The San Francisco 49ers fell just short of Super Bowl victory this past season, culminating in the firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks shortly thereafter. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan was tasked with finding a formidable replacement who was ready to lead a defensive group ready to win now.
Kyle Shanahan has experience with such a task, having previously hired three separate defensive coordinators during his tenure. Coach Shanahan settled on an internal candidate in former defensive backs coach Nick Sorensen.
New defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson was the perfect hire, and he will propel the San Francisco 49ers defense to Super Bowl victory in the upcoming season.
What Went Wrong For Steve Wilks As San Francisco 49ers DC
Steve Wilks was hired for his ability to connect with his players, his adaptability as a coach, and for his prowess with defensive backs. Wilks showcased all of these areas in his one-year as defensive coordinator, but there was a consensus around the organization that the defense just wasn’t playing up to the ability of the talent on that side of the ball.
Wilks seemed to enhance the secondary play in his short tenure, as Charvarius Ward in particular elevated his play to an All-Pro level. Deommodore Lenoir proved to be a more than serviceable NFL cornerback, and he got Ambry Thomas to play his best to this point in his career. There was not a member of the entire 49ers defense who had a bad thing to say about Wilks.
Wilks just left a little bit too much to be desired to be retained for another year, as the San Francisco 49ers are in win-now mode. The defensive line in particular, who has highly-paid players all along the front did not produce the sack numbers that many expected coming into the year. This will be an area that Kyle Shanahan and Co. look to improve upon for this upcoming season
Kyle Shanahan Has The Pulse Of The Team
Kyle Shanahan has shown a keen ability to hire great defensive coordinators, not something many of his fellow head coaches around the league can say. Two of his previous coordinators in Robert Saleh and Demeco Ryans have gone on to accept head-coaching gigs, and the latter led them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2020.
Kyle Shanahan had to make a tough decision in firing Wilks, as many people would not have questioned him if he chose to retain him.
Shanahan admitted the decision was tough according to the 49ers PR department, “He is exactly what we wanted as a man. He is a great football coach. But just where we’re going and where we’re at with our team from a scheme standpoint and things like that, looking through it all throughout the year, through these last few days, I felt pretty strongly that this was the decision that was best for our organization.”
Shanahan knew a tough decision had to be made in order for the San Francisco 49ers defense to reach it’s full potential, and that is the sign of a good coach
Nick Sorensen Is Perfect Fit To Lead San Francisco 49ers Defense
Nick Sorensen propelled the San Francisco 49ers secondary to new heights as their secondary coach, a prelude of things to come after his promotion to defensive coordinator. Sorensen is a former player himself, demanding the respect of his players and allowing him to connect with them from his own experiences. Expect for him to call plays from the sideline from the outset, allowing for player input in between drives.
A good secondary coach also knows that a secondary’s best friend is a good pass rush. This will be an area that he looks to get the full potential out of, as the 49ers have the talent to be elite. Sorensen is not new to the team, so with the familiarity of the defense he knows the 49ers must get after opposing quarterbacks consistently in order to get where they want to be.
There has been some clamor around 49ers circles as to the readiness of Sorensen to take over the defense. No such doubts should exist, as Kyle Shanahan is the best in the business in defensive coordinator hires.
This is the man fit to propell this defense to new heights. Expect the scheme to be the same as years past, but also expect play-calling to look a little different from his predecessor. The San Francisco 49ers are ready to capture that elusive sixth Lombardi trophy, and they will do so with Sorensen at the helm.
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