Posted By: big gabe (29/07/2008 3:51:14 PM)
Comment: how about adding BRETT F. to our arsenal!!

Posted By: StonerLab (29/07/2008 12:44:28 PM)
Comment: NinerNutt, The reason why Alex "is not sure and won't turn it loose" is because he's probably still learning Martz's offense. Martz hasn't even installed all of the offense yet. You make it seem that it's just going to be a "snap" for the QB's to learn & know this offense like the back of their hand. Ahhh... that's not reality. It's going to take the whole pre-season to get Alex to obsorb the whole offensive scheme.

Posted By: NinerNutt (29/07/2008 11:30:31 AM)
Comment: I dearly hope the Niner brain-trust does indeed hand the QB reins to the one that truly gives us the best chance to win. And that just might not be Alex Smith. Why? Martz said, "He is not sure and won't turn it loose." And as we have learned already, 'turning it loose' is precisely what the QB absolutely MUST do under the Martz edict: "if the defense does this, you do that - Period". And (the clincher) Smith's college coach said, (paraphrase: "Alex MUST see IT ALL in his mind FIRST before he reacts with confidence." The Martz statement and the college coach's statement are definitely at odds. Enter Hill (if he too is not LOCKED into his mechanics).

Posted By: mad9erfan (29/07/2008 9:33:01 AM)
Comment: I thought he compensated for his hurt shoulder, by using more forearm strength.....and thats why his forearm started to hurt. Then they decided his season was done. I dont remember anything about his injurty being the reason for bad foot mechanics? If he was coached AT ALL they would told him to bend the legs and use the hips and follow through with his back leg. Alex still has trouble following through with his back leg. Alex even admitted it in one of todays articles...he was not taught that at all. Stop making excuses for those lousy coaches from last year. Good riddance to them!

Posted By: StonerLab (29/07/2008 7:56:21 AM)
Comment: Matt, When the 49ers first announced Martz as the new OC I knew 2 things we're going to get done. That the offense would automatically become more productive in scoring points & the second thing was that Alex was finally going to get a "teacher" who would work on his mechanics so he can become a better QB. Well, I'm happy to see the "teaching" part of Martz's game being utilized. The offense will evolve & improve as TC continues. As for people wanting to know about J. Moore Nolan said a few days ago that because he got injured early in training camp last summer he never really got started. Nolan did say that J. Moore is ahead of where a rookie would be in this TC so that's why there hasn't been much to talk about with his progress unfortunatley. Hopefully as TC goes along he'll have more opportunities to get on the practice field to get better.

Posted By: Nevyn (29/07/2008 7:39:03 AM)
Comment: Now the question becomes whether the improvement is because of the better technique or whether Martz tricked Smith into thinking about HOW he should throw it instead of WHETHER he should throw it.

Posted By: Dave (28/07/2008 7:28:48 PM)
Comment: Wow all these years watching smith over or under throw the recievers and it was as simple as telling him to bend his knee's. Thats great now he is throwing passes that not even the great Nate can defend.

Posted By: BHF (28/07/2008 5:59:43 PM)
Comment: Too many things for A.Smith to think about. Not a good sign.

Posted By: Razoreater (28/07/2008 4:41:02 PM)
Comment: Smith coming back in Screaming for vengeance with throws as described is encouraging!! Thank you Matt!

Posted By: Steve (28/07/2008 4:37:33 PM)
Comment: Hi Matt. Love the blog. I can get my 9er fix at work. How has Jay Moore looked so far. Haven't heard much about him this spring. Thanks

Posted By: jon (28/07/2008 3:50:11 PM)
Comment: matt... seriously. that is a hideous shirt. ha but thanks for your updates

Posted By: mike in MD (28/07/2008 3:06:27 PM)
Comment: Great stuff Matt, thanks. WOW..I'm glad Reggie Smith is looking good. I'm surprised that he's passed TBrown. Is Brown doing anything out there, is he even close to RSmith? I hope it's a close race between these two..that would be great for us. This Goldson seems like he's all over the place. If RSmith can work out to be a legit CB it works out well w/our future FS already sitting in the wings. Man I feel so much better to have an OC that KNOWS what he's doing out there. Finally some REAL COACHING on the O, love it. Keep up the good work Niners!!

Posted By: Tha Grinch (28/07/2008 2:46:44 PM)
Comment: Matt anychance if Keasy becomes our starting fullback a couple of us guys can tackle him down and cut off those ugly ass dreads?God I hate those things!

Posted By: Henry (28/07/2008 2:12:15 PM)
Comment: hey, matt. seems to me that moran norris' role in the offense is becoming more and more replaceable as keasey's role seems to be projected for outside runs and passing downs. does the presence of norris on the field generally mean the play is some sort of inside run? and even if not, can you mcnolan the likelihood of keeping norris/2 full time fbs, esp with martz' style that bends predominantly to a single back, passing scheme? (i understand he pretty gave up on the run with detroit due to personnel, but even with stephen jackson in stl...) thanks!

