w/e he needs to do to keep martz with him at least through the next season just for continuity. The offense has been getting such a raw deal with all the revolving door OCs, it's surprising how they've been able to put such good drives together of late. Personally I don't know what martz doesn't like about his situation, he gets to focus on offense, his specialty, he's calling the plays, albeit they are tuned down a bit from what he likes, and he doesn't have to worry about the challenges or time management, which he was weak at in STL.

I totally agree. I think we could finally have some continuity at OC. Both Martz and Sing should stay.

Matt, you keep banging the "Singletary needs to have a plan" drum, but it's abundantly clear that he had an idea of what the offense should look like as an asst. head coach, and immediately took strides to make his offense look that way as head coach. He fired the O-line coach. He changed three starters on the offensive line. He changed QBs. The style of playcalling has also changed, and whether it's because of Singletary or because Hill is better suited for that style is immaterial-- things are clearly different and the 49ers are coming back down to earth in the INT and sack catagories.

I agree Martz called a great game on Sunday, but for the 49ers to be successful next year, I don't believe Martz is nearly as integral as Singletary. Look at the Panthers. John Fox is not known as an offensive mind and their OC, Jeff Davidson, is not a hot coaching candidate (yet). But Fox wanted a tough team that can pound the ball, they got 2 first round backs, shored up the O-line, and they impose their will.

I think Singletary will look to build a tough, smash-mouth team. It may not be what we all pine for, a return to the ballet-like smoothness of the Bill Walsh offense, but it will build a winning team. That, and the mindset that comes with it, are what need to come first anyways.

Matt,
What is up with the font size difference? You text is huge and the responses are tiny. Keep those IT guys busy so they won't mess with the site, will ya?

I disagree with you here Matt. The top priority is getting these players to play to their full abilities, playing the proper personnel in the best positions for our system on Offense & Defense, getting everyone playing together as a team holding players/coaches accountable, & having the players & coaches believe in what the HC is selling. I know I've said I'm holding my judgement until the end of the season but THAT'S the biggest reason so far for our turnaround IMO. The locker room atmosphere is the heart & soul of the team & Coach Singletary has everyone trusting/believing in him & each other.

I would love to keep Martz for that continuity which would be a huge advantage for us finally for once by making our Offense that much more polished & dangerous but if we had to start over with a new OC no doubt it would be a shame to lose him & it would be another painful transition. I'd rather not but we could work through it if we had to. We already see how obvious Singletary's stamp has been on this team. If I'm not mistaken didn't Nolan also have the same OC? How did that turn out??

While I agree that Martz does deserve some credit, I disagree that he is utilizing the talent as well as he could. For example I don't think Gore is performing to his potential due to the running scheme.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like every time Gore runs between the tackles, he's running into a wall of OL. Maybe the OL isn't getting any push, but it just looks like the play is designed so that no holes really open up.

What are your thoughts on Martz' running scheme?

Continuity is exactly what this team needs on offense, and the only way I see that happening is to do everything you can to keep Martz as the OC. I think whoever the Head Coach is and I think Singletary at this point needs to get the job, they need to keep Martz around, this offense is a lot better and it would be better if the team didn't have to learn a new offense again.

Martz is under contract for 2009.

Singletary needs to be locked up before the season ends or risk competition and higher contract costs when bidding starts.
Chances are he's happy and would accept a fair and stable offer prior to his contract expiring.

What happens after that is purely on Martz.

My simple observation is that Singletary has earned the teams' respect, something Nolan took for granted.
We have players who can identify with his legacy as an All Pro and, he brings an open mind along with a can do attitude.
It's simply contageous.
Chemistry wins just as dissension kills it.

Give him a shot, allow him to tweak the staff as any HC would, and see if he can get them to hit the ground running next season.
He's already shown me enough as far as preparation and attitude are concerned, so give him his due and give him the job.

