Tevin Coleman says Kyle Shanahan has become more creative since Atlanta

[Freddie Falcon]

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Running back Tevin Coleman elected to reunite with his Kyle Shanahan this offseason by signing with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. Coleman had Shanahan as an offensive coordinator for two years with the Atlanta Falcons as the team come within a second half collapse of winning its first Super Bowl behind a potent offensive attack.

Coleman racked up 941 yards combined rushing and receiving, and scored 11 total touchdowns in Shanahan’s offense in 2016.

But the offense Coleman is joining now is somewhat different from the one he played in for two years with the Falcons. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Bay Area, Coleman said Shanahan is getting more creative with his offensive designs and personnel usage in San Francisco.

“Now, he can do anything he wants,” Coleman said. “He can put guys at multiple positions. He can put us in multiple positions to run different routes. It’s pretty good.

“(He’s) definitely more creative than he was in Atlanta, just with everything (he’s) doing with the backs and tight ends and receivers.”

Coleman, Jerrick McKinnon, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert could all find themselves more involved in the 49ers passing attack moving forward as Jimmy Garoppolo returns under center following last year’s ACL tear. It’s an aspect of the offense Coleman expects to see more of now than he did with the Falcons.

“Kyle has advanced that and has us running more routes that receivers would do,” Coleman said.

The Falcons scored 33.8 points per game under Shanahan in 2016 with an average of 415.8 yards per game. The 49ers have not cracked the top ten in either points or yards over Shanahan’s first two years as head coach. However, the lack of a top-tier quarterback option and injuries to players such as Garoppolo and McKinnon have put a damper on attempts to get the offense rolling.