Scenario: Wilks is fired. You're the DC now. How do you fix things?

In this hypothetical scenario, Wilks was just fired during the bye week, and you are the new defensive coordinator. We just opened the practice windows for Darrell Luter & Samuel Womack. Outside of those potential additions, all you have to work with is the rest of the current roster.

What changes do you make that get us back on track to being a dominant defense again?

I'll start with mine:

1) Whenever Young or Bosa sub out, I move Armstead to the edge. It's always a challenge for him to play with great leverage inside and he would be much better at setting the edge than anyone else not named Chase Young or Nick Bosa. Who takes his spot inside? I address that in point #2.

2) I increase the snaps of Kevin Givens. He actually has performed fairly well when given an opportunity lately and I think is underrated.

3) Play Womack outside and Lenoir inside in nickel situations. Womack is supposedly better in press than in zone. If he falters, at that point we need to consider trying Ji'Ayir Brown in a Jimmie Ward type of role in the slot. Either way, Oliver must go to the bench. He's been exposed as a weakness that teams can way too easily attack repeatedly.

4) Throw the 5-man fronts into the trash can and never use them again.

5) STOP playing off-man on short to medium distance. For the life of me I cannot understand why you'd offer a 7-yard cushion on 2nd or 3rd and 2 to go. Regardless of distance, our guys do not have the foot speed/quickness to break on the ball fast enough, especially with such massive cushions.

1. I would do the same, only I would sign Ndamukong Suh to the mix. He's 36 so I know he wouldn't be too mad at being a rotational player, I think he actually did that in Philly.

2. See 1.

3. I'd like to see the 49ers make a change in the secondary, I been crying for weeks about this. Cut or bench Oliver, give his snaps to Womack and Luter.

4. I agree.

5. For the love of god please stop doing this.

I hire someone a lot smarter than me to do the job.

Nice.

1 should be happening more than we've seen regardless of whos on the field.

Send Greenlaw. He goes point A to B faster than anyone on the field. His talent isn't being fully utilized here.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
In this hypothetical scenario, Wilks was just fired during the bye week, and you are the new defensive coordinator. We just opened the practice windows for Darrell Luter & Samuel Womack. Outside of those potential additions, all you have to work with is the rest of the current roster.

What changes do you make that get us back on track to being a dominant defense again?

I'll start with mine:

1) Whenever Young or Bosa sub out, I move Armstead to the edge. It's always a challenge for him to play with great leverage inside and he would be much better at setting the edge than anyone else not named Chase Young or Nick Bosa. Who takes his spot inside? I address that in point #2. I really don't think this makes much of a difference. We need AA to play better in the middle point blank.

2) I increase the snaps of Kevin Givens. He actually has performed fairly well when given an opportunity lately and I think is underrated. Ok with more snaps but he's not a run stuffer and will get pushed around on the inside. this will make the run defense worse in my opinion. what happened to ty mcgill or kalia davis? This is really on KS and JL for not having a run stuffer on the roster.

3) Play Womack outside and Lenoir inside in nickel situations. Womack is supposedly better in press than in zone. If he falters, at that point we need to consider trying Ji'Ayir Brown in a Jimmie Ward type of role in the slot. Either way, Oliver must go to the bench. He's been exposed as a weakness that teams can way too easily attack repeatedly. i'm cool with this, Womack and Luter are question marks and it's time to see what they have. Maybe Womack is better at nickel and Lenior stays on the outside. Luter is an outside CB. I don't see Brown playing the slot. Just get Oliver off the field.

4) Throw the 5-man fronts into the trash can and never use them again. It has value and isn't that big of a deal or problem. It's not like it's something they use a lot or as a base defense. If that was true I'd agree. They need to run more stunts. DR was great at having unbalanced d line set with different guys stunting and twisting. more a gap blitzes and safety blitzes. Stop telegraphing CB slot blitz.

5) STOP playing off-man on short to medium distance. For the life of me I cannot understand why you'd offer a 7-yard cushion on 2nd or 3rd and 2 to go. Regardless of distance, our guys do not have the foot speed/quickness to break on the ball fast enough, especially with such massive cushions. Agreed.

I would add that dude has to stop being so extremely vanilla. Can we see an adjustment before half time? Need to put Huf in the box more on 1st downs to stop teams from picking up 5/6 yards running the ball up the gut. At times our linebackers are dropping so deep in there zones that they are just leaving too much space in the middle of the field. I dont' see any hunger or fire from the players. where is the leadership? Where is the fight drive and want too. That's on the players. Find a spark and get back on track. Even with a terrible DC these guys should be playing much better and not making a lot of bad mistakes.

Originally posted by lamontb:
I would add that dude has to stop being so extremely vanilla.

I thought his reputation was built more on a lot of different looks, blitz packages, etc. so I am surprised that the defense has looked so plain. They need to get Hufanga and Warner on some early down blitzes.

Damn it, my eyes didn't see the scenario part at first, went right to he is fired..I got excited for a second. LOL 😆 Why ya gotta do that? Jk

I rehire Wilks

I would stay with the base 4-3 (Tampa Two) and unleash the Horn Frogs' 4-2-5 scheme on passing situations.

Just like the Giants' Speed Four (that got the Patriots in their 1st Super Bowl match up), I'll have..

YOUNG - HARGRAVE - BOSA - NORMAN (sub w/Ferrell) all DEs rushing the passer.

Then will have Warner and Huff (hybrid SS/LB)

Originally posted by 49erFaithful6:
I rehire Wilks

I bring in Ronnie Lott to deal with it.

Warner needs to be a spy against any duel threat QBs and come on a delayed blitz or cover the scramble.

We have not even been hurt by it yet this year other than Dobbs but we will be.

This solves two problems in that it allows warner to bring pressure when our guys aren't able to finish and keeps contain on the duel threat.

You could also use Oliver since he is big and fast enough and can't actually cover as a corner also in a hybrid role.

Historically any QB with more mobility than Dak gashes us badly every game.

Over and over

Originally posted by Silky:
Over and over

Wilks burner acct confirmed

Originally posted by 49erFaithful6:
I rehire Wilks

As a janitor?