Frank Gore and the Spread Offense (Steve Young article)

Originally posted by 190836:
I don't think the Yorks care much about Young.

Ya, and I don't think anyone cares much for the Yorks... Until this team starts winning, the Yorks are going to continue to be the garbage owners that live in the shadow of Eddie D.

This just backs up an obvious point, Smith is not our guy, and that doesnt mean that Hill is either. We need to draft a QB that can run an offense, spread or not. I think we toss one of the QBs on the roster(Tough decision) and pursue an NFL ready QB, because its obvious we dont have one.

How can prime21 act as if drafting a QB is the clear solution? Alex's QB rating is better than all but two of the 13 top-rated QBs drafted out of college during the last five years. Whoever we draft is more likely to struggle, especially during the first few years. In the near term, that is not the solution, I am afraid.

Originally posted by Mookster:
The frustrating thing is that Raye seems to be compelled to make Smith fit one style of play NOW. Why not let him play predominately out of the shot gun where he is comfortable and is performing well and then mix in a few under centre I formations as the Niners get control of the game? Seems to me the logical process would be to take advantage of a skill Smith already has while developing the ones he doesn't.

Yeah that might be so simple it's difficult. Stop making sense.

Originally posted by znk916:
Gore doesn't need a certain formation...he said so himself and the stats bear it out. Just do whatever smallhands needs to be comfortable.

lol@smallhands

Okay, what I don't get is that everyone seems to be overlooking one simple fact: No QB can throw without time. How Steve Young didn't mention this is beyond me. He did in a round about way by saying you can read coverages as well from a shotgun and you can from under center. The difference is under center he is getting NO time to throw and when he even gets a little time his lanes are all closed up and he has to take the check down and even that is a tall order a lot of the time. I'm not making any excuses for Alex Smith. This is a FACT. It's the difference between 1 second and 3 seconds and that is huge. You guys that don't get this really baffle me.

Originally posted by ZRF80:

Originally posted by NickSh49:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ZRF80:
This is Young's way of calling Alex a bust. Like he said, you must be able to "adapt" to gametime situations. Cant go in evey week with the spread and hope that Alex will bail us out. Unfortunately, Alex has shown he cannot play under center, even with a good oline (06). Time to move on.....

LOL.

-9fA

Yeah..

Wow. Starting to sound like NolanNonsense and NolanHasAPlan (More NHAP, really) in that the things you say are so ridiculous, it's to the point where we can't tell if you're actually that absurd, or if you're just purposely parading around making these over-the-top exaggerations.

The way he tries to spin everything into a Smith Bashing statement makes him sound as ridiculous as Sabrason/Singfan.

We have reached the crossroads of what it means to be a Smith hater. Now is the time when Smith actually deserves some patience, and the haters are still letting their negative feelings remain. Good stuff.

Please read the entire article, and then point out the parts where Young is actually supporting Smith.

I heard Young on KNBR and I think what every Niner fan has to realize is that Young isn't watching many games. He is an 'expert' now and rightly so. He's earned it. I doubt with all his young ones he has time to sit around and watch game film that isn't directly pertaining to his Monday Night. He even said in the interview he doesn't get much time with his kids being around. I really doubt he's seen very much of Alex Smith on tape from this season. I think he'll have a much better opinion when we play the Cards on MNF. Think guys.... Just please.... Really think.... Is it that hard to think?

Originally posted by Spoonerism:

Originally posted by ZRF80:

Originally posted by NickSh49:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ZRF80:
This is Young's way of calling Alex a bust. Like he said, you must be able to "adapt" to gametime situations. Cant go in evey week with the spread and hope that Alex will bail us out. Unfortunately, Alex has shown he cannot play under center, even with a good oline (06). Time to move on.....

LOL.

-9fA

Yeah..

Wow. Starting to sound like NolanNonsense and NolanHasAPlan (More NHAP, really) in that the things you say are so ridiculous, it's to the point where we can't tell if you're actually that absurd, or if you're just purposely parading around making these over-the-top exaggerations.

