dlockz
Hall Of Famer
Some of the gripes are legitimate like if he was talking on cell phone but some gripes were totally unsubstantiated . Case in point this quote.
“He doesn’t have much presence, not much of a leader.
Also the critique from PFT's resident smile expert
A cross between Akili Smith and Aaron Brooks, Smith is a gimmick, overhyped product of the system lacking the football savvy, work habits and focus to cement a starting job and could drain energy from a QB room. Will be overdrafted and struggle to produce against NFL defensive complexities.
His former qb coach and former player have both praised his work habits and focus. Not sure how a guy that writes for a magazine would know so much about his work habits
Now another so called paper scout Schein said this in response:Smith has all of the tangibles -- and intangibles -- you look for in an NFL quarterback. He can make every throw. His arm strength is legit. He's also a football junkie, and winning is important to him. He takes the game and the preparation involved very seriously. He's smart. Teams crave quarterbacks with these traits, because teams crumble when they draft frauds.
His high school coach also spoke in his behalf
I thought all that talk was almost hilarious, a comedy show,” Cogdell said. “This kid is the first one into workouts and the last one to leave. Even from his Optimist days. Geno even started a couple games as a freshman. How much more competitive do you need? I don’t know if Nawrocki is trying to get some notoriety. I couldn’t believe the comments.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/04/3321885/cogdell-defends-former-miramar.html#storylink=cpy
he also said
That report was very cowardly,” Cogdell said. “I don’t think that was the right way to do things. There were a lot of guys he should have spoken to to find out about Geno’s leadership and character.
“I don’t know what Nawrocki’s intentions were. It’s kind of sad a person would even do that. I saw nothing but Geno striving for perfection. He is a student of the game and very critical of himself.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/04/3321885/cogdell-defends-former-miramar.html#storylink=cpy
coach and former teammate
Former West Virginia quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital, now Johnny Manziel's Texas A&M quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator, says Smith is an obsessed student of the game.
"I was laughing with Geno about it Monday night and I said, 'Welcome to the business,''' Spavital told USA TODAY Sports.
"I've been around Geno for two years. I thought he was one of the hardest-working quarterbacks I've ever been around.
"You have people who are about 'What can football do for me?' Geno is about 'What I can do for football?' If you take the game away from him, I think he dies,'' Spavital added.
"He is a dream come true for a coach.''
Spavital should know. He previously coached Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden at Oklahoma State and said Smith has the better work ethic and franchise quarterback skill set than last April's 22nd overall draft pick.
"Geno can step in and start in the NFL from day one,'' Spavital said. "And I didn't think that about Brandon Weeden. I thought he was a very good quarterback. But I thought it might take him two years before he started. But Geno can come in right now and start right away.''
Why is that?
"His personality is awesome,'' Spavital said. "He has a side of him when it comes to football I've never seen before — he's so competitive and passionate.''
Here's how uninspiring Smith is to teammates: Former Mountaineers receiver Stedman Bailey, who played with Smith since their junior year together at Miramar High in suburban Miami, will attend the first round of the draft in New York City to be at his quarterback's side when a team is expected to call Smith's name early the night of April 25.
Bailey is so appreciative of how hard Smith pushed him the past six years that he'll accompany Smith — despite the fact that Bailey isn't expected to hear his own name called until at least the second round on the following night.
"I know first hand that Geno is one of the hardest working guys having watched how far he's come over our years together," Bailey said. "He's a leader, a hard-working guy, a film junkie. He has all the qualities you'd want in a franchise quarterback. Any one looking for that, Geno is your man.''
more comments from his former QB coach
West Virginia QB Geno Smith's former position coach, Jake Spavital, called the Mountaineer a "film junkie."
"I got him an iPad (to watch tape) so he’d go to class," said Spavital. "I think it’s a no-brainer to take the first quarterback overall. I've been around some pretty good ones and I've never seen a guy that’s this complete as a quarterback. And he’s hungry." Spavital has coached Brandon Weeden, Case Keenum, and is currently on the Texas A&M staff. "He studies it," Spavital said. "With Brandon Weeden, I couldn't say that about him."
Not saying that some of the stuff is not true about how he handled interviews but his leadership has been questioned only by people he has never been on a team with and u hear great praise about his leadership and work habits from people that have actually worked with him
