When did Singletary fire Greg Manusky?

[Bach]

49ers Need To Kick Greg Manusky To The Curb
Oct. 2008

After today's game, it's absolutely clear that Greg Manusky's days as the 49ers' defensive coordinator should be numbered.

It's pathetic that over the last two weeks, the 49ers have given up 97 yards to Correll Buckhalter (not that he isn't a bad running back) but he's been injury prone. And to make matters worse, they allowed a 5.1 yard per average.

In last week's game against New England, the 49ers' defense allowed two rushing touchdowns to Kevin Faulk—who had never in his 10-year NFL career ever had a two-touchdown game. Both of them were on plays that it was clearly going to be a running play.

My problem with this defense is that they have three playmakers on the team. They have Walt Harris, who has 13 interceptions in two-plus seasons with the 49ers. They signed Nate Clements for eight years and $80 millions.

So far, in his one-plus season with the 49ers, he's had five interceptions, and he has been solid. He also has the problem of not going for the tackle but trying to strip the ball out and sometimes it works and sometimes he's thrown off, making it a bigger play than it should have been. The third—and best—playmaker for the 49ers is, of course, Patrick Willis.

The 49ers, during the offseason, brought in Justin Smith to help the pass rush. So far, it hasn't worked. So far this season, the 49ers have just 13 sacks, and this is including today's game against the Eagles. That is an incredibly low amount of sacks.

The first game of the season, the 49ers had three sacks, which is a mediocre amount, and it probably should have been more considering that Kurt Warner is 37 years old. In the second through sixth games, they've managed only one sack on Matt Hasselbeck, four sacks on Jon Kitna, zero sacks on Drew Brees, five sacks against Matt Cassel, which is much improved, and zero against Donavon McNabb.

So, that means that against the proven quarterbacks in the league in Hasselbeck, McNabb, and Brees, the 49ers' defense has had only one sack. Meaning, since there's no pressure on the quarterbacks, they can just pick the 49ers defense apart, seeing how Hasselbeck, even without his healthy, main wide receivers threw for 189 yards, which is pretty good actually. They also allowed Julius Jones to run for 127 yards, Drew Brees threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns, and McNabb today 288 yards and two touchdowns.

I have yet to see the 49ers play with any sense. They don't put any kind of pressure on the quarterback. There's rarely any blitzes, and the 49ers plays the bend-but-don't-break style. Well, that's all well and good when you can build a lead and your offense can be on the field. It just never happens that way because Manusky, for some strange reason, doesn't like to go after the quarterback.

It also seems that, when the 49ers do get some pressure—which is a rare occurrence—the quarterback manages to escape either by throwing the ball away or making a completion.

What the 49ers need to do is employ a more aggressive defense, starting with Patrick Willis. Let him be everywhere on the field. Blitz him, let him come from the outside, and maybe he can disrupt the quarterback. With the added pressure on the quarterback, it would allow the two playmaking corners the 49ers have in Clements and Harris that much better and be able to get more interceptions.

The 49ers' next game is against the defending champions, the New York Giants. Look for the 49ers to not even make a game of it, unless New York overlooks the 49ers since the Giants are going to be playing the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week.

Somehow, I don't see that happening, and the Giants will remain undefeated. If the defense doesn't show any type of improvement in getting to the quarterback, Eli Manning, as much as I hate saying this, will have a field day and throw for a ton of yards, and Brandon Jacobs will also have a huge game on the ground. No pressure on Manning equals easy victory for the New York Giants.

I'm going to predict a score of the Giants 35 and the 49ers 10. After the Giants game, if the 49ers' defense doesn't show any signs of improving on getting pressure, Greg Manusky should be shown the door.

He should go and find a job coaching in the college ranks. The 49ers defense has been pathetic, and it's time for McCloughan to bring in someone who's willing to have the 49'ers blitz and put pressure on the QB to make quick decisions instead of all day to make their throws.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68107-gm-scot-mccloughan-needs-to-kick-greg-manusky-to-the-curb

 

[jcollins28]

She did get wrong that he was the guy Wade wanted over Stewart. He may have wanted him, but the guy was hired by San Fran before Wade was even hired here. John Pagano was publicly reported as the guy that he wanted, but the Chargers wouldn't budge. He settled on Stewart, who they initially balked on buy eventually let go.

If you remember right San Diego filled something with the league preventing us from taking anymore of their staff. Not sure what it was but there was some red tape blocking Dallas from bringing him in.

 

[AbeBeta]

If you remember right San Diego filled something with the league preventing us from taking anymore of their staff. Not sure what it was but there was some red tape blocking Dallas from bringing him in.

No, they simply didn't grant their coaches permission to interview - you can do that for any position except HC

 

[BAT]

Uh, no. He hasn't. He consistently calls his 3-4, the Philips 3-4.

And he consistently explains that it is a ONE gap defensive scheme, which most if not ALL, the 4-3 schemes utilize.


And Wade HAS compared his fronts/personnel responsibilities of his front 7 to that of a traditional 4-3.


That is why he refers to it as a Phillips' 3-4, to differentiate it from the all the other 3-4s, which are TWO gap.

 

[WoodysGirl]

And he consistently explains that it is a ONE gap defensive scheme, which most if not ALL, the 4-3 schemes utilize.


And Wade HAS compared his fronts/personnel responsibilities of his front 7 to that of a traditional 4-3.


That is why he refers to it as a Phillips' 3-4, to differentiate it from the all the other 3-4s, which are TWO gap.

No matter the responsibilities of his players, he's never said his 3-4 is like the 4-3. If you've seen it, I'd love to see the quote.

 

[theogt]

And he consistently explains that it is a ONE gap defensive scheme, which most if not ALL, the 4-3 schemes utilize.


And Wade HAS compared his fronts/personnel responsibilities of his front 7 to that of a traditional 4-3.


That is why he refers to it as a Phillips' 3-4, to differentiate it from the all the other 3-4s, which are TWO gap.

Most other 3-4s use one gap responsibilities a good bit as well. The only current 3-4 that used almost exclusively 2-gap was what we ran under Parcells. No one does that anymore.

 

[JPM]

Most other 3-4s use one gap responsibilities a good bit as well. The only current 3-4 that used almost exclusively 2-gap was what we ran under Parcells. No one does that anymore.

Do the Pats run a 2-gap 3-4 ? Just curious.

 

[theogt]

Do the Pats run a 2-gap 3-4 ? Just curious.

They use both.

 

[dmq]

I'm lukewarm on Manusky.


I would rather have Sean McDermot from the Eagles. He spent over 10 years under Jim Johnson, coaching both LBs and Secondary. This guy knows how to teach the zone blitz, the right way (as in disguised).

So why didn't the Giants snag him or Spagnuolo when he went to St. Louis?

 

[BAT]

Most other 3-4s use one gap responsibilities a good bit as well. The only current 3-4 that used almost exclusively 2-gap was what we ran under Parcells. No one does that anymore.

That is not true. Pats go back and forth between 2 gap and 1 gap, depending on how they line up, but the Steelers are primarily a TWO gap scheme. The biggest diff between a Parcells 3-4 and a LeBeau 3-4 is not the gap responsibility but the zone blitzes. LeBeau is a master of the zone blitz (like Jim Johnson), but his DL still need to hold up 2 OL.



Other than the Wade disciples, the Chargers (under Cottrell) and 9ers (Manusky), which 3-4 teams are one gapping???



And the Pats one gap when they are in their 4-3 front, not when they are in their 3-4 front.

 

[theogt]

That is not true. Pats go back and forth between 2 gap and 1 gap, depending on how they line up, but the Steelers are primarily a TWO gap scheme. The biggest diff between a Parcells 3-4 and a LeBeau 3-4 is not the gap responsibility but the zone blitzes. LeBeau is a master of the zone blitz (like Jim Johnson), but his DL still need to hold up 2 OL.



Other than the Wade disciples, the Chargers (under Cottrell) and 9ers (Manusky), which 3-4 teams are one gapping???



And the Pats one gap when they are in their 4-3 front, not when they are in their 3-4 front.

Pittsburgh doesn't zone blitz much such that it would be characterized as a scheme difference. And they use a good bit of 1-gap. The Pats also 1-gap out of a 3-4 front. We also use both 1-gap and 2-gap.

Everybody uses both. Some more or less.

