SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -The 49ers promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler to offensive coordinator Wednesday, the fifth coach to hold that job in five seasons.

Coach Mike Nolan chose Hostler to replace Norv Turner, who became the San Diego Chargers' head coach nearly two weeks ago, after interviewing each of the five offensive assistants Turner left behind.

Turner spent just one season with the 49ers, but led a turnaround for a club that fielded one of the worst offenses in NFL history in 2005. Hostler intends to keep the same offense and power structure in place next season, hoping to build on those improvements.

``The progress we made last year is a credit to the staff,'' said Hostler, who first called plays in 1993 as a 24-year-old offensive coordinator at Juniata College, a Division III school in central Pennsylvania. ``Where we're going in the future is based on that staff, not one person alone. I look forward to continuing with what we started into (last) year.''

Hostler spent five seasons as an assistant coach with three NFL teams before joining the 49ers in 2005 to tutor Alex Smith. Hostler has never been a coordinator - and neither has Greg Manusky, hired as San Francisco's new defensive coordinator several weeks ago after Billy Davis was fired.

Turner replaced Mike McCarthy, who left San Francisco after one season to become the Green Bay Packers' head coach. Hostler plans only minor tweaks to the system left behind by Turner, who got remarkable improvements from Smith and Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore.

``I don't know how much different we'll look when you watch the game,'' Hostler said. ``We're not going to change. It's just about a feel for how the game is going.''

Nolan expects to hire a new quarterbacks coach soon, but wouldn't reveal any candidates.

Nolan also said the 49ers haven't made any decision on the future of receiver Antonio Bryant, who could be released after ending his first season in San Francisco on an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Bryant caught 40 passes for 733 yards last season, but added to his history of erratic behavior with his third NFL team. He is scheduled to go on trial in May on charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest after an escapade with police in San Mateo last November, though he won't face charges of drunken driving because he refused to take a field sobriety test.

Bryant also was disciplined in December for showing up late to a team meeting shortly before his suspension.

Nolan gave a vote of confidence to Bryant late last season, even though Bryant didn't show up for the team's season-ending meeting day. But the coach met with the receiver during the scouting combine in Indianapolis recently.

``There was a conversation, but other than that, there have been no decisions made about anything,'' Nolan said, adding that ``some of the accuracy has been off'' in reports that the 49ers have discussed Bryant's imminent departure.

Bryant still has two games left on his four-game NFL suspension.

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