Aldon Smith eyes bounce-back season for San Francisco 49ers
Saturday 13 June 2015 18:55, UK
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith is confident he can bounce back this season and help fill the void left by a raft of retirements in a tumultuous offseason for the team.
Smith exploded onto the NFL scene in 2011 as he racked up 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons but off-field problems, which have included multiple arrests, have plagued the outside linebacker over the last two and he missed nine games in 2014 through suspension.
It has been a different story for Smith this offseason however as his focus and work ethic have drawn praise from 49ers coaches and the 25-year-old is determined to return to his Pro Bowl form in 2015.
“I feel fast now,” Smith told the 49ers official website. “I’ve lost some weight, slimmed up, gotten stronger and it’s shown on the field.
“I don’t think I played to my level, and I want to do everything it takes to play consistently at my level.
“I know that when I’m playing consistently and I’m on my game, I can’t be stopped.”
Jim Harbaugh left the 49ers following the season to take over as Michigan head coach and the 49ers promoted Jim Tomsula to replace him, while former Jets and Browns head coach Eric Mangini takes over as defensive co-ordinator from Vic Fangio.
Smith has been encouraged by the new systems Tomsula and Mangini are implementing and is confident he will be utilised in a role which plays to his strengths this season.
“With the new coaching staff, you’ve got to learn fast so I can play my game at the speed I like to play at,” said Smith.
“I’m focusing on my job, making sure I know what I’m doing and going out there every day and being consistent.”
No team in the NFL was decimated this offseason to the extent of the 49ers with Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland and Anthony Davis all retiring and Frank Gore, Mike Iupati and Michael Crabtree leaving in free agency.
The retirements of Willis and Smith in particular leave the 49ers short of leadership on defence and the team is counting on Smith to step into that void.
“With those guys leaving, they were here when I got here and showed me the ropes,” Smith said.
“I learned a lot from them on how to lead and how to be a professional, how to come in here and do your job and then go out there on game day and perform.
“I’m going to use everything they taught me and things that I’ve learned and show the other guys the ropes to make sure we keep this thing going in the right direction.”
