What the 49ers are Getting in Newcomer Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks
Newly hired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks becomes the first coordinator that the 49ers have hired outside of their own team.
Usually, this is a regime that likes to promote within as a means to maintain the foundation that has given them success throughout the years. The hire of Wilks indicates that either no one wanted to succeed DeMeco Ryans who went on to become the new head coach of the Texans, or that the 49ers didn't see anyone fit for the position.
Wilks has some enormous shoes to fill, as following up for a defense that has had two tremendous coaches as coordinators in Robert Saleh and Ryans will be extremely difficult. Since Wilks was hired outside of the team, he is more of an unknown than if someone was promoted. There is some blurriness as to what the 49ers are getting in Wilks, so I decided to reach out to someone with strong knowledge on him.
Schuyler Callihan who covers the Carolina Panthers on AllPanther FanNation was gracious enough to provide some insight on the 49ers' hire of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Here is what he had to say.
Shortly after taking over the team in October, the Panthers traded away WR Robbie Anderson and more importantly, RB Christian McCaffrey. At the same time, then-starting quarterback Baker Mayfield was on the shelf with an ankle injury, forcing P.J. Walker to start a handful of games in his place. Had it not been for injuries to Sam Darnold and rookie Matt Corral, Walker wouldn't have even made the 53-roster out of training camp.
Carolina also went through three defensive line coaches during the season and lost other members of the coaching staff who followed Matt Rhule to Nebraska.
Steve Wilks had every excuse to not be successful. They could have very easily finished in the bottom two or three in the league but throwing in the towel was never an option for Wilks. The team embraced his mentality and rallied around him playing as if they had something to prove. The locker room went to bat for him in the season's final weeks and then again in exit interviews. They truly believed he was the right man for the job. He doesn't sugarcoat anything, which is something the players loved about him.
Wilks instilled the culture needed to win in Carolina on the fly and darn near won a division title. Just imagine what he could have done with an offseason to handpick his coaching staff and roster and mold the team the way he wants it.
Many thanks to Callihan for his help. It sounds like the 49ers are getting a tremendous leader who turned a bleak situation into a somewhat successful one. This is something that I have pointed out before when I wrote about why Wilks would be a great hire when the 49ers were still going through the interviewing process. Envisioning a scenario where he fails or is average is tough given the talented players and coaching staff around him. At the very least, they have a guy who players can get behind and play for.
