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San Francisco 49ers Bringing Back West Coast Offense

By Carl Cockerham

Sep 27, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers coaching search has been narrowed to one. And it looks like the team’s next head coach will be Kyle Shanahan.

Most of the teams that win in the NFL have the same formula they’ve always won with. Sure, the game has changed but the formula of success remains the same. The teams that didn’t stay with the formula that won for them aren’t winning now.

The New York Giants are winning again because they are playing hard-nosed defense again. The Dallas Cowboys are winning again because they put together a historically great offensive line. The Oakland Raiders have even gone back to their old ways with the deep ball.

The San Francisco 49ers did their thing with a tough defense and the West Coast Offense. The defense had its 3-4 and hybrid 4-3 years but the West Coast Offense remained throughout. And the spirit of Bill Walsh seems to have willed it back to the Bay.

The 49ers coaching search was coming down to New England Patriots OC Kyle Shanahan and Atlanta Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan. But Monday, he dropped out of the running, telling reporters per Conor Orr of NFL.com, “At this time, it’s best for my family and myself to remain here.”

That means Shanahan is now the favorite for San Francisco’s head coaching job. Everyone believes it’s just a matter of Shanahan’s season ending in Atlanta. Shanahan, like his father Mike Shanahan, is a disciple of the West Coast offense with bootlegs and the whole nine.

Shanahan is also a quarterback whisperer so it makes me wonder if he’ll want do something with Colin Kaepernick. Either way, the West Coast Offense is on the way back to San Francisco.  The 49ers are reaching back to their old tradition to make the team relevant again.