>http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/niners-talk/post/Alex-Smith-shows-a-new-side-to-his-game?blockID=576726&feedID=5884
>
>Matt Maiocco
>
>It's all starting to make sense now.
>
>On the day the 49ers selected Alex Smith with the No. 1
>overall pick of the 2005 draft, his college coach, Urban
>Meyer, provided a prescient perspective of the young
>quarterback.
>
>Six-and-a-half years later, Meyer's words are worth
>revisiting.
>
>"Alex is an extremely quick learner," Meyer began. "However,
>he's a guy that, until he understands it, he is nonfunctional.
>. . . 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.
>
>"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 (at Utah) 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."
>
>Meyer concluded, "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."
>
urban called it. but alex was taught something so many times (and POORLY at that), that he never really knew what was going on.