The San Francisco 49ers have faced their share of struggles this season, and the defense, led by first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen, has been no exception. While the defense ranks sixth in the NFL in total yards allowed, inconsistency has plagued the unit, as evidenced by its 22nd-place ranking in points allowed.
Sorensen spoke candidly with reporters on Thursday, offering a self-assessment, fully acknowledging the outside scrutiny he has been under while admitting that this season has been a learning process.
"I learn all the time," Sorensen said. "For me, I'm harder on myself probably than anything you guys or anyone could say. So, it starts with, are we winning the game? Obviously, I want our defense to be top-notch and be the best, to be the best that we can be, and grow, and get better.
"So as far as evaluating me, I learned a lot. I have learned a lot, and I'll learn more this week, too."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently offered a vote of confidence regarding Sorensen, acknowledging the challenges of this season while seeing potential for growth.
"I think Nick has done a good job as a coach," Shanahan said. "No one's happy with our results by any means. I think he's been thrown in a number of situations that I think will make him better going forward."
Sorensen joined Shanahan's coaching staff in 2022 after stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was promoted to defensive coordinator after Shanahan fired Steve Wilks.
Regarding Sorensen's performance this season, Shanahan added, "I've watched him adjust to a bunch of different situations, kind of be in a couple of situations on a couple games when there wasn't much of an answer, and he still had to try to find one. So, I think this year was good for him, and I know he's going to be a good coach and better for it going forward."
The 49ers head into Week 18 with a 6-10 record and no shot at the playoffs. They'll wrap up their season on Sunday with a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
