Vernon Davis: "I wouldn't replace Alex Smith with anybody."

If Alex is getting compared to what he was like at Utah, then hallelujah! I know it was college and he has yet to show up in the NFL, but lets not forget how dominant of a player he was at Utah. So if we can get anything close to that type of player, were set

Originally posted by Louiecomelately:
Alex isn't nearly the player that Peyton Manning is, but I'd say the one area in which they are completely the same is the one that's the most relevant here: they both want/need to know a system completely inside out, 100%, down-cold before they can throw a single pass. We've all heard that urban meyer quote, and I don't see any reason to dispute it now.

If Alex can't do it this year, he's not gonna do it period. But me hearing that Alex is "running half of practice" actually makes me excited, because it sounds a lot like what Peyton does. And if he can be 85% of the player Peyton is, that might just be good enough.

I was thinking the same thing but thought it was a little premature to bring that up. If Smith is to succeed he has to be a Manning type QB. A tall order for sure but we'll see soon enough.

Originally posted by vermonator:

Originally posted by Louiecomelately:
Alex isn't nearly the player that Peyton Manning is, but I'd say the one area in which they are completely the same is the one that's the most relevant here: they both want/need to know a system completely inside out, 100%, down-cold before they can throw a single pass. We've all heard that urban meyer quote, and I don't see any reason to dispute it now.

If Alex can't do it this year, he's not gonna do it period. But me hearing that Alex is "running half of practice" actually makes me excited, because it sounds a lot like what Peyton does. And if he can be 85% of the player Peyton is, that might just be good enough.

I was thinking the same thing but thought it was a little premature to bring that up. If Smith is to succeed he has to be a Manning type QB. A tall order for sure but we'll see soon enough.

I had similar thoughts, but I'm not ready to proclaim Alex anything until he shows who he is on the field year. I think it's going to be more about wins than overall statistical numbers, in the end.

At the same time, you can argue that if he has horrible numbers, the wins aren't likely to be there. Either way, he has to prove himself good enough to be the best option and easy choice going forward as the future QB of this franchise, and he has to prove it this year.

Hopefully Urban Meyer's comments from draft day in 2005 about Alex Smith prove to be true. It's been written many times before, but here is what Meyer said about Smith on the day the 49ers drafted him.

Quote:
"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."

When asked what he meant by the word "nonfunctional" Meyer replied:

"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.''

Raye: Smith Needs a Little Bit More Favre in his Game (from December 2009)

Hopefully, this is the year Meyer's words will prove true and Alex will play "lights out." We have already seen him take steps to becoming more comfortable and be the leader HC Singletary is looking for him to be. I know that I still have faith in his ability to be a franchise QB.

He's looking for a new contract, He knows he wouldn't get a new deal if he said "A. Smith may screw the whole thing up" or "nah, he hasn't changed. He still sucks".

Come on, you guys know the company line. Political correctness means everything these days.

Lets go alex, you can do it.

Of course he would say that, he had his best year as pro and doesn't want to jepordize that when its a contract season.

I'm sure he is sincere about all this.

But if the 49ers could win just by saying the right things instead of on the field, they would have won the Superbowl the last several years in a row.

Originally posted by Jikkle49:
I don't put a lot of stock in these kind of comments because we've heard them before and no player is going to say "Yeah he sucks and we're screwed this year"

What encouraging thing I did take from these comments is that he seems to be the most comfortable in an offense since coming into the league which should lead to a better performance this year.

As far as leadership goes it's sorta overrated in the media. Ultimately players respect that you're putting your work in and your performance on the field. Nobody is going to care what you have to say if you don't have the performance to back it up. It's also hard to tear into a guy when you barely know the offense yourself. The less he has to think about the offense the more it'll free him to take more of a leadership role.

for the life of me I will never understand why certain fans actually care what these players have to say about each other. And Twitter. Jeebus, people follow his tweeters too.

Just go out and catch more TD's. Alex Smith will do the best he can next season and the fans will be the judge

Originally posted by WildBill:
Of course he would say that, he had his best year as pro and doesn't want to jepordize that when its a contract season.

Vernon does not seem like the kind of guy who would spit BS! If that's what he thinks, I believe him.

Originally posted by PTulini:

Originally posted by WildBill:
Of course he would say that, he had his best year as pro and doesn't want to jepordize that when its a contract season.

Vernon does not seem like the kind of guy who would spit BS! If that's what he thinks, I believe him.

exactly he can always say nothing

This may all be just 'camp talk' but it's the type of camp talk WE'VE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR out of Alex Smith, (leadership/direction/command).

Morgan's words were very telling, it's the type of stuff you hear out of Brees, Manning, and Favre camp. A QB's leadership is measured upon making the entire offense his 'b***h', commanding the practice, and telling players where they need to be after each snap.

This is definitely the sign of a normal QB that's entering his second year under the same system (where you don't have to learn anything anymore, but execute and get creative with what you already know).

Expect the rise of Phil Jennings aka the king of Utah audibles (circa 2004) this Summer.

Originally posted by DaDivaRecieva15:

wtf?

Originally posted by valrod33:

lulz