Shaun Hill News

Frank Gore has a straightforward offensive strategy: make positive yards every time.

Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona.

San Francisco's Alex Smith can relate to Young as far as being a high draft pick trying to resurrect his career after a difficult start.

"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, ..." -- Wilfred Owen 1918 There are some things that are hard to describe with words.

Now we'll see if Mike Singletary can coach. He can inspire, we know that. He can enunciate a clear message that resonates in the locker room, the executive suite and on billboards and in commercials everywhere.

The product rollout of Alex Smith 2.0 hit some early glitches here in Sunday afternoon's 18-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Peyton Manning threw for 347 yards, but it was Joseph Addai that threw the game-winning TD pass to Reggie Wayne in the fourth quarter, as the Indianapolis Colts survived a tough test from the San Francisco 49ers and kept their undefeated season intact with an 18-14 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Houston Texans tight end Owen Daniels fumbles the ball as he crosses the goal line as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Shawntae Spencer defends during the second quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Oct.

Rookie Michael Crabtree had a good NFL debut in a losing effort to the Texans. In a game where all the attention was going to be focused on a 49ers player making his season debut, it seemed unlikely that we would be talking about QB Alex Smith rather than rookie WR Michael Crabtree.

These are the quarterbacks who have started for the 49ers since Sept. 6, 1998, in alphabetical order: Ty Detmer, Trent Dilfer, Ken Dorsey, Jeff Garcia, Shaun Hill, J.T. O'Sullivan, Cody Pickett, Tim Rattay, Alex Smith, Steve Stenstrom, Chris Weinke and Steve Young.

Random observations of a Wednesday-morning quarterback ... -- Mike Singletary will start Alex Smith on Sunday because Smith "gives us the best opportunity to win the Football game." Has there ever been a more cotton-candy cliche? -- Except when it's not true.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith looks to pass as Houston Texans defensive tackle Shaun Cody tries to tackle him during the fourth quarter of a NFL football Sunday, Oct.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill is sacked by Houston Texans defensive tackle Jeff Zgonina in the first quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Oct.

After going 6-for-11 passing for 45 yards and failing to lead the 49ers to a single point in the first half in Houston, QB Shaun Hill has been benched in favor of QB Alex Smith .

Three-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware finally has his big contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

I'll give you three guesses what a sizable chunk of today's links are about. You get your Alex Smith/ Shaun Hill , you get your furious second half comeback attempt, and of course you get a little Michael Crabtree on the side.

Short-attention-span reading and writing, and some bonus cut-and-pasting from my Talking Points blog .

Do any of the people who seriously discuss the notion of an NFL franchise in London actually possess the ability to think? I'm not saying it'll never happen, but the only way my eyes will witness it is if my head is thawed out by the good people at the cryogenics lab and shipped next-day delivery across the Atlantic Ocean.

Originally published October 25, 2009 at 1:01 p.m., updated October 25, 2009 at 2:04 p.m. HOUSTON a ' Alex Smith has replaced Shaun Hill at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in the second half of their game at Houston.

He got his deal. He's learning the offense. And now it's time for him to shine. Well, that's the general idea, anyways.