Report: 49ers hire Curtis Modkins as offensive coordinator

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers have hired an offensive coordinator.

Modkins (45) is a longtime running backs coach who was the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills from 2010 to 2012, although he did not call plays — head coach Chan Gailey called them. Expect Chip Kelly to call plays for the 49ers.

Do you like this hire?

This article has 59 Comments

  1. Anthony G ‏@Anthgn 7m7 minutes ago
    Buffalo’s rushing DVOA under Modkins when he was OC ’10-’12:
    ’09 – 18th
    ’10 – 22nd
    ’11 – 8th
    ’12 – 9th

    after he left in ’13 they dropped to 17th. So solid hire.

    1. Nice stats. I had no idea who he was. Looks like he’s used to having somone else call the plays so that works with Kelly.

    2. This entire set up is a hot mess…so this coaching version of CK will be gone in three wasted years…

      Lordy how they reach for eye level candy, Baalke and Yorky picked CK on his name recognition only…

      Does anyone honestly, honestly believe this newer, yet more reputable band of misfits will ever get this team to the playoffs, much less a win at the big dance?

      1. Well, being one of the most die hard faithful Niner fans, I hope every year that they get a ring. Now that the Niners have a coach who will know how to properly use Kaep, the offense must improve since it was the 32nd ranked team.
        If Baalke can sign decent FAs, and hit a home run with the draft, anything is possible.

      2. This is a great hire. Especially since chip is expanding his offensive scheme. Chip a zone run guy vs his new hire which happens to be a power run guy. Both have been successful at the professional level and will just throw more weapons out there on game day. Great great hire. Now who’s the DC……….?

      3. C&H Unless Seattle or Arizona has a huge drop off I don’t see us being in the playoffs soon. We also lack talent in a lot of areas. I think this staff is a huge upgrade from the bargain basement group we had last year. We’ll be better and I do think Chip needs to think a lot more about his defense than he did in Philly. I am not sure he’s a SB guy, he does have the pedigree in the collegiate ranks, maybe he can do it in the NFL?

  2. Looks like he knows his stuff in the run game. Kelly said in his press conference that he’d be calling the plays so no news there.

      1. Yep, and he’s used to the run game out of the spread. Should make for some great game plan convos between him, Kelly and Rathman.

  3. Wonder how he’ll approach using Hayne? Seb will be pissed if Modkins disses Hayne…

    1. I will expect Modkins to mention Swiss Army Knife many times….
      Or I will be EXTREMELY disappointed.

  4. He looks to be a complementary hire to Kelly with respect to the run game. It will be interesting to see who the QB coach is.

  5. I personally like the hire. This man’s focus is to get this run game moving again. It will help with the time of possession also. Detroit should have never demoted him. 1 teams trash will be another teams treasure. Good hire in my opinion

  6. Hmm, Detroit ranked dead last in rush yards per game. Hope there were extenuating circumstances like poor O line or injured runners.

        1. Seb, no, it does not, but take heart to know that once Modkins took over the running game for Detroit, the Lions had 100+ rushing yards in 5 of those 7 final games. Modkins is recommended by Detroit’s fast-rising Cooter, and the Detroit press is referring to this hiring as the 49ers stealing one of Detroit’s up-and-comers.

          And also, Chip Kelly likes him, and Chip is a mad scientist. It’s an interesting hire for those reasons. He performs and is coveted.

          1. Sil. I am somewhat mollified.
            Sounds like Anthony Lynn wanted to call the plays, so he withdrew. Hope Modkins can see the potential in Hayne.

    1. They haven’t been a run first team since Barry Sanders. Running has been an afterthought….

    2. They were last under Lombardi. Coldwell stripped modkins of his run game coordinator tilte last year. And when he fired Lombardi he gave it back to him. Run game ran off 5 straight 100 yard games

    1. From the article:

      “I think [Kaepernick] is a good enough passer, but obviously what’ll be a nightmare is his ability to run,” on defensive coordinator said. “That offense is straight ‘Freddy Krueger’ when you have a quarterback that can pull the ball and run at any given time.”

      Kelly’s offense stalled out the last two years in Philadelphia because he didn’t have a quarterback with the dynamic athleticism to pull off the second part of the zone read.

      “The fact that Kap can make guys miss and get in the open field, they didn’t have that last year at all in Philly,” another defensive coordinator said. “We treated [Sam] Bradford like he was under center. There was zero threat of him running the ball. We told our guys, ‘Don’t treat him like he’s in the shotgun, he’s never gonna pull the ball.’ “

      1. If Kap is the 49ers starting QB and I’m the DC,
        1) I would have a spy, man defense on receivers and backers in zones..
        2) Mix in a backer blitz, with a spy same backend coverage…
        Kap has no accuracy, ,makes poor reads and doesn’t elevate the skilled players.
        He is very easy to defend and only a nightmare for our defense because their working over time.
        PS, the read option isn’t new anymore!

        1. Haven’t you learned anything? Zone read.
          Gosh I really hope they put a spy on Kaep, because then they can take advantage of the spy and devise plays that neutralize the spy.

    2. “The fact that Kap can make guys miss and get in the open field, they didn’t have that last year at all in Philly,” another defensive coordinator said. “We treated [Sam] Bradford like he was under center. There was zero threat of him running the ball. We told our guys, ‘Don’t treat him like he’s in the shotgun, he’s never gonna pull the ball.’ “

      1. I’ve been saying that for a week. It was Bradfords’ belief that it was better to give than receive, every single time….

  7. Barrows – “Alex Marvez – Source tells @NFLonFOX that @49ers have fired defensive coordinator Eric Mangini”

  8. Not understanding why a Mangini defense wouldn’t get enough rest with Kelly’s offense. With all the 3 and outs last year how could there be a faster offense.

    1. Michael, in 2015, there was a 32 second per game difference in time of possession between the 32nd ranked Philly Offense (25:51) and the 31st ranked SF Offense (26:23). The difference is negligible.

  9. the OC job interview by Chip probably went something like this:
    “go order me a coffee: non-fat, half caff, latte with 2 teaspoon of sugar. hot. bring back 2 napkins. and hurry up.

    the one that could followed his order the best got the job.

  10. He’s the perfect candidate in that he’s got a strong history in helping game plan a successful running attack, and doesn’t mind being an OC in name only.

  11. It may turn out this “quick strike offense” in SF will keep the ball longer than many think it will.

  12. From Barrows:

    “Head coach Chip Kelly is expected to call his own plays for the 49ers. And while a potent running game has been part of his attack — the Eagles, for instance, ranked first in rushing in Kelly’s first season in Philadelphia in 2013 — he has done so mostly with a zone-blocking scheme. Modkins specializes in power blocking, and Kelly said he was interested in bringing different views and backgrounds into his offensive mix.”

    Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article56051400.html#storylink=cpy

  13. I hope this new OC knows something about what gets the most yards in the NFL, the passing game.

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