Is Mike Nolan Getting A Free Pass?

Filed in archive NFL on October 31, 2007

When talk about head coaches on the hot seat comes about, one name never mentioned is San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan. All this, despite a track record that, while short, is less than impressive.

One of the reasons may be that Nolan is only in the midst of his third season with the 49ers. However, if recent history is any indicator, three years is about the amount of time most head coaches get. Dennis Green was fired after three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Mike Mularkey got two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, as did Norv Turner with the Oakland Raiders.

The other head coach hired before the 2005 season was Romeo Crennel with the Cleveland Browns, and he was firmly on the hot seat before the year started. The two have very comparable records, though Crennel has actually has one more victory than Nolan.

Statistics aren't kind to Mike Nolan, either. He was hired away from Baltimore, where he was the defensive coordinator, but his 49ers teams have not shown much defensive prowess. For that matter, his teams have not shown much offensively, either. Here is how San Francisco has ranked in both offense and defense since Nolan took over (out of 32 NFL teams):

2005
Defense: Yards allowed - 32nd, Points allowed - 30th
Offense: Total Yards - 32nd, Points scored - 30th

2006
Defense: Yards allowed - 28th, Points allowed - 32nd
Offense: Total Yards - 26th, Points scored - 24th

2007
Defense: Yards allowed - 19, Points allowed - 23rd
Offense: Total Yards - 32nd, Points scored - 32nd

As you can see, little has become of the Niners on either side of the ball. While they are showing some improvement defensively, the team has regressed on offense to this point.

The question that remains is this - why does Mike Nolan seem to get a pass from the media and fans? There are undoubtedly fans and media members who have their doubts, but their voices certainly aren't very loud. Is it because he's supposedly "old school"? Because his dad was a coach? Or maybe because he wears a suit?

Whatever the answer is, it seems like Nolan is fairly immune. Of course, it's possible if the 49ers continue to struggle, that the heat around him will rise. But, strangely, all seems quiet now.

(Photo: Flickr)