Richard Hightower-Chicago Bears Special Teams Coach

I think he needs to be fired also but I put a lot of the blame on Lynch and Shanahan. They have never put an emphasis on getting a real returner here they think they can just throw anyone back there and get the job done.

Need to overhaul special teams altogether after the season. New coaches, some new players, definitely someone that is more of a dedicated kick returner. This is easily the weakest unit on the team.

Originally posted by Oilcan:
I think he needs to be fired also but I put a lot of the blame on Lynch and Shanahan. They have never put an emphasis on getting a real returner here they think they can just throw anyone back there and get the job done.

it was way more than a fumble that went wrong. gave up boatload of return yardage. punter s**t the bed. its a nightmare

This is completely getting out of hand. I think everyone understands that it isn't the ST coach who forces fumbles or misses FGs/XPs but it is the ST coordinator who is supposed to emphasize ball security and concentration which our kick returners lack.

The list of atrocities from this unit is endless:

- Poor kickoff and punt coverage
- Unclear strategy on kickoffs. Are you trying to kick it short? If so it isn't working. Are you trying to kick it deep and not able? What is the answer here.
- KRs who lack concentration and make basic errors (Travis Benjamin not securing the ball on the left arm running down the left sideline, Hasty not knowing how to field a short kick with confidence).
- Aiyuk constantly fields punts off the hop with a defender within 7 yards...why isn't he told to NOT DO THIS.
- Terrible KR efforts that constantly put us below the 25...just take the touchback!
- Missed FGs and XPs are a norm with Gould now
- Burned for a game changing ST touchdown in Seattle

Maybe it isn't all the ST coach's fault and maybe the players will feel "bad" if he's fired but sometimes something needs to be done (ie fire a coach) that lights a fire under the players and forces them to concentrate.

Can't get right teams should be their name b/c it sure isn't special

Originally posted by Leathaface:
This is completely getting out of hand. I think everyone understands that it isn't the ST coach who forces fumbles or misses FGs/XPs but it is the ST coordinator who is supposed to emphasize ball security and concentration which our kick returners lack.

The list of atrocities from this unit is endless:

- Poor kickoff and punt coverage
- Unclear strategy on kickoffs. Are you trying to kick it short? If so it isn't working. Are you trying to kick it deep and not able? What is the answer here.
- KRs who lack concentration and make basic errors (Travis Benjamin not securing the ball on the left arm running down the left sideline, Hasty not knowing how to field a short kick with confidence).
- Aiyuk constantly fields punts off the hop with a defender within 7 yards...why isn't he told to NOT DO THIS.
- Terrible KR efforts that constantly put us below the 25...just take the touchback!
- Missed FGs and XPs are a norm with Gould now
- Burned for a game changing ST touchdown in Seattle

Maybe it isn't all the ST coach's fault and maybe the players will feel "bad" if he's fired but sometimes something needs to be done (ie fire a coach) that lights a fire under the players and forces them to concentrate.

Great post.

The clock is ticking on him.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
Need to overhaul special teams altogether after the season. New coaches, some new players, definitely someone that is more of a dedicated kick returner. This is easily the weakest unit on the team.

Part of the problem, however, is that guys like Aiyuk, Dwelley, Juaun, RBs, DLs, OLs, are seen on STs, and one wonders just exactly how much time has been spent on KO , KR, P, and PRs, not to mention PATs, and FGs, with most of OL on the field (PATs/ FGs) plus a few selected others.

I agree, until we had those two Ls close together and both due to STs, that Kyle has pretty well, ignored the STs, just like he did the DBs until we lost 4 consecutive games to DPIs. Once kyle got on the STs, they started to improve. But now we just backslid a little.

Initially it looked like kyle really didn't give STs much concern, nor did he factor it in as 1/3 of the game. Once we lost 2 games by STs, he seemed to take charge. Same can be said about the 4 Ls from DPIs. But once we strung 4 Ls together just on DPIs, he got involved.

Undoubtedly he prefers to scheme for the O, but this yr finally was forced to face the ugly facts that ST and DB coverage was broken. Here's hoping he keeps overseeing the entire team, O, D, and STs. Maybe something like GOAT BW's designated 30 mins or so of ST every practice would be in order.

