49ers' Search For QB Begins

Buzz up!49ers' search for QB begins
Training camp opens without known starter

-- Before the 49ers' 2007 season collapsed in futility, before they found points tougher to come by than cheap gas, they were the chic pick in some circles to make the playoffs.

This year, you'd have to go out on a limb that would be out of Tarzan's comfort level to pick the 49ers as a playoff contender. They lack an established quarterback and a game-breaking receiver, and they're learning a new offense.

And yet coach Mike Nolan thinks the team that reports this afternoon to training camp in Santa Clara is better than the one that had some experts so excited last summer before the high expectations and Alex Smith's shoulder both gave out. The 49ers finished 5-11, their fifth straight losing season and third under Nolan.

"It's better for several reasons," Nolan said. "I think it's better from the top on down. I think the adjustment we made administratively with Scot (McCloughan being promoted to general manager and taking control of personnel decisions from Nolan) makes us better.

"I think the coaching staff is improved from a year ago, in particular on the offensive side. I think the free-agent acquisitions, as well as the draft, with a very minimal loss on our roster of our top players, makes us better on paper - with the healing of a couple of players who were injured last year.

"Going into it, there's a lot of reason for optimism, but I'll worry about (the record) at the end of the season. ... Our focus is just on where we're starting."

Even though Nolan doesn't really sit at games or practice, his hot seat might be the hottest in the NFL. In the offseason, he persuaded owner John York to give him another year, and he'll be working with the club's sixth offensive coordinator in six years.

According to Nolan, that coordinator is probably the team's biggest reason for optimism. After two seasons with the Detroit Lions and six as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, Mike Martz brings his creativity and moxie to a team badly in need of both.

So this training camp, besides being critical to Nolan's continued employment, also will be the latest laboratory for Martz, the NFL version of a mad chemist. It also offers competition for the starting quarterback job.

Smith, who is signed through 2010, is being challenged by Shaun Hill, who won a couple of late-season starts last year after five mainly inactive years in the league. J.T. O'Sullivan makes the competition a threesome, and he comes in already well versed in the Martz system from working in it last year in Detroit.

"It's important that we give them all equal opportunity," Nolan said, a difficult task given that all three men are eager for reps with the first unit.

He said he wouldn't set a timetable on when the decision will be made. The choice, he said, will be a collective effort by him, McCloughan, Martz and quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner.

Both starting wide-receiver spots are up for grabs as well. Ex-Ram Isaac Bruce brings more than 14,000 yards of receptions to the mix and probably has the upper hand. Former Cardinals backup Bryant Johnson will compete with holdovers Arnaz Battle and Ashley Lelie.

Darrell Jackson, released in March, showed little in his one year in San Francisco, following in the shaky footsteps of Johnnie Morton and Curtis Conway.

Because the 49ers felt inside linebacker Derek Smith's scheduled 2008 salary of $3.45 million was too rich for their blood, they released him in January. So Jeff Ulbrich will compete with Brandon Moore and rookie Larry Grant to start alongside last season's Pro Bowl rookie, Patrick Willis.

Of course, Nolan is competing for his job, too. Counting Martz and assistant head coach Mike Singletary, there are high-profile coaches on the staff who could be promoted if the team gets off to a poor start.

"Job security, in my mind, comes second to winning," Nolan said. "I want to win first and worry about job security after."

Briefly: Center Cody Wallace, the 49ers' fourth-round pick, signed, and that leaves first-rounder Kentwan Balmer as the only unsigned draft pick. ... A limited number of single-game tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster at 10 a.m. Saturday. More information at 49ers.com.

Revolving door
THE INCOMING
DE Justin Smith - Durable player who consistently led Bengals' linemen in tackles.

WR Isaac Bruce - After 14 years of bedeviling the 49ers, he's on their side.

WR Bryant Johnson - A standout backup behind Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in Arizona

DL Kentwan Balmer - Top draft pick slated as backup at end or tackle

QB J.T. O'Sullivan - UC Davis alum joins the QB fray but faces long odds.

RB DeShaun Foster - Ex-Panther will spell Frank Gore.

THE OUTGOING
DT Bryant Young - Retired after 14 years, leaving a leadership void.

DE Marques Douglas - A capable player who signed with Tampa Bay.

ILB Derek Smith - Released after 7 seasons as a 49er. Signed with San Diego.

OG Larry Allen - Outside chance he might return. It's unclear whether team wants him back.

WR Darrell Jackson - Released in March after one unimpressive season.

49ers Camp
Where: Santa Clara headquarters

Players report: Today

First practice: Friday

Practice schedule: 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or 4 p.m.

Practices open to the public: 9 a.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday; 4 p.m. Monday; 4 p.m. Wednesday; 4 p.m. Aug. 1; 9 a.m. Aug. 2; 4 p.m., Aug. 3

Exhibition Schedule
Aug. 8: At Raiders, 7 p.m.

Aug. 16: Green Bay, 6 p.m.

Aug. 21: At Chicago, 5 p.m.

Aug. 29: San Diego, 7 p.m.

49ers, First-Round Pick Balmer Reach 5-Year Deal

On the eve of the team's first practice of training camp, John Clayton of ESPN is reporting that the San Francisco 49ers have reached a five-year contract agreement with first-round pick Kentwan Balmer, a defensive lineman out of North Carolina.

The deal is said to be worth $11.5 million, with $6 million in guaranteed money.

The team will hold their first team meeting this afternoon and their first practice will take place Friday morning. Fans will get a chance to see Balmer in a 49ers uniform on Friday afternoon, which is the team's first practice open to the public.

Nolan Knows His Job Depends On A Good Start

Mike Nolan knows the rules. This season, he wins early or he goes home. Probably.
Meaning that, if the San Francisco 49ers coach wants to keep his job, it might not be enough for him to win eight or nine games this season. He might need to win four of the first eight.

Oh, did you notice? In those first eight games, the 49ers play both of last season's Super Bowl teams, the Giants and Patriots. Plus, there are two games against division champion Seattle.

But those are the rules. Mike Nolan knows the rules. Patience will be in short supply after he narrowly retained his position following last season's disappointing 5-11 record.

"If there's anything I've learned," Nolan said Wednesday in his office, "it's that whether you're 14-2 and you're Marty Schottenheimer, or if you're 5-11 and Mike Nolan, you can lose your job. It doesn't really matter. And if you're afraid of that in this profession, you're in the wrong profession. I've always known that."

With the 49ers opening their preseason training camp today, it seemed a good time to sit down with Nolan. The idea was to get a general sense of whether he is approaching this season in an uber-eager mode to prove how last year was an aberration caused by injuries and unforeseeable bad luck . . . or if he is looking at this as a chance to correct some major mistakes that were made in 2007 by Nolan and others.

The answer: both.

"Yes," Nolan said, "I'm eager to get into this season. But at the same time, I'm not so eager that I disrespect why we lost last season, and the things it's going to take to get us on track again."

Top Five with WR Lelie

July 23, 2008

Wide receiver Ashley Lelie sat down with TV49 for an Up Close segment where he shared his off-season interests and his enthusiasm for his second year with the San Francisco 49ers. Check out the Top Five from that interview.

Q: You’ve said that you enjoy traveling during the off-season. What types of things did you do this year?
A: I went to Europe. Hung out in London for a little bit. That was pretty fun. I also went to Amsterdam. I got to see some good art while I was in Europe. I went by Hawaii and went spear fishing. That was pretty hot, it’s a little hobby of mine. For everyone who doesn’t know, you are not standing on top of the water with a spear. It’s basically snorkeling and shooting at a fish.

Q: You were also a mainstay in the 49ers off-season program. What were some of the areas you zoned in on?
A: I always try to get my legs strong and get them in the best shape that I can for the long haul. During the season, they start to wear so I like to get those in shape so that I can get in and out of my breaks. The focal point though was trying to learn the offense and getting the concepts down.

