What Makes DeMeco Ryans Such a Successful Coordinator

What is it that makes 49ers DeMeco Ryans such a phenomenal defensive coordinator?

DeMeco Ryans has done a phenomenal job this season.

It cannot be overstated how high-level of a performance he is putting on in his first season as a defensive coordinator.

Much of the credit for the San Francisco 49ers clinching a playoff berth starts with Ryans. To see him have such an impact as the successor to Robert Saleh with such little coaching experience is impressive.

So what makes Ryans such a successful coordinator/coach?

Ryans is the embodiment of water.

He is adaptable and takes any/all forms to allow his defense to be successful. Look no further than how he answered a question at his presser Thursday regarding the 49ers defense low blitz rate.

“Well, for me, my style is it's not about what I want to do, but it's about what can you get players to do and who are the players that you have and what can you do and what does each week call for? So each week for me, it changes, based on who we're playing and what do we need to do to win that game."

It’s difficult not to applaud Ryans here. 

There is no way the 49ers could have found a better successor to Saleh as defensive coordinator. How Ryans approaches his work is exactly how Saleh does. He molds himself to what the offense is doing and forces them to do too much. 

Anytime coaches are willing to be molded, it makes for an efficient performance. Or in the case of Ryans this season -- massive success. This is what leaders of a team do and it gets players to buy in to what they are setting out to do. 

"People talk about blitzing, blitzing isn't always the answer all the time," Ryans said. "Just because you have the most blitzes doesn't mean you're the best defense. So it's all about what do you need? What is it going to take to win that particular game? And it's not about how many times you blitz or don't blitz, it's about your defense playing together.”

Too many coaches in the league force players into a system that doesn't work. It is like fitting a square into a triangle. Rather than be forceful, Ryans takes the adaptive approach, which can be attributed from his time as a player and watching how Saleh operated.

Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel may be getting tapped on the shoulder as a head coaching candidate, but it is Ryans who is the most deserving.

The 49ers should feel lucky to have him while they can because it won’t last long.