Behind the scenes

With Walsh's input, Donahue in charge of 49ers' future

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- When general manager Terry Donahue spoke this week about the San Francisco 49ers' plans for the NFL draft, Bill Walsh was nowhere to be seen.

In case there was any doubt, the message was clear: Donahue is in charge of the 49ers' future, and Walsh will do his best work behind the scenes.

Donahue exchanged chairs with Walsh last May, moving into the job held by Walsh twice in the past two decades. Though Donahue has been in charge of the 49ers' preparations for the last three drafts, he will have the final say on Saturday for the first time.

"It's the same process as we've had in the past years," Donahue said. "Bill will be working the telephones, trying to move to different scenarios. This is still Bill Walsh's philosophy that we're using. When I came here, Bill ingrained that in me."

Walsh, who handpicked Donahue as his successor when he reclaimed the GM job in 1999, assumed a consulting role to Donahue with none of the rancor that has characterized the relationship between the organization's most high-profile figures: head coach Steve Mariucci and All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens.

As the 49ers prepare for this weekend, Walsh still plays a big role. He also allows Donahue to run the show.

"We're going to wear Bill out," Donahue said. "We pay him a lot of money. Bill's opinion is very highly valued around here, and it will be as long as I'm the general manager and Steve is the coach."

Donahue's first task with the 49ers was an overhaul of the team's drafting system, which had changed during Walsh's absence from the team.

Donahue adjusted his scouts' evaluation periods and demanded more thorough work while also imposing structure on draft-day procedures. With input from Walsh and John McVay, the 49ers' director of football operations, Donahue felt he had built a system that took much of the guesswork out of drafting.

"Over the course of the years, we've improved and tweaked our draft system," Donahue said. "It involves some technology. We've improved a couple of computer programs. It's very much like an offensive or defensive system. You get your foundation and fundamentals, and you enhance and adjust."

The results came through in two outstanding drafts in 2000 and 2001, which were imperative for a salary cap-strapped team unable to pay many prominent free agents. The drafts produced eight starters or prominent contributors to San Francisco's dramatic turnaround last season.

But some things haven't changed, such as the team's willingness to rely on Walsh's decades of experience. It's happened twice in the past two drafts: Walsh lobbied heavily for the selections of quarterback Gio Carmazzi in 2000 and tight end Eric Johnson in 2001, though Donahue wisely decided to wait for Johnson in the seventh round instead of picking him in the sixth, as Walsh suggested.

These days, Walsh doesn't spend as much time preparing before the draft, but he will be a vital part of the decision-making on Saturday and Sunday. He'll also be around to provide input on some of his trademark wheeling and dealing.

"Previous to this draft, ultimately Bill had the final say, but Bill didn't tell us who to draft."

Donahue says that in past drafts there have been strong statements -- and strong disagreements -- by those in the draft room.

"But there are 31 different flavors of ice cream for a reason," he said. "This is all part of the process. If there's a disagreement, I'll have final authority, but I don't feel about it like that. It's a group effort."

 

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