The way he tries to spin everything into a Smith Bashing statement makes him sound as ridiculous as Sabrason/Singfan.

We have reached the crossroads of what it means to be a Smith hater. Now is the time when Smith actually deserves some patience, and the haters are still letting their negative feelings remain. Good stuff.

Please read the entire article, and then point out the parts where Young is actually supporting Smith.

I heard Young on KNBR and I think what every Niner fan has to realize is that Young isn't watching many games. He is an 'expert' now and rightly so. He's earned it. I doubt with all his young ones he has time to sit around and watch game film that isn't directly pertaining to his Monday Night. He even said in the interview he doesn't get much time with his kids being around. I really doubt he's seen very much of Alex Smith on tape from this season. I think he'll have a much better opinion when we play the Cards on MNF. Think guys.... Just please.... Really think.... Is it that hard to think?

That's why I hold what Merill Hodge had to say in high regards. Hodge reviews coach's films more than any guy out their and he said he doesn't believe Alex has it.

It's not that Smith can't operate from under center, but the only time that he has enough time is when we are int he gun. This line wasn't great to start with and we lost basically all the players on it that were any good.

Originally posted by Spoonerism:

Originally posted by ZRF80:

Originally posted by NickSh49:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ZRF80:
This is Young's way of calling Alex a bust. Like he said, you must be able to "adapt" to gametime situations. Cant go in evey week with the spread and hope that Alex will bail us out. Unfortunately, Alex has shown he cannot play under center, even with a good oline (06). Time to move on.....

LOL.

-9fA

Yeah..

Wow. Starting to sound like NolanNonsense and NolanHasAPlan (More NHAP, really) in that the things you say are so ridiculous, it's to the point where we can't tell if you're actually that absurd, or if you're just purposely parading around making these over-the-top exaggerations.

The way he tries to spin everything into a Smith Bashing statement makes him sound as ridiculous as Sabrason/Singfan.

We have reached the crossroads of what it means to be a Smith hater. Now is the time when Smith actually deserves some patience, and the haters are still letting their negative feelings remain. Good stuff.

Please read the entire article, and then point out the parts where Young is actually supporting Smith.

I heard Young on KNBR and I think what every Niner fan has to realize is that Young isn't watching many games. He is an 'expert' now and rightly so. He's earned it. I doubt with all his young ones he has time to sit around and watch game film that isn't directly pertaining to his Monday Night. He even said in the interview he doesn't get much time with his kids being around. I really doubt he's seen very much of Alex Smith on tape from this season. I think he'll have a much better opinion when we play the Cards on MNF. Think guys.... Just please.... Really think.... Is it that hard to think?

Not trying to be all confrontational and junk but you can't "ask" people to "think" when you are obviously jumping to a few conclusions. On one hand you acknowledge him as an "expert" but on the other hand you dismiss his finding because of the distraction of his family life?!? I don't believe that you know Steve or how he manages his family life or his prep or lack thereof when it comes to his 2nd career. Again, not trying to start nuthing but if I were to be "thinking" - I’d think long and hard about subscribing to the opinions of an “arm chair” nobody’s assertion versus a well respected, “Neutral”, HOF player turned analyst who excelled at the very same position that we are all discussing. Especially when that same player turned analyst had to overcome his own challenges to the benefit of himself and the 49ers… I too wish people would think – but they typically don’t!


Dirty

Originally posted by Dirty9er:

Originally posted by Spoonerism:

Originally posted by ZRF80:

Originally posted by NickSh49:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ZRF80:
This is Young's way of calling Alex a bust. Like he said, you must be able to "adapt" to gametime situations. Cant go in evey week with the spread and hope that Alex will bail us out. Unfortunately, Alex has shown he cannot play under center, even with a good oline (06). Time to move on.....

LOL.

-9fA

Yeah..

