San Francisco 49ers: 5 Steps for a Successful 2016 Offseason
By Peter Panacy
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/09ac13b63a0289a9f07765688143672393258524110de369999d1b39821d96e2.jpg)
August 24, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Replace Offensive Coordinator Geep Chryst
Head coach Jim Tomsula may be enduring a lot of the wrath from 49ers fans this season — all it takes is a quick Twitter search to reveal that — but the real focus should be on offensive coordinator Geep Chryst.
And, if Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News is right, Tomsula isn’t going anywhere anyway.
Tomsula is the Yorks' favorite coach. There's no question about that. https://t.co/0C1NYMtiqP
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) December 8, 2015
Neither is CEO Jed York.
Tomsula doesn’t have an offensive mindset. That’s Chryst’s responsibility. And he was woefully inadequate during his tenure as San Francisco’s red-zone play-caller last season. Chryst doesn’t exactly have the best offensive coordinator stats either.
1999 Chargers (Chryst OC): 28th pts, 26th pts
— Steve Berman (@BASportsGuy) November 1, 2015
2000 Chargers (Chryst OC): 26th pts, 28th yds
2015 49ers (Chryst OC): 32nd pts, 32nd yds
The 49ers have lacked offensive identity for the majority of the season. And they do have a lot of holes to fill.
But an offensive coordinator with a clear vision, and the ability to get the most out of the current group, will be far more beneficial to San Francisco’s long-term prospects on this side of the ball.
The difficulty will be seeing which coordinators are available this offseason and, more specifically, which ones would want to work under Tomsula’s direction.
Still, something needs to change here.
Next: Use Cap Space Wisely