An easy way for Greg Roman to improve

The 49ers offense is easy to fix only if Jim Harbaugh will allow the other 49ers offensive assistant coaches to get more involved with input of personnel groupings, formations, movement schemes, runs, play action passes and drop back passes as well as Red Zone, short yardage, goal line, 3rd downs, 2-minute, four minute, coming out offense, etc.

I asked Harbaugh on October 19th whether the offensive game plan is a collaborative effort or Greg Roman’s sole vision. Here’s what Harbaugh said: “This is Greg Roman’s offense. The greatest share is Greg Roman. There are times when we’ve had suggestions and collaborate, but it’s Greg’s offense.”

The 49ers offense should not be Greg Roman’s offense. It should be more of a collaborative effort. There are nine other offensive assistants, some of whom have NFL playing experience and others who have NFL coordinating experience, and all of whom are extremely capable with respect to the positions they coach as well as evaluating the capabilities of the position players they coach.

The 49ers offensive doldrums and lack of production speak specifically to my belief that it is impossible in this modern era of NFL football for only one coach to be solely responsible for the entire game plan. Not enough hours in the day or week for just one person to watch all of the tape and cut-ups, and no one coach has the market cornered for ideas and concepts and matchups of his offensive talent against the opposing defensive coordinator.

In fact, some of these other 49ers assistant coaches may have far more experience coaching and playing in the NFL and specifically against some of these defensive coordinators than Greg Roman. Roman has 15 years of NFL coaching experience, including a year and a half as an offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks Coach Geep Chryst has 20 years of NFL coaching experience, including two years as an offensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers.

There is a reason the guy is called the “offensive coordinator.” He should be coordinating all of the ideas, concepts and efforts of the offensive staff into a cohesive game plan.

After all, each of the offensive assistants spends hours watching tape of the opponents, and all have coached and or played with several other NFL teams and all have a mental encyclopedia of plays for every situation.

Use those talents because the sum of the parts – other offensive assistants – is greater than the whole of one individual – Greg Roman.

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