Report: Donahue New 49ers GM

After a year of front office upheaval, the San Francisco 49ers apparently have turned to former UCLA coach Terry Donahue to lend some stability.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that Donahue will become the new general manager of the 49ers.

This will be the first NFL job for Donahue, who was a finalist for the coaching job with the Dallas Cowboys last season. He spent the last three years as a college football analyst with CBS.

Donahue is the winningest coach in UCLA history, compiling a 151-74-8 mark in 20 seasons. But he guided the Bruins to just one New Year's Day bowl berth this decade -- a 21-16 loss to Wisconsin in the 1994 Rose Bowl. During his final seven seasons, UCLA lost at least four games six times.

It is expected the Niners will name Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh to an undetermined front-office job to help Donahue. Walsh led the 49ers to three Super Bowl titles in the 1980's.

Three days ago, the 49ers signed coach Steve Mariucci to a new five-year contract. But the deal did not give him final authority on personnel decisions, which apparently will be handled by Donahue.

The negotiations with Mariucci were handled by John McVay, the team's interim general manager and the highest remaining front-office executive. McVay was to oversee club operations until a general manager is named.

Terry Donahue reportedly will call the shots from the 49ers front office. (AP)

San Francisco's front office fell into chaos shortly after owner Edward DeBartolo ceded control of the team to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, in December 1997, when he was targeted in a Louisiana gambling fraud investigation. DeBartolo later pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony crime, was fned $2 million and has yet to regain control of the team.

Long-time president Carmen Policy resigned last July due to a rift with DeBartolo and later joined the group which was awarded the new Cleveland Browns franchise. Four months later, Niners general manager Dwight Clark left to join Policy in Cleveland.

Larry Thrailkill had been serving as interim chief executive of the 49ers after Policy left, but resigned last week.

The 49ers also fired personnel director Vinny Cerrato, a member of the team's front office since 1991, earlier this week.

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