San Francisco 49ers: Why Ben Garland will thrive after being named starter

Journeyman San Francisco 49ers backup offensive lineman Ben Garland will be making his first start of the season at center this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Here’s why he is going to thrive in his new role.

Last week, the San Francisco 49ers showed the New Orleans Saints who the team to beat in the NFC is, in what many are calling the game of the season.

Unfortunately in the process, starting center Weston Richburg suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. Backup offensive lineman Ben Garland will be starting in Richburg’s stead for the rest of the season, beginning this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Here’s why Garland is going to thrive in his new role.

First off, it should be understood that center is one of the most important positions on the football field. NFL teams’ success often lives and dies by the starting center. So, Richburg’s injury is a huge blow. However, Garland should be able to thrive in this role, and the 49ers will continue to succeed with him at center.

There are multiple reasons why. The first is Garland’s experience. Garland has hung around in the NFL for some time now despite being an undrafted free agent. While some of those seasons have been on practice squads, Garland still has significant NFL experience, and the lights will not be too bright for him. And there’s something to be said for a player who regularly carves out a role on a year-to-year basis despite a never-ending infusion of talent.

Additionally, while this is Garland’s first year with the 49ers, he has played one season with Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan before, back when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2016.

Garland’s experience with Shanahan’s offense will be a huge plus for him this Sunday. Additionally Garland actually started the entire 2019 preseason at center, as Richburg was out with a different injury. Garland performed well, but most importantly gained crucial in-game experience.

Garland played well coming in to replace Richburg after his injury last week, too. He certainly did not look like a liability on the field, as he played over 50 percent of the snaps, showing he can contribute in big 49ers’ wins.

Another reason is Shanahan.

Shanahan has firmly established himself as one of the best offensive schemers in the entire NFL. His game planning and play calling have been huge factors in the team’s dominance this season.

Shanahan has proven he is able to scheme around deficiencies in the offensive line. He has already done it this year, twice in fact. Left tackle Joe Staley missed time earlier in the season, and was replaced by rookie tackle Justin Skule. The offense barely missed a beat, but Shanahan made countless adjustments to assist Skule. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey also missed time, and was replaced by Daniel Brunskill. Once again, it was nearly impossible to tell anything was amiss with the line. Shanahan has made it clear he is able to create offensive game plans which put his linemen in positions to succeed.

Therefore, Shanahan should be able to once again reach into his bag of tricks, and scheme up ways to help Garland. That is the second reason Garland should thrive in his new starting job.

Finally the third reason Garland will thrive is the mentality of this 49ers team. This team has been haunted by injuries all season. And yet, they have barely missed a beat as they have pummeled the rest of the NFL on their way to an 11-2 record. This team has truly been defined by “next man up.”

Somehow, they have always found ways to win, and there is no reason to expect that to stop now.

While it seems silly to say Garland will succeed because of his team’s mentality, a team full of players who refuse to give up is hard to beat. And Garland, a Captain in the Colorado Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, doesn’t seem like someone who will give up anytime soon either.

Thank you for your service, Captain Garland. 

This team is full of gritty players who have been able to overcome everything they’ve faced, and Garland will be the next in a long line of “next men up” to thrive.

Garland will thrive in his new role this Sunday against the Falcons. He is well equipped, due to his experience, he has a coach who will scheme and game plan to help him and he is on a team of players who simply refuse to give up.

For these reasons, Garland will be a star this Sunday and hopefully beyond.