Q: Does this Mike Martz offense live up to the hype?
A: Yeah, just by the way he coaches it. He knows every in and out of the offense, from the receivers split to the offensive line’s blocking assignments. He knows every part of it and the way he teaches it to us, he also wants us to know every part of it. Once we start to get it and see it, we can pick defenses apart. Just in seeing how hard our defense is having covering us, and we don’t even know the whole offense yet, so once we get into the season and get it down, it’s going to be a special offense.

Q: Last year you didn’t really get many opportunities, and what I found impressive was the way that you just kept your nose down and never made a fuss at large about your situation. Some guys might have complained more vocally given those circumstances.
A: Well, when I was in Denver, I took that road before, getting upset and voicing my opinion and trying to change things that way. I saw how tough it was. It put me into the position I am. Doing that in Denver, it didn’t really lead anywhere. It just added friction with the team, and got me in the hot with the coaches and with other teams having a stigmatism about what type of player I was. I was in a similar situation where I could either choose to speak out and be a distraction or just go with the flow and so I just went with the flow and played football.

Q: Martz has gone on public record saying that he thought you were extremely talented when you first came into the NFL and that he’s surprised that you haven’t been given more opportunity. How does it feel to have your coordinator speak that way of you, and do you sense you will be a bigger part of things this year?
A: It’s encouraging to hear that from a guy who has been to Super Bowls. It makes you want to get better and work harder and to digest this offense. It’s kind of a receiver’s dream to be in this type of offense where they air the ball out like this. I haven’t been in this type of an offense and so it’s like being a kid again. I feel like a rookie

49ers Ink Wallace

July 23, 2008

The San Francisco 49ers announced Wednesday that they have signed fourth-round draft choice C Cody Wallace. Terms of the contract were not announced by the team.

Wallace (6-4, 300) was the 107th overall pick out of Texas A&M. He served as the team captain last year and started 13 games, earning All-Big Twelve Conference and league’s Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year honors.

Wallace’s signing leaves the 49ers with first-round pick DT Kentwan Balmer as the last of the six 2008 draft picks to sign with the team.

49ers Veteran Guard Allen Considering Playing Next Season

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan said he believes guard Larry Allen might consider postponing his retirement to return for his 15th NFL season.

Allen, an 11-time Pro Bowler, spent the last two seasons with the 49ers after leaving the Dallas Cowboys. Nolan still hasn't spoken directly to Allen, a free agent, but said Monday that offensive line coach George Warhop had a recent conversation with him.

"He called a week or two ago to express his interest, but I haven't heard from him since," Nolan said Monday. "I just think because he's a free agent, he just left it up to his agent this time."

The 36-year-old Allen, who lives in the Bay Area year-round, was widely considered to be headed for retirement even though the soft-spoken guard hadn't said much publicly on the issue.

Fan Advisory: New Bus Service To Candlestick

July 21, 2008

FAN ADVISORY: Silverado Stages to Replace SamTrans Bus Service to Candlestick Park

49ers fans in San Mateo County and Palo Alto will have a new bus service provider for home games during the 2008 season. Starting this preseason, Silverado Stages will offer bus service from the Peninsula Area to Candlestick Park in place of SamTrans.

The change is the result of a new Federal Transit Administration regulation that prohibits SamTrans from continuing to provide bus service to the stadium. At this time, the new regulation does not impact fans that plan to take other forms of public transit to Candlestick Park including San Francisco’s Muni service.

Fans in San Mateo County that planned to travel to the stadium by bus are urged to contact Silverado Stages at 1-800-781-4699 for more information about routes, schedules and pricing, or click here for a list of public transportation service providers that offer game day service to Candlestick Park.

Although the timing of this new regulation is unfortunate, we commend SamTrans for its efforts to make the transition to Silverado Stages as seamless as possible, and thank them for their long-time service to our fans. Silverado Stages has assured us that our fans will be pleased with their level of service and commitment.

The 49ers regret any changes this new regulation may cause to your travel plans and we look forward to welcoming you back to Candlestick Park in August for the start of the 2008 season.

CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED PUBLIC TRANSIT MAP!