Rookies Lawson, Oliver boosting 49ers' defense
Associated Press
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Manny Lawson and Melvin Oliver are changing the way the San Francisco 49ers play defense.
The two rookies have emerged as key starters on a revamped unit that's still searching for an identity after finishing last in the NFL in total defense last season. And the versatility each presents is shaping what the 49ers are doing on that side of the football.
Though coach Mike Nolan has preferred defenses featuring three down linemen and four linebackers during his lengthy career as a coordinator, the 49ers clearly have evolved into a 4-3 team so far this year entering Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.
"Whether it's 4-3 or 3-4, what the groups look like in there, we're trying to utilize as many of our good players as we have," Nolan said.
That's where Oliver, a 280-pound end, has made an impact. The 49ers lined up with a four-man line for 45 of their 56 defensive plays in last week's 34-20 victory over Oakland, with Oliver taking most of the snaps in the team's base defense.
The unheralded sixth-round draft choice from LSU established himself as one of San Francisco's best defensive linemen during training camp and the preseason. But the 49ers already had veterans Bryant Young and Marques Douglas - two of the team's best players - starting at end in their 3-4 scheme.
So the 49ers added Oliver to their regular front wall and slid Douglas inside to tackle instead of having outside linebacker Brandon Moore on the field on first and second downs, as he would play in a conventional 3-4 scheme.
"I do like the play of Melvin," Nolan said. "He's doing some very good things. I would say he's more of a tackle than an end, but he's lost some weight to do the things we've asked him to do right now. He's done a good job and is one of our best linemen right now. That's why he's on the field."
The 49ers haven't been disappointed with the strategy. Oliver has been a mainstay against the run, and he became the first rookie defensive lineman in the team's 61-year history to score a touchdown when he returned a botched lateral 12 yards into the end zone last week against the Raiders.
"I'm just glad to be out there," Oliver said. "Coach Nolan sees some good things in me, or he wouldn't have me in that position. So I'm just trying to do the right things, be in the right places and take full advantage of the opportunities I'm given."
Oliver plays on both sides of the line, and the 49ers have shifted around Lawson in their various schemes as well. The rookie from North Carolina State - the No. 22 overall selection in this year's draft - was one of the nation's premiere pass rushers last season as a defensive end.
But he's making his impact now as a linebacker who's being used in other ways.
"I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the things he can do," Nolan said. "I thought it would take him a little bit longer to adapt to some things. He is very well-suited for a 3-4 on the outside, but I also have come to the conclusion that he does a good job in a 4-3 as well."
Lawson ranks third on the team with two sacks, but the 49ers took him off the field on third downs last week and inserted either Moore or rookie Parys Haralson to rush the passer.
"It's more valuable to have Lawson on the field on first and second downs, so we can create a third down," Nolan said.
Lawson is among the 49ers' leaders in tackles, sacks and passes defensed. He tipped a pass last week that was intercepted by cornerback Walt Harris, and he also blocked a punt early in the third quarter that turned the game in San Francisco's favor.
Like the defense itself, Lawson's role in it has evolved since the season began, and he feels coaches are making optimum use of his unique size, speed and skills.
"I like to be seen as a utility player who you can use any way you want to get the job done," said Lawson, who stands 6-foot-5, has a long wingspan and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. "It really doesn't matter to me whether we're in a 3-4 or 4-3. My skills don't change in either one."
Just five games into their rookie seasons, Lawson and Oliver already are becoming fixtures on the San Francisco defense, and that defense is growing along with them.
"We're really just stepping up and playing, not necessarily as a rookie, but playing as a veteran on the field with other vets," Lawson said. "That's the mind frame we have to have, and that's what we're doing."
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