IMHO Martz is a much better coordinator than a head coach. He's Norv Turner with a different offense. I wouldn't be too upset if Martz was back as OC next year. I'd hate the decision to hire him as head coach. If he does come back as OC, I hope the 9ers have a solid succession plan. Right now Ted Tollner is the QB coach but he doesn't fit the mold of an up and coming offensive mind. I don't think there's anyone on the staff that would be hired as the next OC. If Sing is the HC next year, I hope he forces the issue and requires the OC to have a solid plan in place to hire and train the next in line.

Houston 9er, you wrote just what I was thinking.

Coach makes everyone better. Whatever "It" is , he has it. The transformation in Martz is wonderful. We are out of it this year, but given a year of OTA's, drafting, and rearranging his staff there is real reason for optimism. Something that has been missing for a long time.

Have you notice any changes in reporters. Does Coach have you guys out there running wind sprints?

I don't like Martz. I didn't like him in St. Louis, and I don't like him here. Yes, he called a great game yesterday, but what about the first 7? JTO was getting slammed, throwing ints, it was ugly. I think the only reason we are seeing a competent offense is because of Singletary's influence. If Sing was not there our second half of the season would have looked worse than our first.

What the 49ers need to do is hire Singletary and hire Norv Turner. Give them a year with McCloughan as GM to see how he does. If McCloughan seems to fail, then bring in Holmgren as GM after next year.

Mike, last week you were kind enough to provide me with the exact time of a monster block by Chilo Rachal. That got me thinking. I, like a lot of 49ers fans, TiVo every game so I can go back and look more closely at line play and technique. That said, I know you put a lot of effort into reviewing film and picking out standout plays, good or bad. Would you mind listing a few of your highlights or lowlights after every game and the time at which they occured, perhaps in conjunction with your Game Grades?

Best,
Jersey Niner

Hill is showing me alot of similarities to Dilfer in his early years with the Ravens. A ball control quebee who manages the offense well and doesn't throw it to the enemy. Coupled with a defense that is now just flying all over the field and making plays. Yes, it has been Singletary's influence over Manusky too.

What I especially admire is that this is a coach who doesn't come from the Walsh tree – let alone the same orchard. A Buddy Ryan, defensive minded HC who loves to coach and genuinely cares about his players. Hats off to Singletary, who has an opportunity to forge his own legacy with the red and gold.

Nice summary. Sad fact, overall, is that SF's anemic pass rush has been more costly than Martz's offense.

Knock on Martz was he wouldn't change his game for the personnel. Wrong. Sure, JTO cost SF a couple of games (yet accelerated Nolan's demise), but we see that Martz added those crossing routes and deep digs which leave guys wide open and made SF an NFL leader in big plays. There are only a handful of choices who aren't bigger risks to fail or also leave for HC job. He's under contract for another year. Why not?

Franchise, thats a very strange comment. There are teams that have an identity that can be traced back 30 years. For example, the Steelers always have a great defense and a strong running game which goes back to the 70s. I'd like the 9ers to embrace their rich history and potentially even hire an offensive HC with roots in the WCO. Having said that, if a strong leader with a defensive background that has no ties to Walsh is the right guy to return the 9ers to greatness then so be it. Are you saying, Walsh and those he influenced didn't love to coach and didn't care about their players? Is there some inside story you'd like to share? You do know Singletary counts Walsh as a mentor and coach who greatly influenced him, don't you?

Also, why would you admire something that a person has no control over. Thats like saying, I admire him because he wasn't born in Indiana. Shouldn't you admire his coaching acumen or his leadership skills?

Well I think having Cower as head coach for just about 2 decades helps with having that kind of identity that the steelers have. and I hope that reference to Walsh wasn't from that one fox correspondent... yeesh that was a mess.

Obviously the first thing that needs to be solved is whether Singletary will be back. I am pretty confident that if Singletary is not back, most of the coaches (including Martz) will not be either. If they replace Sing, they probably will do so with an Offensive coach, and since no one else runs an offense the way Martz does I find it unlikely that he would be back. And I don't think Martz is high on the list of HC candidates (remember McCloughan didn't even want him, and there it would be another 3-5 years before they get the personnel to fit Martz's ideal system).

