Steve Wilks is out as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator. Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he relieved Wilks of his duties earlier that morning.
Schematic, philosophical disconnect at core of Wilks firing
Shanahan said that he wasn’t sure which direction he would go when he was asked about Wilks on Tuesday, hence why he was noncommittal, despite his statement that he expected every coach to return.
At the core of Wilks’ firing (phrase it how you want, it’s a firing) is a fundamental, schematic disconnect.
“Really tough decision,” Shanahan said. “Really says nothing about Steve as a man, or as a football coach. 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, looking through it all throughout the year, through these last few days, felt pretty strongly that this was the decision that was best for our organization.
“Even though it was one I didn't want to make, it was something that once I realized that I think a different direction is what's best for our organization, then it's something that I have to do. So I let him know this morning and I know I wasn't able to let you guys know yesterday because I wasn't sure about it yesterday.”
Scheme can be a vague, catch-all term. At the core, the 49ers’ scheme is a 4-3 defense that plays a lot of nickel (4-2-5), and uses a mostly wide-nine front.
But the fundamental philosophy about how to employ personnel seems to have been at issue with Wilks, who was brought out of the booth to the sideline during the year. 49ers players said it made a substantial difference, which was a bit of a red flag at the time.
Shanahan said Wilks made a concerted effort to adapt to coach in a way that worked for 49ers players, especially the linebackers, but that it “ended up not being the right fit.”
Having had two-straight defensive coordinators who were former linebacker coaches, and who saw the game from that lens, Shanahan said it was a problem that Wilks did not come from that perspective. He was pretty blunt, suggesting Wilks tried, but simply did not gel with the way the 49ers tie rush and coverage together.
Here’s his answer on whether the lack of having a linebacker-founded philosophy was problematic:
“Yes, I think it was [an issue]. I don't think that just is solely because his background is DBs. I just think it has to do with the way we play linebacker, and the way that Fred [Warner] and Dre [Greenlaw] have done it here over the years and the way we've coached it.
“I mean, there's no one way to do things, but you want to tie things together and Steve was always working to do that. There's no doubt about that. But, for his background, and how it ended up with us, it was harder than it needed to be, and I felt it would improve going in a different direction.”
In reality, that’s a pretty brutal answer for Wilks. It’s tantamount to saying, try as he might, he just did not get it.
The next question, of course, is where the 49ers look from here. Shanahan said he will consider both in-house and outside candidates for the job.
Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek doesn’t sound like a candidate, given his laser-focus on the defensive front. That’s not at all a surprise.
“I think it's always a possibility for him, but I know what Kris majors in, I know what he loves to do,” Shanahan said. “His passion is D-line. He doesn't go outside of that a lot, but Kris is a hell of a coach and he's capable of doing a lot.”
He was also asked about safeties coach Daniel Bullocks, who is the only in-house candidate who makes much theoretical sense. He has been in the system since 2017 (starting as an assistant DBs coach), is young, and unlike Kocurek, or linebackers coach Johnny Holland, is at the point in his career where he’s not necessarily a position coach lifer.
“I'm not going to specify anyone in particular this early, but DB's done a great job for us here over the years, and he's a coach that I have a lot of respect for,” Shanahan said.
That said, Shanahan stressed the linebacker-oriented mentality he desires, and it seems the most likely route is that the 49ers go outside the building for an established coordinator.
He said his preference is to find someone who keeps the 49ers’ schematic philosophy intact, but the main thing he’s looking for is someone who will maximize the defense’s talent. It is evident that wasn’t the case this season, as a defense that has been arguably the NFL’s best for the better half of a decade could not be argued as that this season.
It would be exceedingly unlikely for a new defensive coordinator to come in with a wildly different system, but throwing in new wrinkles, especially if they’re run through Fred Warner, wouldn’t be a shock.
“I'm committed to try, in the situation we're in, trying to find what we believe will give the Niners the best chance in 2024,” Shanahan said. “And when you have a group of guys who have played at a high level doing certain things, a specific way for a while, I do feel that's the best thing to do for them.
“But if I find something that I believe in, that I can be sold on, that could be a better avenue, I would never hesitate to do that. So I'm not close-minded in any way, looking at every possibility, but when you have some good players who have played at a high level and done it a certain way, I'm not just trying to change that.
“I lean towards trying to keep them doing similar stuff that they've been very good at that's got us very far. But I have to make sure that I find the right person who's capable of leading our group in that way, that the standard of how we have done it, and that believes that we will continue to get better at it.”
Four other departures
In related news, the 49ers have had four coaching departures. Shanahan confirmed them Wednesday morning.
Offensive passing game specialist Klint Kubiak (whose brother, Klay Kubiak, is the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach) has departed for the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator job.
Assistant head coach/running backs coach Anthony Lynn has departed for the Washington Commanders, where Kyle Shanahan’s former head coach, Dan Quinn, and former 49ers executive Adam Peters (and Martin Mayhew) are running things.
Lynn is taking with him assistant defensive line coach Darryl Tapp as the Commanders’ defensive line coach. He was extremely well-liked, and may be the most substantial loss of the group.
Last, there’s assistant offensive line coach James Cregg, who is leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive line job. San Francisco still has another assistant offensive line coach on staff in Joe Graves.
It’s actually the fourth time since 2017 the 49ers have had an assistant offensive line coach poached. One, in Adam Stenavich, is the Packers’ offensive coordinator. Adam Yenser is the offensive line coach at Kentucky. Butch Barry is the Dolphins’ offensive line coach, and now Cregg joins the trend. Chris Foerster, the team’s offensive line coach/run game coordinator, was assistant offensive line coach in 2021, before John Benton departed for the Jets offensive line coach job.
If you’re concerned about the 49ers’ ability to replace all this coaching talent, or curious why Shanahan has excelled at it, please read this piece from last week. I talked to numerous 49ers coaches about why Shanahan is an excellent developer of coaching talent, despite losing myriad coaches each year. There are currently three NFL head coaches and eight coordinators that were once under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.
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