Wow. Starting to sound like NolanNonsense and NolanHasAPlan (More NHAP, really) in that the things you say are so ridiculous, it's to the point where we can't tell if you're actually that absurd, or if you're just purposely parading around making these over-the-top exaggerations.

The way he tries to spin everything into a Smith Bashing statement makes him sound as ridiculous as Sabrason/Singfan.

We have reached the crossroads of what it means to be a Smith hater. Now is the time when Smith actually deserves some patience, and the haters are still letting their negative feelings remain. Good stuff.

Please read the entire article, and then point out the parts where Young is actually supporting Smith.

I heard Young on KNBR and I think what every Niner fan has to realize is that Young isn't watching many games. He is an 'expert' now and rightly so. He's earned it. I doubt with all his young ones he has time to sit around and watch game film that isn't directly pertaining to his Monday Night. He even said in the interview he doesn't get much time with his kids being around. I really doubt he's seen very much of Alex Smith on tape from this season. I think he'll have a much better opinion when we play the Cards on MNF. Think guys.... Just please.... Really think.... Is it that hard to think?

Not trying to be all confrontational and junk but you can't "ask" people to "think" when you are obviously jumping to a few conclusions. On one hand you acknowledge him as an "expert" but on the other hand you dismiss his finding because of the distraction of his family life?!? I don't believe that you know Steve or how he manages his family life or his prep or lack thereof when it comes to his 2nd career. Again, not trying to start nuthing but if I were to be "thinking" - I’d think long and hard about subscribing to the opinions of an “arm chair” nobody’s assertion versus a well respected, “Neutral”, HOF player turned analyst who excelled at the very same position that we are all discussing. Especially when that same player turned analyst had to overcome his own challenges to the benefit of himself and the 49ers… I too wish people would think – but they typically don’t!


Dirty

Yep. I dont know what to say to all the "fans" that support Alex Smith and think he can become Brady/Manning like after 5 years of nothing. What baffles me more is when NFL insiders (media, columnists, HOFers, former players eg Bryant) all agree that Alex has and will amount to nothing. Alex Smith supporters just nudge that off as "hate" and "not knowing the reality behind Smith".

Young has called Alex out. Rice has called him out. Analysts such as Collingsworth, Hodge, and jaworski have called him out (guys that analyze film, btw). And then, former players on the team (Antonio Bryant) and coaches (Urban Meyer) have called him out.

You have an entire spectrum of former coaches, players........HOF QBs, analysts, and columnists telling us that after 5 years, the guy just doesnt have it. All this being compounded by Alex's record in his last 10 games, and the fact that he has failed to bring this team out of the ashes in 3 of the last 4 starts.

My God, what else do we need to prove that he is a BUST ?

Originally posted by Mex49:
Just wondering, how many years did it take young to get the monkey off his back?

less than 5

Originally posted by wailers15:
If this has already been posted then my bad. I haven't seen anything yet.

here's the article from ESPN NFL Insider today from a KNBR interview:

Steve Young's most recent KNBR interview is a must-listen for anyone hoping to master the issues facing Alex Smith and the 49ers' offense heading into the final six games.

Alex Smith's numbers are much better out of the shotgun this season.Listening to the Hall of Fame quarterback's thoughts helped crystallize my own. All the focus on whether the 49ers should embrace more of a spread offense obscures a key point: Smith must become more proficient operating from under center if he hopes to become a winning quarterback for the 49ers or any other NFL team.

Just as a scrambling quarterback must learn how to succeed as a pocket passer, Smith must learn to operate a conventional offense. As I have noted several times, Smith isn't Peyton Manning, so the 49ers can forget about asking him to carry the offense from the shotgun play after play. They can use the shotgun more frequently, but probably not predominantly.

"If he is really only able to thrive in the spread, then that might not be the dilemma of the week, but it is the dilemma of the year and onto next year as to exactly how they are going to do that," Young said. "Now, I can't believe that if you can play competent quarterback in the spread that you can't transition to understand how to play quarterback in the I (formation). I did it and all of the above and it just doesn't seem like that is all that hard to do."

