San Francisco 49ers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, wants Alex Smith to start the next season – NFL News
San Francisco 49ers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, has once again reiterated that he wants quarterback, Alex Smith, back in the team when it kicks off its campaign for the next season.
Harbaugh believed in Smith right from the start. When he took over the responsibilities as the head coach, he picked up Smith and gave him the starting job.
Smith, who was then an underrated player and was struggling to perform well after spending six years with the franchise, responded to the trust equally well.
In his seventh year with 49ers, and first under Harbaugh, Smith led the 49ers to winning the National Football Conference (NFC) West division and a shot at the NFC title in which New York Giants won.
In the regular season, 49ers won 13 out of 16 games to top the West division. The 49ers defeated New Orleans Saints in the playoffs to qualify for the NFC championship game against the Giants.
In the regular season, Smith completed 273 passes of 445 attempts for career-high 3,144 yards. He had 17 touchdowns and only five interceptions to his name.
In two games of the postseason, Smith completed a total of 36 passes of 68 attempts for 495 yards and five touchdowns.
Harbaugh had earlier said that Smith would be the starter for the 49ers in the next season in which the coach wants the team to be more effective.
He said recently that:
“We're all in lockstep as an organization that Alex Smith is our guy. It's well-documented. You saw the way he played this year."
Smith will be a free agent in March 2012.
Jim has said that the one of the priorities of the franchise is to sign Smith and other few important players, who do not have an extended contract.
He said:
“There's Alex and there are other guys, too, that are high priorities. We want our guys.”
He added that:
“There are guys who play like 49ers, and what they do is they play their hearts out for our team. So Alex and others, (it's) going to be a high-priority to get those guys signed.”
Meanwhile, another 49ers’ quarter Colin Kaepernick, who was drafted by the 49ers in the 2011 NFL Draft, is still waiting to get his first NFL start.
Kaepernick believes that if he performs well before the start of the next regular season, he stands an equal chance as Smith to become the starter.
He said:
"I plan on being in San Francisco and plan on trying to take the starting job. That's what your goal is as a football player."
With Alex Smith having the trust of fans and the coach, it will become difficult for Kaepernick to get a start. However, he should keep himself in proper shape for when he will be called on the field he will have to prove his mettle.
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