|
|
|
|
|
49ers’ Smith entering season with confidence
By David Zizmor August 12, 2007 |
||
|
|
|||
|
Alex Smith, the 49ers quarterback talked a little about entering his third year with the 49ers and in the NFL and he sat talking with confidence that it can all come together. Experience has made all the difference for Smith and he feels 2007 will make all the difference in the world to show what he can do with the football. "I really feel like I'm back to playing football. I know what I'm supposed to be doing,” said Smith. “The last couple of years, there were a lot of uncertainties going into the season, going into camp. It's hard to deal with when you don't understand what’s ahead of you." Smith first two years was a tough learning curve and he feels he has arrived. In 2005 Smith had one of the most rugged years in his rookie season starting in 7 games throwing for only 875 yards in 165 passes for 84 completions, in 2006 he stepped it up by starting in all 16 ball games for the 49ers throwing for 2,890 yards, 16 touchdowns, in 442 pass attempts. Smith had all the markings of doing great things just time ran out towards the end of the season as Smith and the Niners were trying to make a bid for post season and fell two games off the mark. Smith made a valiant attempt to put it together and the Niners picked up a string of wins thanks to his ability to play call, execute the ground game, and fire the ball in traffic. Coming out of Utah in 2005 as the top draft pick and struggling along he come a long ways from the rookie season where he fired into traffic 11 interceptions, "this season it's nice to anticipate what it's like to play a season, what it's like to go through game weeks," said Smith. Coach Nolan likes what Smith has done in camp this year hitting all the plays and keys following instructions and getting his team to rally around him. Nolan said that Smith would be huge this season if the Niners are to go anywhere and he looks like he is really NFL ready. It is only pre-season but Nolan will watch what Smith can do and he likes what he has seen already in camp, "You can feel the job starting to click for him, obviously, he's more confident with his teammates, and he's making good decisions. We had confidence that he would get to this point, because he's a hard worker. Good things happen for those types of guys." said Nolan. One note Jim Hostler is Smith's third quarterback coach Norv Turner who now coaches the San Diego Chargers was his second and Smith really like Turner and his play calling and playbook. But it's all coming together with Hostler. The 49ers host the Denver Broncos. Monday night for a 5PM kick off at Bill Walsh Field for the first pre season game of 2007. David Zizmor co-hosts Sportstalk on 1690 KFSG Sacramento. quote source: KTVU Fox 2 Oakland |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||