Allen Takes on Big Challenge at Long Beach

Once upon a time, George Allen quickly transformed the Rams and Redskins from losers to winners. Now, far beyond the retirement age for most people, he’s tackling perhaps his biggest coaching challenge.

The 71-year-old Allen is taking over a Cal State Long Beach football program that has been a consistent loser in recent years and was on such shaky ground financially that it almost folded in 1986.

Allen was to be formally introduced at an afternoon news conference as the 49ers’ eighth head coach. He said he reached a verbal agreement with the school late Monday night and would sign a three-year contract.

Allen succeeds Larry Reisbig, who resigned in November after the 49ers went 11-24 in his three seasons.

Allen won’t make much money, but he said he didn’t care.

“I’m not taking this job because of salary,” he said. “I’ve turned down jobs involving much more money than this. I can make more money in one to two weeks than I can in this job in speaking engagements.

“I’m trying to save a struggling program, and I enjoy teaching. And it’s such a tough job that I’d like to try to leave a legacy there.

“And it’s near my home. I’ve had other opportunities, but I would have had to move, so that was a big factor. I met the (university) president and vice president and athletic director, and they all seemed to be committed to changing the image.

“I’m no miracle worker, and I hope we can turn the program around in two to three years.”