This is where offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye's recent comments come into play. While supportive of Smith, Raye said game situations were far more significant than formations in the team's second-half offensive successes against the Texans and Packers. The 49ers trailed both games by wide margins. Lots of teams rack up yardage while playing from behind.

"The quantity of the yards and quality of the yards has to be measured by the score and the time in the game," Raye said. "I don’t think the formation per se had a whole lot to do with it. The fact that we were in a semi-rally mode because we were down by four scores had something to do with it."

If Smith cannot play well across personnel groups and formations, the 49ers cannot win with him over the long term. Young drove home that point.

"They are stuck with an All-Pro running back (Frank Gore) that needs a certain formation and then up-and-coming stars that need another formation," Young said. "And they have no way to meld the two because they really aren't compatible."

The way to meld the two is for Smith to adapt. He needs to do that over the final six games.

"There is no reason why we can't get Alex to get under center," Young said. "It is a matter of time, if we can withstand the growing pains of doing that. But there is no reason he cannot get somebody under center in the offseason and really work it out."

I think he's nailed it. We do have a mixture of talent that usually doesn't mold together or takes time. Can Smith adapt? How about Raye. Can he adapt?
How's about bringing in Young for some 1 on 1 with Johnny Utah!

I think Alex understands this as well. In reading into his interviews, he downplays the use of the spread (while Crabz & VD pray for it) He wants to be COMPLETE!

Originally posted by excelsior:
How can prime21 act as if drafting a QB is the clear solution? Alex's QB rating is better than all but two of the 13 top-rated QBs drafted out of college during the last five years. Whoever we draft is more likely to struggle, especially during the first few years. In the near term, that is not the solution, I am afraid.

Wow, his passer rating is improving, after 5 long years,and he is still losing,Even Hill was winning games with the same disadvantages that Smith was so troubled with, Smith is not the answer, with that said, where else would we get would we get a capable QB besides the draft? oh i know, Brady Quinn might be up for grabs!

Originally posted by WillistheWall:

Originally posted by ZRF80:

Originally posted by NickSh49:

Originally posted by Memphis9er:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by 9erfanAUS:

Originally posted by ZRF80:
This is Young's way of calling Alex a bust. Like he said, you must be able to "adapt" to gametime situations. Cant go in evey week with the spread and hope that Alex will bail us out. Unfortunately, Alex has shown he cannot play under center, even with a good oline (06). Time to move on.....

LOL.

-9fA

Yeah..

Wow. Starting to sound like NolanNonsense and NolanHasAPlan (More NHAP, really) in that the things you say are so ridiculous, it's to the point where we can't tell if you're actually that absurd, or if you're just purposely parading around making these over-the-top exaggerations.

The way he tries to spin everything into a Smith Bashing statement makes him sound as ridiculous as Sabrason/Singfan.

We have reached the crossroads of what it means to be a Smith hater. Now is the time when Smith actually deserves some patience, and the haters are still letting their negative feelings remain. Good stuff.

Please read the entire article, and then point out the parts where Young is actually supporting Smith.

right here:

Quote:
"There is no reason why we can't get Alex to get under center," Young said. "It is a matter of time, if we can withstand the growing pains of doing that. But there is no reason he cannot get somebody under center in the offseason and really work it out."

He says that he can fix that problem. If he was saying he was a bust, he wouldn't say he can fix the problem and work it out. You're taking what he's saying and trying to translate it into what you're saying and it's not the same thing. He's saying it's a problem, but if he's the guy, or if he can be the guy, than we need to work through it and he needs to get under center and get better at it. If he was saying he was a bust, he wouldn't say he had the ability to work through the problem, he'd say it's over and we need a new QB. He didn't say that.

It's funny how the most simplistic statement gets turned inside out here on the zone.

~Ceadder