Then there is the relationship between Martz and Sing. From the public facing comments the two have a good working relationship. Martz may not like the "security" that Sing is preaching, and his ego may have taken a hit. But, all that aside Martz is calling better games, using the personnel and not turning the ball over (can't blame him for fumbles). The two don't have to be best friends, they just have to respect and understand each other, and I think right now, they do.

I don't see Martz getting a HC job in the next couple years. If Sing is back, and he wants Martz back, that would give the team time to find a younger coach, most likely to replace Tollner, study under Martz, and if/when he gets another HC job (or leaves), the Niners are not stuck re-inventing the wheel yet again.

As many posted before, at this point, I think continuity is the key. Sing obviously has the players covered, if he can keep Martz and Manusky, then I think they have to go forward with it. Even if it is a 2 year deal. They need to see what these players can do without constant change. That lack of change will allow them to start drafting/aquiring players to fill specific roles (pass rush, DB), instead of best player available.

Shaun Hill was 2-0 under Hostler. An argument can be made that Hill is making Martz look good.

Hi Matt,

I'm not sure if you're a big stats maven but do you know what the Niners Offense ranking is compared to the rest of the league since Singletary took over.

Would love to find out if either you or someone you work with could put that together

I feel the exact same way Matt. I was critical of you for giving a little too much credit to Singletary after their last win. How can a guy like Singletary who is not an XO type of coach receive credit for what is radically better offensive play and playcalling....he's not doing any of that? He may be a good leader, but being a good leader is ONE of the MANY traits a head coach needs to have.

I don't know about Martz long term. I think he's been a shot of adrenaline, a great way, more than anything, to give us an instant offense so we can actually assess our talent and we're learning some interesting things about many of our players. But I'd like to, personally, see a new head coach who is not at the mercy of his coordinators. I think Holmgren will take a year off. Shanahan is probably staying put. I'm not a real Cowher or Billick fan.

I'm going to throw a name out there to see what you think, Matt. Dennis Green.

You all act like you have no clue what is going to happen...there is goining to be a qb competition during the offseason....and as usual A.Smith will beat out Hill because Hill does not practice well.....its that simple.

Of course Martz deserves credit! Is anyone disputing that? All you have to do is think of this scenario: Sigletary as head coach and the idiot from last year (which I don't even remember his name) as OC. Would that have produced the same results? NO! Martz has his drawbacks but he is the best offensive mind we've had since the one and only Bill Walsh. It looks like the combo of Singletary and Martz is working well...we need to keep both in their current roles!

Keeping both men is a great idea.

Pay Martz like a HC and he might stay. Pay OC Martz more than HC Singletary if necessary.

Would the Yorks do so? Maybe. Would Martz accept? I suppose not.

Matt,
I absolutely AGREE! The MOST AMAZING thing about these past few weeks is how Martz has adapted to Singletary's style and really called great offensive plays. The guy is an offensive genius no question about it and he should absolutely come back with Singletary next year as OC if he doesn't get a head coaching job.

Gediojam - here it is from Sando at ESPN. Niners Nolan vs. Niners Singletary Offense and Defense. This was done pre-Jets game so I bet some of these numbers are even better:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcwest/0-6-53/The-Singletary-effect--49ers-offense.html?post=true

That was the offensive comparison link, here is the link to the Defensive Comparison - again - pre Jets game so all these numbers should be better:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcwest/0-6-55/The-Singletary-effect--49ers-defense.html?post=true

Houston – we have a problem...

When I said that I admire the guy, I admire the fact that he has an opportunity to create his own destiny from scratch with the niners. A defensive minded coach is a whole new direction from the offensive minded prowess of the Walsh tree. Nolan tried, but he obviously failed.

And you've misinterpreted my comments on admiration. It was no way a stab at the Walsh coaching methodologies of days past. His teachings are the reason we've won five Super Bowls!

With Singletary, it's an opportunity for a whole new chapter for the niners and a direction that I'm both excited and terrified at the same time, because it's not a familiar one for us niner fans.

And if you've listened to Singletary in interviews, how can you not like the guy for his candor and passion for coaching.

Capiche?

