Notebook | Coach to take a year off after leaving Seahawks

San Francisco is where Mike Holmgren grew up, where he coached high-school football and where he came back to work as an NFL assistant coach.

San Francisco will be looking for a new coach this offseason after firing Mike Nolan earlier this week and Holmgren is in the final year of his coaching contract in Seattle. He said during a teleconference with Bay Area reporters Wednesday that he once considered the 49ers coaching gig to be his dream job.

An advanced math degree is not required to add things up, and the circumstances say San Francisco could be a consideration for Holmgren. So what does he say?

"Seattle is my home," Holmgren said. "This is my team. We've talked more than a few times in here about my future, so right now, we've got to figure out how to win a game here for the Seattle Seahawks."

Holmgren has not ruled out coaching in the future, but he said repeatedly he intends to take a year off before making any decisions on what — or where — his future might be.

Is the San Francisco job enough to make him reconsider those plans?

"You're really going to ask me that?" Holmgren said Wednesday.

Yup. So how about it?

"Right now, the plan is to stay with the plan I told you," Holmgren said. "We're going to take the year off, find out a little bit about myself, and that's the plan right now. That's how I'm thinking, and I think I've been consistent with that."

Hoping for Hasselbeck

Holmgren said he hasn't given up hope that Matt Hasselbeck will be able to play Sunday in San Francisco.

"Maybe I'm being overly optimistic," Holmgren said. "But he's working very hard on the program that they have him doing to increase his strength and get the strength back in his leg."

Hasselbeck missed practice Wednesday, continuing to rehabilitate a bulging disk that has forced him to miss the past two games because it is causing a weakness in his leg. Holmgren watched the quarterback during an indoor workout Wednesday morning. Hasselbeck must gain strength in his leg before doctors will OK his return.

If Hasselbeck cannot play, Seneca Wallace will start. Holmgren said he expects Wallace to play better than he did Sunday at Tampa Bay, where he completed 13 of 23 passes.

"He's a better player than he showed in the game," Holmgren said.

Wallace is playing with a calf muscle he injured in September and aggravated in early October. Wallace said his leg tightened up on him in Sunday's game.

Jones loses head ... er ... helmet

Running back Julius Jones was upset when he was removed from the game in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay, and threw his helmet, according to Holmgren.

Jones gained 21 yards on a draw during Seattle's only touchdown drive and was replaced by Leonard Weaver.

"I understood his point of view," Holmgren said. "In the future, in a 2-minute situation like that, we'll probably try to get by without making the substitution because that's kind of a shock to any player.

"He's just a very competitive guy, trying real hard."

Holmgren did not see the helmet thrown but talked to Jones on Tuesday.

"Just don't throw your helmet," Holmgren said. "Helmets are very valuable. They cost us a lot of money."

Jones carried seven times against the Bucs, only twice in the second half. He gained 27 yards on those carries. Jones was asked about the situation.

"During the course of the game, things happen," Jones said. "I'm a very competitive guy. Things weren't going our way, and we want to win. Our whole team, coaches, everybody wants to win. It's a frustrating situation, but everything's fine."

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com