49ers' Jim Harbaugh raises bar for rookie coaches

[Auggie]

Bruce Jenkins / San Francisco Chronicle

Saturday, January 21, 2012 -- As he insulates the 49ers from everything beyond right now, Jim Harbaugh doesn't want to hear this, but it's time to put his coaching performance in historical perspective.

In the history of the NFL, has any coach done a better job in his rookie season?

One's initial reaction: "Absolutely not - it's Harbaugh in a runaway." He'd spent the previous seven years coaching college teams, so that was strike one. The lockout eliminated any hope of thorough preparation. He had a quarterback universally belittled by fans and media. And now he's in the NFC Championship Game with a 14-3 record? That's not even real.

More: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/21/SP041MSC7O.DTL

Good read.

[JonLP24]

1. Another Raiders' coach

Bill Callahan took them to the Super Bowl his rookie year. Art Shell took them to the AFC title game in his first full season--not sure that counts as a rookie year when he coached 12 games the previous year.

Anyways, good article. Rec.