"Before the 49ers' 2007 season collapsed in futility, before they found points tougher to come by than cheap gas, they were the chic pick in some circles to make the playoffs.

This year, you'd have to go out on a limb that would be out of Tarzan's comfort level to pick the 49ers as a playoff contender. They lack an established quarterback and a game-breaking receiver, and they're learning a new offense.

And yet coach Mike Nolan thinks the team that reports this afternoon to training camp in Santa Clara is better than the one that had some experts so excited last summer before the high expectations and Alex Smith's shoulder both gave out. The 49ers finished 5-11, their fifth straight losing season and third under Nolan.

"It's better for several reasons," Nolan said. "I think it's better from the top on down. I think the adjustment we made administratively with Scot (McCloughan being promoted to general manager and taking control of personnel decisions from Nolan) makes us better.

"I think the coaching staff is improved from a year ago, in particular on the offensive side. I think the free-agent acquisitions, as well as the draft, with a very minimal loss on our roster of our top players, makes us better on paper - with the healing of a couple of players who were injured last year.

"Going into it, there's a lot of reason for optimism, but I'll worry about (the record) at the end of the season. ... Our focus is just on where we're starting."

Even though Nolan doesn't really sit at games or practice, his hot seat might be the hottest in the NFL. In the offseason, he persuaded owner John York to give him another year, and he'll be working with the club's sixth offensive coordinator in six years.

According to Nolan, that coordinator is probably the team's biggest reason for optimism. After two seasons with the Detroit Lions and six as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, Mike Martz brings his creativity and moxie to a team badly in need of both.

So this training camp, besides being critical to Nolan's continued employment, also will be the latest laboratory for Martz, the NFL version of a mad chemist. It also offers competition for the starting quarterback job.

Smith, who is signed through 2010, is being challenged by Shaun Hill, who won a couple of late-season starts last year after five mainly inactive years in the league. J.T. O'Sullivan makes the competition a threesome, and he comes in already well versed in the Martz system from working in it last year in Detroit."