Yes, most people refer to some 3-4 defenses as either 1-gap or 2-gap, but they use both. You can find old Belichick playbooks around and see that he uses both. Not to mention you can usually watch the D-line and tell whether they're 1-gapping or 2-gapping.

 

[BAT]

So why didn't the Giants snag him or Spagnuolo when he went to St. Louis?

I assume its because he is still under contract for another year. He was supposedly one of the DC candidates that the Packers looked at before choosing Nolan.


Why didn't Childress "snag" Spagnuolo when he was hired to coach the Vikes in 2006?

 

[theogt]

I assume its because he is still under contract for another year. He was supposedly one of the DC candidates that the Packers looked at before choosing Nolan.


Why didn't Childress "snag" Spagnuolo when he was hired to coach the Vikes in 2006?

Nolan is in Denver. The Packers have Capers.

 

[BAT]

Pittsburgh doesn't zone blitz much such that it would be characterized as a scheme difference. And they use a good bit of 1-gap. The Pats also 1-gap out of a 3-4 front. We also use both 1-gap and 2-gap.

LeBeau uses the zone blitz almost as much as Jim Johnson does (a 4-3 guy). But even Jim Johnson does not zone blitz every play. I have seen the Pats one gap out of a 2 man front, but they primarily 2 gap when they move either/both of their OLB to the line. Again, Pittsburgh primarily 2 gaps.

Everybody uses both. Some more or less.

Agreed. But saying a team uses one exclusively becomes definitive of the scheme. Wade went to the 46 a lot last season (and the season before that he used the more traditional 4-3), but just b/c he intersperses those fronts into his D does not make the Dallas D scheme a 46 (or "BUM" as Wade likes to call it). It is still primarily a 3-4 Phillips D (that 1 gaps more than it 2 gaps).

You actually proving my point. The original discussion is that McDermott is an ill fit due to his lack of traditional 3-4 experience (or even Phillips 3-4 experience). But the truth is, the best coaches use (copy) from the best, and Jim Johnson is one of the best. He uses D concepts that Wade is familiar with and vice versa. McDermott would be a better fit in Wade's scheme than someone who only coached a Parcells' 3-4.

 

[Idgit]

LeBeau uses the zone blitz almost as much as Jim Johnson does (a 4-3 guy). But even Jim Johnson does not zone blitz every play. I have seen the Pats one gap out of a 2 man front, but they primarily 2 gap when they move either/both of their OLB to the line. Again, Pittsburgh primarily 2 gaps.

PIT gets most of its pressure from its linemen with the team they've got now. They don't need to blitz very much.

 

[BAT]

PIT gets most of its pressure from its linemen with the team they've got now. They don't need to blitz very much.

The pressure does not come from its "linemen", but primarily from its LBers. All of them, not just the big names playing on the outside.

Polamalu also blitzes quite a bit.

 

[Idgit]

The pressure does not come from its "linemen", but primarily from its LBers. All of them, not just the big names playing on the outside.

Polamalu also blitzes quite a bit.

They mix their fronts, but they're not the zone blitzing team they were even a few years ago. If you want to use a definition of 'lineman' that includes down linemen only and not a shifted linebacker, that's fine with me. You get the point.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Pittsburgh doesn't zone blitz much such that it would be characterized as a scheme difference. And they use a good bit of 1-gap. The Pats also 1-gap out of a 3-4 front. We also use both 1-gap and 2-gap.

Everybody uses both. Some more or less.

Yes, most people refer to some 3-4 defenses as either 1-gap or 2-gap, but they use both. You can find old Belichick playbooks around and see that he uses both. Not to mention you can usually watch the D-line and tell whether they're 1-gapping or 2-gapping.

really?

LaBeau is like the founder of the zone-blitz

 

[theogt]

really?

LaBeau is like the founder of the zone-blitz

Did you read the rest of the sentence? It modifies the statement you bolded.

 

[BAT]

They mix their fronts, but they're not the zone blitzing team they were even a few years ago. If you want to use a definition of 'lineman' that includes down linemen only and not a shifted linebacker, that's fine with me. You get the point.

The Steelers may not need to blitz as much as they have in the past (due to getting consistent 4 man rush) but they are still playing the same scheme.

Did you think LeBeau just threw out his playbook after 50 years in the league?

Speaking of LeBeau.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/sports/football/09steelers.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp