Chopra: In Turner We Trust
In Turner We Trust
by Vini 'The Vin' Chopra
01.18.06 -- To say that I've been pleased by the 49ers' decision making as it pertains to their personnel department over the past few years is like saying I like to be tied down to a chair while someone scratches nails on a chalkboard in front of me. Let's just say from the hiring of Steve Mariucci way back in 1997 to even the hiring of Mike Nolan in 2005, I have been less than enamored by the organization's ability to land coaches and mentors that stand for the winning tradition that the 49ers established with Bill Walsh in the 1980s. So as I logged on the internet yesterday I was pleasantly surprised, and jumping for joy like an 18 year old upon his first visit to a strip club, with the hiring of Norv Turner as our offensive coordinator. Finally! For once, the 49ers managed to do everything right and land the exact type of coach to help mentor this young team.
Full Story...
First, let me address the skeptics. Those who will look at Norv Turner's head coaching record with the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders will be less than impressed with the coaches' track record. I'm not going to make any excuses. Norv Turner is not a very good head coach. It's like the great biology teacher that ends up as the school principal, and becomes overwhelmed with all the budget deficets, discipline issues, and propositions landing their way when their real strength was teaching cellular respiration. For one reason or the other, Turner is not effective as a head coach. But that's why he is not our head coach. He's our offensive coordinator.
As an offensive coordinator, Norv Turner is one of the most respected minds in the NFL. He has worked with several great players including future Hall of Famers like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin. This bodes well for the 49ers, because as a young team our greatest need is someone who is experienced with talent. Afterall, it was not that long ago that Turner coached a struggling, young QB who was then able to win back - to -back Super Bowls under Turner's watch. That QB's name is Troy Aikman. Now Turner will get an oppurtunity to mentor another young, struggling QB in Alex Smith, and while their styles differ, at least Smith has someone who has had over 15 years of NFL coaching experience and can work to Smith's strengths.
While Norv Turner's variation of the Coryell Offense takes the 49ers' offensive philosophy in a new direction, there is optimism that he will lead to positive and much needed change. For years the West Coast Offense (WCO) was the staple here in San Francisco, but if anyone has studied the Bill Walsh offense closely they would recognize that the 49ers have not run the true WCO since the days of Mike Shanahan in 1994. The name has carried over, and the terminology has carried over, but does anyone want to explain to me how Steve Mariucci's control the clock with the run philosophy, also known as 'Mooch Ball,' lived up to Walsh's control the ball with passes that set up the run philosophy?
And worst yet, the most successful West Coast Offensive systems belong to Walsh and his two major disciples: Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan. Walsh is semi-retired (you can take his business management class in Stanford if you happen to get a shiney SAT score), and the two Mike's are preparing for their respective conference championship games. Even Holmgren and Shanahans' greatest pupils, such as Gary Kubiak, Andy Reid, and John Gruden, already possess head coaching jobs or are in the process of doing so (Kubiak will be the Texans HC soon). If the 49ers chose to go with the WCO after Mike McCarthy, the decision would have left the 49ers choosing from a list of 2nd and 3rd rate coordinators such as Bill Musgrave or Matt Cavanaugh. Like McCarthy, these guys knew someone who happened to know someone else with a lineage into the Walshian coaching tree. But as McCarthy proved with his watered down, non-WCO like system, these types of coordinators lack the creativity and astuteness of Walsh, Holmgren, or Shanahan to create plays and exploit defenses with the short passing game. A guy like Turner is a 1st rate offensive coach who has tutored guys like Mike Martz. Turner may not be Walsh, but in terms of the coaching hierarchy in this day and age, Turner is a strong candidate who is proven, as opposed to a guy looking for a break.
The other aspect that makes the Norv Turner hire exciting is that for once, the 49ers offense will change. Do not believe that Turner is only a deep ball guy as Al Davis would have had you believe in Oakland this past year. Turner favors the power running game and likes to throw the ball down the field, but that does not always mean that he wants to get vertical or die. Some of the best passing attacks, namely the Rams 'Greatest Show on Turf' was based on a variation of Turner's philosophy and even that offense adjusted for Marshall Faulk, making Bill Walsh proud in the process. Turner has changed his offense to meet his personnel everywhere he has been, whether it's been taking advantage of physical receivers like Michael Irvin in Dallas with cutback routes, or the power running game with Ricky Williams in Miami. He has; however, always found results. Expect no difference with the 49ers, who are not suited to throw the ball vertically, nor do we possess a power back like Ricky Williams. You can count on Turner bringing change with the offensive line philosophy and adding some physical precense at the receiver or tight end spot.
Perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the Turner hire will be Alex Smith. When you think of Turner's systems and the Coryell offense, you think of strong pocket passers like Troy Aikman and Brad Johnson. Smith doesn't exactly fit this description but Turner has turned unconventional QBs into successes for their relative team. Gus Frerotte and Trent Green both had success with Turner in Washington. But the greatest news is Turner's success with QBs Jay Fiedler in Miami (who threw 20 TD passes with Turner as the OC) and Doug Flutie, who threw for over 3,400 yards and had the best season of his career under Turner in San Diego. Smith will, hopefully, be the next in line of productive QBs that have worked with Turner.
It's rare nowadays that the 49ers hit home runs with their decision makings, but with the Norv Turner hire and hopefully some stronger activity in the free agent market, things might be looking up for San Francisco afterall. Norv Turner is a great hire for this organization.
Filed Under: 49ers
by Vini 'The Vin' Chopra
01.18.06 -- To say that I've been pleased by the 49ers' decision making as it pertains to their personnel department over the past few years is like saying I like to be tied down to a chair while someone scratches nails on a chalkboard in front of me. Let's just say from the hiring of Steve Mariucci way back in 1997 to even the hiring of Mike Nolan in 2005, I have been less than enamored by the organization's ability to land coaches and mentors that stand for the winning tradition that the 49ers established with Bill Walsh in the 1980s. So as I logged on the internet yesterday I was pleasantly surprised, and jumping for joy like an 18 year old upon his first visit to a strip club, with the hiring of Norv Turner as our offensive coordinator. Finally! For once, the 49ers managed to do everything right and land the exact type of coach to help mentor this young team.
Full Story...
First, let me address the skeptics. Those who will look at Norv Turner's head coaching record with the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders will be less than impressed with the coaches' track record. I'm not going to make any excuses. Norv Turner is not a very good head coach. It's like the great biology teacher that ends up as the school principal, and becomes overwhelmed with all the budget deficets, discipline issues, and propositions landing their way when their real strength was teaching cellular respiration. For one reason or the other, Turner is not effective as a head coach. But that's why he is not our head coach. He's our offensive coordinator.
As an offensive coordinator, Norv Turner is one of the most respected minds in the NFL. He has worked with several great players including future Hall of Famers like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin. This bodes well for the 49ers, because as a young team our greatest need is someone who is experienced with talent. Afterall, it was not that long ago that Turner coached a struggling, young QB who was then able to win back - to -back Super Bowls under Turner's watch. That QB's name is Troy Aikman. Now Turner will get an oppurtunity to mentor another young, struggling QB in Alex Smith, and while their styles differ, at least Smith has someone who has had over 15 years of NFL coaching experience and can work to Smith's strengths.
While Norv Turner's variation of the Coryell Offense takes the 49ers' offensive philosophy in a new direction, there is optimism that he will lead to positive and much needed change. For years the West Coast Offense (WCO) was the staple here in San Francisco, but if anyone has studied the Bill Walsh offense closely they would recognize that the 49ers have not run the true WCO since the days of Mike Shanahan in 1994. The name has carried over, and the terminology has carried over, but does anyone want to explain to me how Steve Mariucci's control the clock with the run philosophy, also known as 'Mooch Ball,' lived up to Walsh's control the ball with passes that set up the run philosophy?
And worst yet, the most successful West Coast Offensive systems belong to Walsh and his two major disciples: Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan. Walsh is semi-retired (you can take his business management class in Stanford if you happen to get a shiney SAT score), and the two Mike's are preparing for their respective conference championship games. Even Holmgren and Shanahans' greatest pupils, such as Gary Kubiak, Andy Reid, and John Gruden, already possess head coaching jobs or are in the process of doing so (Kubiak will be the Texans HC soon). If the 49ers chose to go with the WCO after Mike McCarthy, the decision would have left the 49ers choosing from a list of 2nd and 3rd rate coordinators such as Bill Musgrave or Matt Cavanaugh. Like McCarthy, these guys knew someone who happened to know someone else with a lineage into the Walshian coaching tree. But as McCarthy proved with his watered down, non-WCO like system, these types of coordinators lack the creativity and astuteness of Walsh, Holmgren, or Shanahan to create plays and exploit defenses with the short passing game. A guy like Turner is a 1st rate offensive coach who has tutored guys like Mike Martz. Turner may not be Walsh, but in terms of the coaching hierarchy in this day and age, Turner is a strong candidate who is proven, as opposed to a guy looking for a break.
The other aspect that makes the Norv Turner hire exciting is that for once, the 49ers offense will change. Do not believe that Turner is only a deep ball guy as Al Davis would have had you believe in Oakland this past year. Turner favors the power running game and likes to throw the ball down the field, but that does not always mean that he wants to get vertical or die. Some of the best passing attacks, namely the Rams 'Greatest Show on Turf' was based on a variation of Turner's philosophy and even that offense adjusted for Marshall Faulk, making Bill Walsh proud in the process. Turner has changed his offense to meet his personnel everywhere he has been, whether it's been taking advantage of physical receivers like Michael Irvin in Dallas with cutback routes, or the power running game with Ricky Williams in Miami. He has; however, always found results. Expect no difference with the 49ers, who are not suited to throw the ball vertically, nor do we possess a power back like Ricky Williams. You can count on Turner bringing change with the offensive line philosophy and adding some physical precense at the receiver or tight end spot.
Perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the Turner hire will be Alex Smith. When you think of Turner's systems and the Coryell offense, you think of strong pocket passers like Troy Aikman and Brad Johnson. Smith doesn't exactly fit this description but Turner has turned unconventional QBs into successes for their relative team. Gus Frerotte and Trent Green both had success with Turner in Washington. But the greatest news is Turner's success with QBs Jay Fiedler in Miami (who threw 20 TD passes with Turner as the OC) and Doug Flutie, who threw for over 3,400 yards and had the best season of his career under Turner in San Diego. Smith will, hopefully, be the next in line of productive QBs that have worked with Turner.
It's rare nowadays that the 49ers hit home runs with their decision makings, but with the Norv Turner hire and hopefully some stronger activity in the free agent market, things might be looking up for San Francisco afterall. Norv Turner is a great hire for this organization.
Filed Under: 49ers
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