Dick Harmon: Ty Detmer's name draws great interest as addition to Cougars' coaching staff

Former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Tim Hanshaw shares this anecdote of a day, back in Detmer's day, when he strolled through the team's headquarters and walked past an open door.

"It was an experience I had back in 1998 when Ty spent his year with the 49ers," said Hanshaw.

"While walking past the QBs' meeting room, I observed the following individuals sitting in chairs while Ty was standing at the white board with marker in hand: Steve Young, Greg Knapp, Steve Mariucci, and Marty Morningwig. The amazing thing is that he was not standing up at the white board to be quizzed. Instead, he was in the role of instructor and they were learning from him.

"That mental picture tells a thousand words ... additional evidence that Ty was doing the instruction and Steve and the coaches were doing the learning.

"Mooch and Marty brought Ty to San Francisco after they coached him at Green Bay," Hanshaw said. "Marty brought Ty to Detroit when he became a head coach. Greg brought Ty to Atlanta when he got his first offensive coordinator job under Jim Mora Jr., who was the defensive coordinator with the 49ers when we were there."

The trail Detmer has blazed during his young life has been filled with wonderment, from San Antonio city and Texas state records, NCAA records and trophies to an elevated respect from those found at the highest levels of the game.

That's why, when Ty Detmer's name is mentioned, chatter begins.

And it is very hard to make it end.

e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com