Jason Tarver enters his seventh season with the 49ers and will continue to serve in his third season as the defensive assistant/outside linebackers coach. Tarver spent his first two seasons with the 49ers as an offensive quality control coach before becoming the assistant running backs/offensive assistant coach in 2004. In 2006, outside linebacker Brandon Moore paced the defense with 114 tackles, 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. On the opposite side, Tarver helped to develop rookie first-round pick Manny Lawson as he made the switch from college defensive end to professional outside linebacker. Lawson finished his rookie year with 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception and will look to become a key cog on the 49ers defensive front in 2007. Tarver joined the 49ers staff after spending three seasons as a graduate assistant coach with UCLA (1998-00). In his three seasons with the Bruins, Tarver worked primarily with the defensive backfield and also assisted with special teams. Three of the unit�s starting defensive backs during that span went on to join the NFL ranks, including current New York Giants CB Jason Bell, Chicago Bears CB Ricky Manning and former NFL S Marques Anderson. A Northern California native, Tarver played defensive back and wing back at Foothill High in Pleasanton. He attended Santa Clara University, but played football at West Valley College in 1994 and 1995 because the Santa Clara Broncos cut their program. After a series of injuries cut his career short, Tarver spent the next two seasons (1996-97) as an assistant coach at West Valley College where he tutored linebackers, defensive backs and special teams. Born in Stanford, CA, Tarver earned a bachelor�s degree in chemistry from Santa Clara in 1997 and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He also earned his master�s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from UCLA and received the departmental prize for distinguished teaching in 1998 and 2000. Tarver and his wife, Katie, reside in San Jose, CA. |