Football - Greg Manusky Joins 49ers As Defensive Co

San Francisco 49ers have hired Greg Manusky as their defensive coordinator. Manusky spent the last five years with the San Diego Chargers as the linebackers coach. Prior to this, he was with Washington for one season and then decided to follow Marty Schottenheimier to San Diego.

Schottenheimer and Manusky ran a 3-4 defense scheme which is also preferred by Mike Nolan, the 49ers coach.

Manusky has no experience as coordinator but after having a nine hour long interview on January 29, 2007, he managed to convinced Mike Nolan that he would be right choice for the job.

Manusky will now replace Billy Davis who was fired after two seasons. Nolan decided to fire Davis after the 49ers gave away 412 points in 2006 and 428 points in 2005. With the hiring of Manusky, Nolan hopes to hand over play calling to Manusky even though he had never called a game before. However, Nolan has utmost confidence in Manusky and thinks that he has the ability to pick up quickly.

Nolan selected Manusky over Dave Campo, Jaguars’ assistant coach, Donnie Henderson and Mike Singletary, 49ers assistant head coach. Wade Phillips, Nolan’s former boss at Denver Broncos, gave Nolan a very good reference on Manusky which could have tilted the balance in his favor.

Manusky played 12 seasons in NFL and during his playing days with Washington, Minnesota and Kansas City, Manusky was a special teams standout. He played 113 consecutive games. He said that Vikings assistant coaches Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin had encouraged him at that time to take up coaching as a career.