As for the DPI issue, that was more a D problem and kyle let Demeco "take care of it". Had joe Woods still been here it would never have been an issue. Just a reminder for kyle…he is HC…not just OC whose forte is scheming O plays. Good reason to consider an asst HC, maybe?

Originally posted by Leathaface:
This is completely getting out of hand. I think everyone understands that it isn't the ST coach who forces fumbles or misses FGs/XPs but it is the ST coordinator who is supposed to emphasize ball security and concentration which our kick returners lack.

The list of atrocities from this unit is endless:

- Poor kickoff and punt coverage
- Unclear strategy on kickoffs. Are you trying to kick it short? If so it isn't working. Are you trying to kick it deep and not able? What is the answer here.
- KRs who lack concentration and make basic errors (Travis Benjamin not securing the ball on the left arm running down the left sideline, Hasty not knowing how to field a short kick with confidence).
- Aiyuk constantly fields punts off the hop with a defender within 7 yards...why isn't he told to NOT DO THIS.
- Terrible KR efforts that constantly put us below the 25...just take the touchback!
- Missed FGs and XPs are a norm with Gould now
- Burned for a game changing ST touchdown in Seattle

Maybe it isn't all the ST coach's fault and maybe the players will feel "bad" if he's fired but sometimes something needs to be done (ie fire a coach) that lights a fire under the players and forces them to concentrate.

All this. Our ST seems uncoached and undisciplined .

whose daughter in the staff or FO is this guy married to? Its the only reason i could think of as to why he still has a job. Falcons were returning every kickoff to the 40. Thats unacceptable. We are going to get crushed in the playoffs with this ST play

Originally posted by JustinNiner:

whose daughter in the staff or FO is this guy married to? Its the reason i could think of as to why he still has a job. Falcons were returning every kickoff to the 40. Thats unacceptable. We are going to get crushed in the playoffs with this ST play

Shanahan is loyal to a fault. For context, Hightower and Shanahan played college football together. They were both on the Texans as asst coaches early in their careers, and also coached together in Cleveland. They split up when Shanahan went to ATL, and reunited when Shanahan got the 49ers HC job.

But at the end of the day, results count. We replaced our DL coach with Kris K, and I have to imagine we'd do the same if there was a clear cut upgrade. Chris Tabor and Rich Bisaccia are two favorites of mine - both w. Shanahan ties.

Originally posted by GEEK:

Originally posted by JustinNiner:
whose daughter in the staff or FO is this guy married to? Its the reason i could think of as to why he still has a job. Falcons were returning every kickoff to the 40. Thats unacceptable. We are going to get crushed in the playoffs with this ST play

Shanahan is loyal to a fault. For context, Hightower and Shanahan played college football together. They were both on the Texans as asst coaches early in their careers, and also coached together in Cleveland. They split up when Shanahan went to ATL, and reunited when Shanahan got the 49ers HC job.

But at the end of the day, results count. We replaced our DL coach with Kris K, and I have to imagine we'd do the same if there was a clear cut upgrade. Chris Tabor and Rich Bisaccia are two favorites of mine - both w. Shanahan ties.

It's been pretty lear. They couldn't do anything with Pettis. Wish supposedly has this wide skillset and we haven't seen any of it. Mistakes have cost us games, field position, etc. It was time to cut ties 2 years ago.

Still employed, huh?

Originally posted by evil:

Originally posted by 49Fever:
He is so incompetent that they had bosa lined left end on a punt…

Bosa has played 9 snaps on STs this year.

How and why does that make the coach incompetent though?

To my knowledge You put fast guys on the ends to pressure the punter

Originally posted by frenchmov:

Originally posted by 49Fever:
He is so incompetent that they had bosa lined left end on a punt…

I believe they were guarding against a fake in 4th & short

And if you're scared by the fake on 4th and short, You dont put Bosa to stop the run it's not his skill set

and of course vs Falcons he continues to kick short and cannot design the blocking scheme Properly when we kick or receive…
maybe kyle waits for us to lose a game in the playoffs before he fires this guy…
he is jim hostler to me : that's how much i disrespect this m°r°n…

Originally posted by NCommand:
Still employed, huh?

Hightower be like: