Offensive line struggles

SAN FRANCISCO — Coach Mike Singletary said he expects the 49ers’ offensive line to be one of the team’s strengths this season.

They have a lot of work to get there.

Rookie running back Glen Coffee averaged just 3.1 yards per rushing attempt on Sunday, and quarterback Shaun Hill was sacked four times. The 49ers’ offense was merely along for the ride in the 35-0 victory over the St. Louis Rams at Candlestick Park.

“When it’s all said and done, our offensive line will be one of the best lines in the league,” Singletary said. “I think sometimes we just cheat ourselves out of what we can be. We just have to take it to the next level and I know they will.”

Coffee, making his first career start in place of injured Frank Gore, rushed for 74 yards on 24 rushing attempts.

“There are a lot of areas that I need to refine and get better, but it was all right,” Coffee said. “The biggest thing is we got the victory.

“I wanted to do what I was coached to do, and not try to do too much. Just do my job as the 11th man on offense — be coachable, be assignment-sound and blitz pickup — just basically do my job.”

The members of the offensive line were the biggest critics of the 49ers’ offense, and for good reason.

“We need to play better,” 49ers guard David Baas said.

Said left tackle Joe Staley, “I’m not sure our personality on the field in the first half was quite what it needed to be. We just have to do a better job of playing tight and executing. We have to do a better job of giving the running back some running room.”

McKILLOP’S RECOVERY

The 49ers needed a fortunate bounce in the second quarter to head to the locker room with a 7-0 lead. Andy Lee’s punt clipped off the foot of Quincy Butler, who was blocking 49ers gunner Tarell Brown, at the 14-yard line.

The live ball bounced into the end zone, where rookie Scott McKillop recovered it for a touchdown.

“Right place, right time,” McKillop said. “I jumped on the ball, with a little help from Jeff Ulbrich in the pile. It was an important way to start off. In the past couple weeks, we haven’t been performing as well on special teams as we’d like to. So that was one of the things that myself and my fellow special-teamers took upon ourselves to perform a little better.”

EXTRA POINTS

* QB Shaun Hill, LB Takeo Spikes and WR Jason Hill wore pink shoes as part of the NFL-wide support for breast cancer awareness. Hill said he shook hands with some cancer survivors on the sideline before the game.

“I could hear them talking about my shoes and how much it meant to them,” he said. “I just felt very grateful that they were there. Obviously, the strength and courage they have shown.”

* CB Dre’ Bly (left elbow contusion), LB Marques Harris (left hamstring) and LB Jeff Ulbrich (concussion) were on the 49ers’ preliminary injury report. Ulbrich will undergo more evaluation today.

* Singletary said he wanted to have an extra linebacker in uniform, so the 49ers de-activated return specialists Allen Rossum and Micheal Spurlock. Arnaz Battle struggled on punt returns with two fumbles (no turnovers). Battle had 3 yards on three returns and had two fair catches.

* Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe has taken notice of what Singletary has done with the 49ers. “They’re really responding to him,” said Atogwe, who dates Singletary’s daughter, Jill. “They are able to enjoy him and they are playing in the way that he is coaching, so it’s been going good for them.”

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democrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco via e-mail at matt.maiocco@press

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