He has the name and the pedigree and now Jim Mora Jr. may have the opportunity to follow even more precisely in his father's footsteps.

The younger Mora has emerged over the past three days, sources said, as a viable candidate for the head coach position with San Francisco should incumbent Steve Mariucci depart the 49ers to become the new coach and general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some have insisted, in fact, that Mora will be the frontrunner if a vacancy is created.

A decision on the future of Mariucci, who met Sunday in Los Angeles with Bucs ownership, is expected by midweek.

There are early indications that San Francisco will not go outside the organization if a successor to Mariucci is needed. If that is the case it would essentially limit the field to three candidates -- general manager Terry Donahue, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and Mora -- for the job.

League sources said they do not believe former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green, who is a Bill Walsh protégé and has hinted he would return to the league if he had the opportunity to coach a Bay Area franchise in 2002, is a factor. Published reports have listed Washington coach Rick Neuheisel, Mike Bellotti of Oregon and former St. Louis Rams coach Rich Brooks as potential candidates, but that laundry list doesn't seem to wash with some 49ers officials.

A standout coach at UCLA, member of the college football Hall of Fame, and six years removed from the sideline, Donahue reiterated at the Super Bowl his priority is to remain in the 49ers front office. Donahue was a candidate for the Dallas Cowboy head coach job in 1998, came close to accepting the position, then backed out because of a disagreement with owner Jerry Jones over financial compensation.

There was rampant speculation that Donahue has been eyeing Mariucci's job for the past couple seasons, but the 49ers general manager adamantly denied that.

"I'm very comfortable with what I'm doing now and I enjoy it quite a bit," Donahue said just two weeks ago. "I don't see that changing."

Mora, 40, has grown up around the game and been a coach for 18 years, with all but one of those seasons in the NFL. A defensive back at the University of Washington (1980-83), he began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1984 on Don James' staff.

He moved to the San Diego Chargers in 1985, the New Orleans Saints in 1992 and the 49ers in 1997. Mora became the San Francisco defensive coordinator in 1999. With two solid drafts that netted seven of the team's current 11 starters, the San Francisco defense has registered dramatic improvement the past two seasons, and Mora is a big reason for the upgrade.

If Mora does get the 49ers job, he would become just the third man in league history to join his father in head coaching annals. Wade Phillips and David Shula are the only others sons of NFL head coaches to also hold the same job.

Knapp, 38, is also highly regarded by San Francisco officials, has been in the league only since 1995, but is viewed as a future head coach.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.