Don’t let Nolan fool you; it’s Smith’s job

By Chris Cluff  |   Tuesday, May 13, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

San Francisco 49ers
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Don’t let Mike Nolan fool you.

If you listen to the coach of the San Francisco 49ers, the quarterback job is up for grabs. If you listen to Nolan, Alex Smith, the former No. 1 overall draft pick and the incumbent starter, is going to have to fight off unheralded backups Shaun Hill and J.T. O’Sullivan.

Don’t let Nolan fool you. It’s Smith’s job – and will remain so until he messes up too much once the season begins.

The only reason the competition was opened up is because a shoulder injury cut short Smith’s 2007 season and eventually enabled Hill to get on the field. Hill showed some ability in three late-season games. Then the 49ers hired Mike Martz to be the new offensive coordinator, and Martz had the team sign O’Sullivan because he was in Martz’s offense in Detroit last season. Thus, Nolan says it’s a three-way race.

But don’t let him fool you. Smith, coming off shoulder surgery, performed well in minicamp last week and should be the No. 1 guy on the depth chart when July practices begin.

Nolan has said he would prefer to have a nominal starter heading into training camp.

“I’ll feel a little better,” he said. “I think it’ll raise the level of competition because the guys will know where they stand.”

Nolan seems impressed with Smith. The two had their differences last season – particularly when it came to the severity of Smith’s injury – but they apparently have made amends because Nolan said he is happy with Smith’s approach to the so-called competition. And the coach is impressed with Smith’s bigger, stronger physique, too.

“He’s a talented guy, but playing quarterback takes a lot of things,” Nolan said. “If you just said [it’s about] height, weight, speed, arm strength, Alex would be the guy. But there is so much more than that. Tom Brady doesn’t measure up to some guys.”

Don’t let Nolan fool you, though. Smith will be the guy entering camp because he’s the one the team invested $50 million in after drafting him first overall in 2005. The 49ers can’t afford to not make Smith the starter again. And they have to do it before camp starts because they need Smith to learn Martz’s complicated offense as quickly as possible. The only way Smith will not remain the starter is if he plays so poorly in the first month that Nolan and Martz have no choice but to insert Hill or Sullivan.

It will take more than one training camp for Smith and Hill to learn Martz’s offense, and there’s a good chance Smith will be benched at some point. But for now, don’t let Nolan fool you: Smith is the quarterback.
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, ...
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