We keep hearing the same song out of San Francisco. Alex Smith, finally in the same offensive system for a second straight year, is stepping up as a vocal leader.
Vernon Davis: “He’s talking. He’s vocal. He’s taking control and being that guy . . . a guy who’s going to step up and take charge.”
Josh Morgan: “That’s what you like to see in your quarterback. You like to see him with that type of fire, take that type of leadership. I mean, he’s spitting the plays out, he’s explaining everything and it’s just like, ‘Wow. Thank you.’ I’m getting excited about it.”
Matt Maiocco, Comcast: “Alex Smith is doing a lot of teaching today. Never saw him do this in previous offseasons.”
Matt Barrows, Sacramento Bee: “Alex Smith essentially directing the offense this morning -- much more vocal, demonstrative than I’ve ever seen him.”
Morgan: “It was like a whole new Alex. It was like, ‘Wow, where did you come from?’”
Smith turned 26 last week. Is he truly, finally turning into The Man? Can a player truly turn on the leadership skills or is this just another nice offseason story that doesn’t amount to much when defenders start coming after him?
The answer could decide the NFC West.