Martz becomes key in Bay Area salvage job on QB Smith(節錄)

"When you look at him on tape, he's very talented," he said of Smith. "I remember him when he was coming out of college, and he was more impressive than he was on tape. He's very quick. He's smart. And the biggest attribute he has going for him is that he's so doggone accurate."
Those are descriptions I've heard before at the team's Santa Clara headquarters, only then it was someone describing Joe Montana, Steve Young or Jeff Garcia. Alex Smith never was confused with those three, and, unless Martz pulls a reprise of The Miracle Worker, he never will be.
It's not just that Smith has been slow to develop. He suffered a separated shoulder last season that had him sparring with his head coach over the severity of the injury, a public-relations nightmare that had outsiders questioning Smith's future with the 49ers.
Eventually he was put on injured reserve, but only after another disappointing season.
"Things were a little disjointed here last year," Martz said, "and then, of course, there was the shoulder injury. And the injury had a lot to do with (Smith's performance). But when you look at the year before when Norv (Turner) was here everything was going good."
Smith continues to recover from surgery to his right shoulder and, Martz said, should be able to throw by next month. What happens after that is up to Smith and Martz, who is convinced his quarterback will be ready by May.
"I think the 49ers can win with Smith," an NFC coach said, "because he has some talent. Do I think he'll be a great quarterback? No. But Mike Martz has done good jobs with guys a lot less talented than Alex Smith. He should be OK."
One problem: I don't know if OK cuts it in San Francisco. In fact, I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Montana was a lot more than OK. So was Young. And while Garcia didn't make it to a Super Bowl, he was a three-time Pro Bowl choice.
The 49ers didn't pick up the option on Smith's contract earlier this month because they think he will be OK. They picked it up because they think he can be a franchise quarterback and a cornerstone to a future playoff club.
"We have faith in him," said general manager Scot McCloughan.
They should. When they signed him to a six-year contract they threw in $24 million in guaranteed money, which meant somebody believed in him. Apparently, somebody still does.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10719777/2