http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13775005p-14617021c.html
Injury to Smith gives Dorsey leg up on start
By Matthew Barrows -- Bee Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA - As a member of the Utah Utes a year ago, fleet-footed Alex Smith could dash down the line of scrimmage, turn the corner and expect to find wide-open spaces on the other side.
Nowadays, the 49ers quarterback mostly finds linebackers running with him stride for stride, as was the case Sunday when the Redskins' LaVar Arrington pounc-ed on him just in front of Washington's bench.
The hit left Smith with strained ligaments in his right knee and put into doubt whether the rookie would be able to start Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Smith watched Wednesday's practice with a bulky black brace on his right leg, third-year player Ken Dorsey ran the first-team offense. Coach Mike Nolan said Smith conceivably could recover in time but that he was leaning toward giving Dorsey his first start since last season's finale.
"We'll know more (today) about Alex's status, but it does look more favorable right now that Ken would be the guy," Nolan said.
For Dorsey, even the possibility of starting marks a tremendous reversal of fortune.
Until last week, he was a frustrated No. 3 quarterback who got his only practice repetitions by throwing to injured receiver P.J. Fleck after the rest of team had headed for the showers. Now he has another chance to show NFL scouts he can be a starter.
"It's been a roller coaster, let me tell you," Dorsey said, a dozen tape recorders and microphones in front of him for the first time all season. "It's been a crazy couple of weeks."
Dorsey was 1-6 as a starter last season, throwing six touchdown passes against nine interceptions and finishing with a 62.4 passer rating. Smith's rating after two rough starts is 17.5, the lowest of any quarterback to start at least one game this season.
Had this scenario played out two weeks ago, one-time starter Tim Rattay would have been the easy choice to fill in. Rattay, however, was traded to the Buccaneers last week and likely will be Tampa Bay's No. 3 quarterback when he returns to San Francisco on Sunday.
One concern is that because Rattay and Smith split virtually all the practice repetitions during the season's first five weeks, Dorsey will enter the game with more rust than a typical backup quarterback.
"It was not what I expected, but it's something I'd like to think I prepared for as well as I could," Dorsey said of starting.
As for Smith, he said he would start paying attention to coaches who, since college, have urged him to run safely out of bounds when he senses trouble.
"That conversation did come up," he said. "That was a first to me because my whole career I've been taking a lot of hits and a lot of shots. ... I need to learn from that."
Smith said he rolled awkwardly on his knee when Arrington tackled him in the first quarter. Smith said the knee ached a bit but only began to stiffen and swell after the game. It was the first time Smith had been hurt in a game, and if he sits out Sunday, it will be the first time he will have missed one because of injury.
"After coming off that start, I want to get back on the field," he said. "When I go through something like that, I want to get back out there, because I want to keep improving."
About the writer: The Bee's Matthew Barrows can be reached at mbarrows@sacbee.com.
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"It was the first time Smith had been hurt in a game." Unfortunately, with the gaping oozing holes in the line, it won't be the last...
I almost hate to see my boy Kenny out there. I have ALWAYS liked Dorsey but I certainly didn't want to see him back on the field because the "future of the franchise" had an owie.