Nolan Names Defensive Coordinator Back to Newsroom
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Head coach Mike Nolan has tabbed New York Giants linebackers coach Billy Davis to lead the 49ers defense. Davis was named San Francisco's defensive coordinator Sunday.
Davis just completed his first season with the Giants after spending the previous three seasons as the Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach. Keith Brooking was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons playing for Davis.
The selection of Davis also adds another coach who has successfully run the 3-4 defense that Nolan has strongly hinted the 49ers will use as their base. In 2002, Davis was instrumental in helping Atlanta’s linebackers adjust to the new 3-4 defense installed by defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
"Well, in search of the defensive coordinator it was very important for us to find someone who had extensive experience with the 3-4 and the 4-3 defense, as I have stated all along it is very important to utilize the personnel that you have and I didn’t want to get someone to come in with a set of goods and try to put it on our players, whether our players fit it or not," Nolan said.
Davis joined the NFL in 1992 as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers, working with the secondary for a year, then with the linebackers for two seasos. In 1995, he began a four-year stretch as the outside linebackers coach with the Carolina Panthers under Dom Capers.
With Davis as their coach, Kevin Greene and Lamar Lathon finished first and second in the NFL in sacks, with 14.5 and 13.5 respectively, in 1996. Each made the Pro Bowl and the second-year Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
After leaving Carolina, Davis had a pair of one-year stops, first with the Cleveland Browns in 1999 (as a defensive assistant/linebackers) and with the Green Bay Packers in 2000 (defensive assistant/defensive line).
"Billy is a great teacher. I have watched Billy for a long time as a position coach; he's been on my list for several years now if I ever had the opportunity to coach," Nolan said. "He has got great energy, he has worked with many people that I know. We are very fortunate that Billy is coming with us."
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Head coach Mike Nolan has tabbed New York Giants linebackers coach Billy Davis to lead the 49ers defense. Davis was named San Francisco's defensive coordinator Sunday.
Davis just completed his first season with the Giants after spending the previous three seasons as the Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach. Keith Brooking was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons playing for Davis.
The selection of Davis also adds another coach who has successfully run the 3-4 defense that Nolan has strongly hinted the 49ers will use as their base. In 2002, Davis was instrumental in helping Atlanta’s linebackers adjust to the new 3-4 defense installed by defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
"Well, in search of the defensive coordinator it was very important for us to find someone who had extensive experience with the 3-4 and the 4-3 defense, as I have stated all along it is very important to utilize the personnel that you have and I didn’t want to get someone to come in with a set of goods and try to put it on our players, whether our players fit it or not," Nolan said.
Davis joined the NFL in 1992 as a defensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers, working with the secondary for a year, then with the linebackers for two seasos. In 1995, he began a four-year stretch as the outside linebackers coach with the Carolina Panthers under Dom Capers.
With Davis as their coach, Kevin Greene and Lamar Lathon finished first and second in the NFL in sacks, with 14.5 and 13.5 respectively, in 1996. Each made the Pro Bowl and the second-year Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
After leaving Carolina, Davis had a pair of one-year stops, first with the Cleveland Browns in 1999 (as a defensive assistant/linebackers) and with the Green Bay Packers in 2000 (defensive assistant/defensive line).
"Billy is a great teacher. I have watched Billy for a long time as a position coach; he's been on my list for several years now if I ever had the opportunity to coach," Nolan said. "He has got great energy, he has worked with many people that I know. We are very fortunate that Billy is coming with us."