Posted By: oneniner (28/07/2008 1:41:34 PM)
Comment: he was talking about the No. 2 base defense, and it was manusky not singletary..so its safe to assume it was J. Moore

Posted By: D.A. (28/07/2008 1:41:26 PM)
Comment: Not trying to hammer A. Smith, as I want him to win the job, but after last year's debacle in Seattle, why does Martz have to point out to him that he should bend his knee? Why wasn't he working on that all summer and through the mini-camps?

Posted By: Indiana Jim (28/07/2008 1:37:09 PM)
Comment: Regarding the Knee Bend, let's all remember why that happened: HIS ARM STARTED TO FALL OFF AT THE SHOULDER. That is where he got the habit from, and that is the muscle memory he is trying to break. He never had that problem before he started to try and compensate for the shoulder.

Posted By: Five_X_Champs (28/07/2008 1:34:14 PM)
Comment: 5TimesChamps <--- what kind of name is that???

Posted By: shootme (28/07/2008 1:30:55 PM)
Comment: How has J Smith looked in a standup role? Is he doing much in the way of coverage, or strictly rushing the passer? Just curious how the transition is going for him. Thanks for the updates.

Posted By: http:// (28/07/2008 1:29:56 PM)
Comment: How does the rushing offense look?

Posted By: MoreMoore! (28/07/2008 1:28:17 PM)
Comment: Matt, you said that Moore was making plays in the backfield... is that Brandon or Jay that's making plays and missing assignments?

Posted By: chris (28/07/2008 1:25:18 PM)
Comment: How does play calling in the 11 on 11s go? I'm assuming Martz is there calling plays for the O? Does the DC set the defensive formations or do the players determine their own defense in the huddle? I'm assuming they get plays called for them. Do the OC and DC work independently to try and have their unit perform the best or do they work together and know what each other is calling on every down. I'm assuming the players don't know what the opposing line is going to do (other than by analyzing their formation). How does it work? Thanks!

Posted By: PanamaNiner (28/07/2008 1:21:02 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt, greetings from Panama. Great work! Love the insight on what's going on in camp. This season looks to be at least entertaining on the offensive side of the ball. Hopefully enough to justify the NFL Game pass needed to catch all the Niners games over here. I think the defense it ´s going to keep us in enough games to be there fighting for the west at the end of the season. Please keep the news coming!

Posted By: Bob (28/07/2008 1:12:53 PM)
Comment: Which Moore; Brandon or Jay?

Response: Brandon Moore is the one who gets in the backfield, but was corrected a couple times for missed assignments. --Matt M.

Posted By: 5TimesChamps (28/07/2008 1:06:15 PM)
Comment: Matt, in your opinion, which receiver has looked the most impressive (explosiveness, hands, crisp routes, rapport with QBs) during the brief time at training camp? For instance, I remember in TC 2007 you repeatedly mentioned Taylor Jacobs as a practice beast. Hopefully any practice beasts we have this year will show up to the games too.

Posted By: mad9erfan (28/07/2008 1:03:46 PM)
Comment: "Bend the Knees". Thats exactly what Jaws was mentioning in that Monday nite clobbering by the Seachickens. Thats why his balls sale and are in-accurate. Why it wasn't fixed goes to show what dummies our OC and QB coach were. Oh yeah...they are no longer here. I feel bad for Cal, especially if that QB coach does what he did here last year.

Posted By: Indiana Jim (28/07/2008 12:46:10 PM)
Comment: You're still the best at this, Matt! See, this kind of advice with immediate dividends is exactly the thing Smith missed last season. Matt, does it seem that the injury and offseason rust is falling off more and more each day for Smith?

Posted By: Jon in SoCal (28/07/2008 12:42:16 PM)
Comment: Jay: Matt posted that MROB is at the hospital getting a MRI. He may also get scoped later...hope this doesn't turn in to a Tiger scope

Posted By: Jon in SoCal (28/07/2008 12:40:51 PM)
Comment: Matt, what is Tollner doing when Martz is there? Good to see that Martz is coaching too, not just being a general. Jaws was right! Good to see Alex developing. Taking the information given him right away and using it.

Posted By: Greg (28/07/2008 12:39:19 PM)
Comment: Hi Matt, a couple questions: Is that Jay Moore or Brandon Moore making plays in the backfield? And what's up with Haralson? Third team? Prior to Smith moving primarily to OLB, I though Haralson would compete for the starting spot opposite Lawson. What's up with him?

Posted By: Jeff B (28/07/2008 12:38:39 PM)
Comment: Hey Matt, there was a lot of stuff last year about Hostler being on the field or up in the box. Do you know if Martz will be on the field or up top? It seems like with his head coaching background and his ability to keep a close eye on QB mechanics, it would be better for him to be on the sideline.

Response: I do know. But you'll have to read the blog I filed after this one for that answer. --Matt M.

Posted By: Jay (28/07/2008 12:36:41 PM)
Comment: Where's MROB

Posted By: Jonas Ymir Jonasson (28/07/2008 12:34:44 PM)
Comment: Thanks, i have waited all day here in iceland for a practice update. Wich QB has looked better to you so far Matt?

Response: After a rough beginning today, Smith turned it around and looked really good. Smith has the edge. --Matt M.