By Roger Phillips STAFF WRITER

SANTA CLARA -- As his candidacy for the San Francisco 49ers' coaching vacancy has progressed, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache has alternately been impressed and a little overwhelmed by the thoroughness of general manager Terry Donahue's research.

"Holy Cow," Blache said Friday evening, "these guys are worse than the FBI and the CIA."

Blache, 53, became the third defensive coordinator in as many days to go through a second interview with Donahue and owner John York. His visit, the last slated for a pro assistant, followed Wednesday's session with Ted Cottrell of the New York Jets and Thursday's interview of the 49ers' Jim Mora.

The 49ers may hire a replacement for the fired Steve Mariucci as soon as early next week. Donahue will spend this weekend deciding whether to include a college coach as a fourth finalist. He could decide simply to choose from the trio that visited this week.

Blache, meanwhile, said this is his second bid for a head-coaching position in the NFL. He was a candidate a year ago in Indianapolis for the job that went to Tony Dungy.

He said he's been impressed with the 49ers' process.

"This has been a lot more in-depth," he said. "For me, it's been a tougher process (than he's previously experienced). I've been impressed by it."

Blache spent Friday with Donahue and York. He said he was "pleasantly surprised" by his meeting with York after reading negative portrayals of the 49ers owner in the media.

Among Blache's previous coaching stints was a stay from 1972-75 at Notre Dame, which is York's alma mater.

Blache also was Green Bay's defensive line coach from 1988-93. For part of that time, the head coach was Mike Holmgren and two of the assistants were Mariucci and Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden.

Blache has been an NFL assistant coach with three teams since 1988. He's spent the last three years as the Bears' defensive coordinator.

The Bears were 4-12 last season, but in 2001, the defense was instrumental as Chicago reached the playoffs. That season, the Bears led the NFL in scoring defense, at 12.7 points against per game. Chicago's total of 203 points allowed in 16 games was the eighth-lowest in NFL history.

Blache also was notable in at least one controversial episode. In a 14-13 Bears victory over Atlanta, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick accused Blache of screaming to his players to "take his knees out." Blache confirmed that he told his players to go for Vick's knees if he was running -- because that was the best way to bring him down. But Blache denied that he was encouraging his players to injure the Falcons' young star.

Blache said he's prepared to return to the Bears if this doesn't work out.

"All I wanted to do when I had my day in court was to represent myself the best I could," he said. "If they liked me, they have my number and they know how to get hold of me."

NOTE: The 49ers have hired assistant equipment manager Steve Urbaniak, 27, to replace departed equipment manager Kevin Lartigue. Lartigue has accepted a job with the Detroit Lions to be the administrative assistant to Mariucci.

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