A decent indicator for how good or bad a coach is can come from how the coach is viewed by his peers. In the case of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, how he’s viewed by opposing defensive staffers paints a clear picture of how difficult it is to face San Francisco’s offense.
Players will always decide games and the likes of Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk are sure to give opposing coaches headaches. Shanahan adds an extra layer of difficulty though thanks to his knowledge of how defensive football works.
In an episode of The Playcallers, a podcast by Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic, former Rams secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator Ejiro Evero explained the difficulties of facing a Shanahan offense.
“All of your basic adjustments for your defense, he knows them, right?” Evero said. “And so he knows what you’re gonna play versus empty. He knows what your three-by-one checks are, your bunch checks, whatever you might be trying to get to – he knows it – so you’ve gotta understand that he’s gonna have the best plays up for your adjustments.”
Forcing a defensive coach to try and change their defense on the fly is only one part of what makes a Shanahan-coached team so tough on the opposition. Evero also explained that the Shanahan 49ers offer a one-two punch that not a lot of teams provide.
“And so sometimes you play a team that they’re gonna give you that physical challenge,” Evero told Rodrigue. “Sometimes you play a team that’s gonna give you that schematic challenge. And I’m so respectful of him and I have a lot of admiration for what he does because you better be ready for both against him.”
This is a significant reason the 49ers have found so much success despite some of their troubles finding a quarterback and keeping them healthy. They’re built to play a physical, punishing style of football on both sides, but then they mix in significant schematic advantages on offense with a superb mix of defensive talent.
Players will always have to execute and make plays to win games. Shanahan’s knowledge of opposing defenses though gives the 49ers a unique edge that gives them the ability to overcome some of the significant obstacles they’ve encountered over the last five seasons.
