Urban Meyer's famous quote on Alex

Lets take a minute to reflect on what Urban Meyer said about Alex oh so long ago and see how it stands up and if true what it could mean for this team 'moving forward'

Link

"It's going to be interesting in San Francisco," Meyer said. "Alex is an extremely quick learner. However, he's a guy that, until he understands it, he is nonfunctional. He is a guy that -- I keep hearing how Brett Favre kind of makes something out of nothing and is a person that runs around to make a play -- Alex Smith is not that kind of player. Alex Smith is a person that, once he is taught, has to learn it all. He might struggle early, but once he gets it, he gets it." - Urban Meyer

He also said...

"I'm going to be anxious to watch his development with the 49ers. Alex is so careful with the ball. His touchdown-to-interception ratio the last 2 years was phenomenal (47 touchdowns and seven interceptions). That's because, unless he knows exactly what's going on, he won't throw it. He won't just try to guess and take a shot. He has to know.

"That's why, early in his career, and early in our career with him at Utah, he was not an effective passer, because he really didn't understand. Once he understood, there was no one better. He learns quickly, though. But he's not a guy that you throw the ball out there and tell him, 'Go play.' He wants to know what is exactly expected of him and then he becomes a dynamite player.'

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Now looking back we all made frequent reference to this break down as Alex struggled after being thrown to the wolves basically. This time however he was allowed to sit back and lean BEFORE he was thrown in there. The results this time seems to ring true to what Urban said oh so long ago and if this all is true we may just be on to something here. Smith looked completely at ease out there this week all of those 'ineffective' traits were gone. All I saw was to quote Urban 'a dynamite player'

Go niners!! Go Smitty!!

We managed him the wrong way. NoWIN did. Urban Meyer told us exactly what to do.

~ Keep the same offensive coordinator.
~ Keep the same system.
~ Let Alex learn on the bench for a while until he knows everything.
~ Don't throw him to the wolves before he is ready.


And what did we do?

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We managed him the wrong way. NoWIN did. Urban Meyer told us exactly what to do.

~ Keep the same offensive coordinator.
~ Keep the same system.
~ Let Alex learn on the bench for a while until he knows everything.
~ Don't throw him to the wolves before he is ready.


And what did we do?

I agree we handled it the wrong way but this happens with every rookie QB and every team.

For me it's hats off to Sing for heeding Urban's warning this time around and did not buck the blueprint for success with Alex.

okay, so now no more excuses right? He's had time to learn and recover from his shoulder injury.

Originally posted by TheChozen:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
We managed him the wrong way. NoWIN did. Urban Meyer told us exactly what to do.

~ Keep the same offensive coordinator.
~ Keep the same system.
~ Let Alex learn on the bench for a while until he knows everything.
~ Don't throw him to the wolves before he is ready.


And what did we do?

I agree we handled it the wrong way but this happens with every rookie QB and every team.

Not true.

Not every team gets a different offensive coordinator every year. And not every team has a new offensive system every year. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have had pretty much the same system since they came in the league.

Not every player gets thrown to the wolves right away. Carson Palmer sat out 1 year from the sideline learning before he went in his 2nd year to start the first time.

Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:
okay, so now no more excuses right? He's had time to learn and recover from his shoulder injury.

Thats right. If he fails now we can say he was a bust and move on. I hope he plays like the #1 player taken in the draft.

Dumbass Nolan and FO for the constant revolving door at OC. Sadly if Alex does play well we will be stuck with Raye. His blocking scheme I partly blame for the Oline probs

Originally posted by pd24:

Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:
okay, so now no more excuses right? He's had time to learn and recover from his shoulder injury.

Thats right. If he fails now we can say he was a bust and move on. I hope he plays like the #1 player taken in the draft.

He's likely to fail at Indy but I look at it as more so the rest of the year. Our biggest problem is the O LINE. I don't see how any QB can succeed with that line. I'm sure it will make him look worse than he is.

Originally posted by pd24:

Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:
okay, so now no more excuses right? He's had time to learn and recover from his shoulder injury.

Thats right. If he fails now we can say he was a bust and move on. I hope he plays like the #1 player taken in the draft.

IDK man, I'm sure the "he hasn't had time to learn Rayes offense" excuses will come in.

Originally posted by ninersrule4:
Dumbass Nolan and FO for the constant revolving door at OC. Sadly if Alex does play well we will be stuck with Raye. His blocking scheme I partly blame for the Oline probs

I can't fault too much with Nolan starting Smith early. At the time I think we had Rattay, Dorsey and Dilfer....? Alex can learn what not to do with these guys, but to be an NFL qb? NOOOO!

Smith and we fans can take the pain and overcome of him struggling early and often. But it's the revolving door of OC that really kills. We finally handled it the right way. I just hope it's not too late.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by pd24:

Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:
okay, so now no more excuses right? He's had time to learn and recover from his shoulder injury.

Thats right. If he fails now we can say he was a bust and move on. I hope he plays like the #1 player taken in the draft.

He's likely to fail at Indy but I look at it as more so the rest of the year. Our biggest problem is the O LINE. I don't see how any QB can succeed with that line. I'm sure it will make him look worse than he is.

As long as he sticks with the 3 second rule they had in camp he should be ok. He has to have a good plan in his head befor the snap. Looks like Hill went away fron the 3 second rule, I think we had guys open downfield but he didn't throw it.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I can't fault too much with Nolan starting Smith early. At the time I think we had Rattay, Dorsey and Dilfer....? Alex can learn what not to do with these guys, but to be an NFL qb? NOOOO!

Smith and we fans can take the pain and overcome of him struggling early and often. But it's the revolving door of OC that really kills. We finally handled it the right way. I just hope it's not too late.

This was probably the biggest problem. Alex is the type of player who can't function with that. He needs several years in a row ideally to master everything.

Originally posted by DJD:
"Alex is an extremely quick learner. However, he's a guy that, until he understands it, he is nonfunctional. He is a guy that -- I keep hearing how Brett Favre kind of makes something out of nothing and is a person that runs around to make a play -- Alex Smith is not that kind of player. Alex Smith is a person that, once he is taught, has to learn it all. He might struggle early, but once he gets it, he gets it."

And the good thing is, it only takes like 20 minutes to learn all of Jimmy Raye's playbook!