Ong Talk

                                                    By: Ryan Ong

 

Martz Jumps on Board - January 14, 2008

Mike Nolan has just handed the keys to a 1970's Ford Pinto to offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Martz has been referred to as a mad scientist at times, but he will have an uphill battle next season as he calls the plays. There are several pieces on offense that need to be changed in order for Martz to pimp out the Niners' offense. Which means that Martz may not be able to make the drastic 180 degree turnaround that Niners fans are expecting.

As San Francisco transitions to Martz's offense, the weakest links on offense will be exposed. Recently Martz stated that the 49ers have more talent than the Lions had when he started in Detroit. Granted, Frank Gore is the centerpiece -- and Gore does compare nicely to Marshall Faulk -- but other positions need an upgrade. Martz is known for taking no-name, average quarterbacks and upgrading them to elite status. Hopefully his magic will work with potential quarterback bust Alex Smith. Or with life-time backup QB Shaun Hill. Martz's quick strike offensive system may pay dividends for these quarterbacks, but not until they pick up some decent wide receivers.

The Niners' current wide receivers do not fit well with Martz's philosophy; Arnaz Battle and Darrell Jackson are possession receivers. While Battle has become a go-to-guy for Alex Smith, he is NOT the kind of game-breaker that Martz had with Roy Williams, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. Jackson cannot be considered a difference-maker because of his lack of consistency. In Jackson the Niners inherited an inconsistent receiver who frequently drops the ball and appears to give up at times. The other receivers are not much better. It has yet to be seen if Ashley Lelie or Jason Hill can be productive because they rarely played this season. The receiving corps is one of the most important components in Martz's system and the Niners clearly lack talent in that department.

Another potential bust for the 49ers is the much-hyped TE Vernon Davis, who is prone to mental lapses during games. FOX analyst J.C. Pearson sounded like a broken record earlier in the season when he said that Davis has the potential to become an elite tight end. On paper Davis appears to be on the verge of becoming great. He also has a chance to put up big numbers with Martz calling plays for him. After being pegged as the golden savior for the 49ers offense two years ago, Davis has yet to reach his potential. Davis has showed flashes of brilliance at times, but his counter-part, Delaine Walker, has proved to be more consistent.

Speaking of inconsistent, one should not forget about the horrible offensive line play this season for the Niners. It does not look any better next year, either, with the line's anchor, Larry Allen, likely to retire. Martz claims he will focus on the Niners' strength and run the ball, but he will soon find that running the ball is not a strength. The O-line often looked confused this season and did not execute well. This led to Gore's struggles -- even the soft-spoken RB is venting his frustrations -- and injuries to three different starting quarterbacks. This year's line was so bad, it made Niners fans wish that Kwame Harris was still a starter.

Martz will struggle to patch this line, since the only silver lining is rookie Joe Staley (and Staley is no Orlando Pace). The good news -- and, maybe, the bad news -- is that the nucleus of the line is expected to change in the offseason. Jonas Jennings may be cut, Larry Allen is likely to retire and Justin Smiley is expected to test his worth as a free agent. With that kind of action taking place, hopefully the Niners can patch the line through free agency and the draft.

Martz is an upgrade over former offensive coordinator Jim Hostler, but if the players don't execute, it doesn't matter who runs the offense. Hostler was the scape goat for this season's failure. If Martz is given full reign of the offense like Norv Turner had, there is reason to be optimistic. However, the receiving corps and the offensive line need vast improvement.

Mike Nolan claims Martz inspires his players. Well, Martz is going to need to do a lot of inspiring next season because the Niners offense was horrible. Every fan has a little bit of optimism for the Martz Era, but there is only so much that he can do for this team. Unless the 49ers make some personnel changes to the offense there may not be a whole lot of improvement next season.

 

High School Sports Focus Will Be Missed

The Bay Area's High School Sports Focus ended its run last month after covering high school athletes for 26 years. The cancellation was a big mistake. The show was one of the few positive things that high school kids could stay home and watch, instead of being on the streets. It exposed some memorable moments with its "Out of Bounds" segment, which highlighted people in the community, and brought aspects of human determination to the viewers' attention.

High School Sports Focus highlighted students with important stories, like the high school student who competed in sports but walked the streets at night and the woman who continued to coach her players while she dealt with cancer. These touching moments will be sorely missed. The Sports Focus was not only a high school sports show, but an outlet for communities. Every community needs that shining light that brings good news into your living room every once in a while.

Rest in peace, Sports Focus, may this void bring attention to the media and the community that every area needs a high school sports show.