I think that Singletary is a good counter-weight for Mike Martz. There is no question that Mike Martz is a gifted coordinator who can obviously tailor an offense to his players' abilities. The offense is clearly better this year and he's under contract through next year. There is no reason not to keep him next year and maintain some continuity on offense for a change, the formula is working right now and if it continues through the next three weeks, I see no reason to change. I would, however, like to see some better play-calling in the goal-to-go offense from him. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing right now.

I would not kick Martz to the curb if Sing stays... but if he chooses to leave, I'd have Tom Rathman in like a shot.

Guys - I like Martz, but please remember that we are right in the thick of the playoff race if he had not butchered that first and goal in Arizona. Imagine how much more fun these last 3 games would be with the Playoff's on the line. Win out and we would have been in.

nice link! I'm not surprised about the 3rd down conversions but I am a bit surprised that the passing plays have gone up under sing even though we know he wants to mash it out with the line. and that the yds/carry are also down, but I'll trade that for the sacks and TO differential any day. And the way they are putting drives together instead of three and outs is also really impressive.

Mike...you're the man

Hey just to start some discussion... how does this sound.

HC - Singletary
OC - Martz
DC - Crennel

And again... sign Haynesworth please. Everyone is saying that our DL is playing better. The key for the 3 - 4 is a solid NT that will free up LB's (to read and attack and penetrate much more. That's the only piece the defense has been lacking for the past 3 years, the only problem was we had Bryant and Douglas who had alot of experience and talent. Man I would love to the Bryant back for one more season with Haynesworth and the defense we have now.

Hey just to start some discussion... how does this sound.

HC - Singletary
OC - Martz
DC - Crennel

And again... sign Haynesworth please. Everyone is saying that our DL is playing better. The key for the 3 - 4 is a solid NT that will free up LB's (to read and attack and penetrate much more. That's the only piece the defense has been lacking for the past 3 years, the only problem was we had Bryant and Douglas who had alot of experience and talent. Man I would love to the Bryant back for one more season with Haynesworth and the defense we have now.

I would also take arizona losing alot of games too. As closely as we played AZ, they really aren'ta push over team, that receiving core is for real even with Boldin's head injury, fitzgerald and breston were tearing us up.

"but I am a bit surprised that the passing plays have gone up under sing even though we know he wants to mash it out with the line"

The increase in passing plays is a DIRECT result of an increase in running plays. The run is opening the pass and also leads to more 3rd and short situations where the defense can't play just pass although the pass is still effective off of play action. Overall, though, with more total plays, you'll have more pass plays.

If Martz were smart, he'd want to be here next year, as well. Showing the ability to run a balanced offense with a power run game is something he's never done as a HC or OC. Having that feather in his cap would seem to benefit him quite well.

Dude, take your head out of your butt...we won't sign Haynesworth because the titans won't let him go.....even if they let him go, i am sure there are two teams out there that will pay more than what we offer......

don't get me wrong i do want Haynesworth too but be realistic...its just not going to happen

Franchise, Thanks for the clarification. I definitely didn't interpret your original comment the way you meant it. Your 2nd post reminds me of a story I read about Walsh. Many years after he retired Walsh was visiting an NFL practice- I'm not sure if it was the 9ers or not. He remarked to the person standing next to him that the drill the team was going thru was one he created many years before. The person replied that he must be proud that his legacy was felt at such a deep level throughout the league. Walsh said that he wasn't proud based on this drill. He felt the drill should have been at the very least modified to fit the current game.

I also look forward to the next great coach who impacts the game like Walsh impacted it. I hope it's Singletary but at this point who knows. I have the sense that Sing has the same outstanding organizational and motivational skills as Walsh. Sing isn't in the same ballpark as Walsh when it comes to game strategy or talent evaluation. I'm happy the 9ers seem to be playing better and Sing deserves alot of credit. However, that inexplicable timeout way too soon before halftime of the Bills game has me worried that Sing just isn't ready to be a head coach. We all villified Nolan for misused TO's during his tenure. The TO in the Bills game was worse than anything Nolan ever did with clock management.