Is O’Sullivan The Guy?
August 12, 2008 by Dave C
Filed under NFL Football, SF 49ers
Here’s something fun on this fine Tuesday morning: it looks like a front-runner may have emerged in the battle for the starting quarterback position in San Francisco……….and it’s not Alex Smith or Shaun Hill.
For the fifth consecutive practice, plus the 49ers exhibition opener against Oakland, J.T. O’Sullivan has taken all the reps with the first team offense. Smith is taking snaps with the second team, while the only practice Hill is getting is how to hold the clipboard properly.
While Head Coach Mike Nolan insisted that this trend isn’t worth reading into, it would be foolish to chalk this up as a sheer coincidence, especially when up until recently, there was no reason to believe that any of the three quarterbacks at camp had emerged as a potential opening day starter.
Now here’s what we know about O’Sullivan - he’s been a journeyman since he was drafted in 2002 and didn’t play an NFL down until Mike Martz, then offensive co-ordinator with Detroit, gave him a shot last year. He threw a TD pass to Calvin Johnson - his only one to date. Martz was hired by the 49ers after getting dumped by the Lions after ‘07. Shortly after, O’Sullivan signs with the Gold Rush and soon after, Nolan publicly declares that the starting quarterback job is a three-horse race.
Could it possibly be that Martz and Nolan knew all along that O’Sullivan was the guy they wanted to go with? It seems fairly bizarre considering they had just signed Hill to a three-year contract and they also picked up the option on Smith’s rookie deal keeping him with the team through 2010.
One way or the other: it will be worth keeping an eye on this guy over the next couple of weeks. We may be in for an announcement that nobody, especially Smith and Hill, saw coming.
Stay tuned!!
DC
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August 12th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Very interesting turn of events! Like you say, who saw this one coming? Have you seen him in camp personally? How has he looked? Do you think this is the right decision?
August 12th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Truly stunning turn of events. It sure sounds like Martz had an idea all along what he wanted at QB, now if it blows up, Martz should be gone considering what the Niners gave the other 2 in terms of money.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:08 am
You may be right, but it would be a bad idea for the 49ers to go with mr Journeyman.
He may know the offensive skeme better, but he sucks.
Smith looked like the best of the three in the game against Oakland.
Not a good situation.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:27 am
Good 49′rs coverage man! I’m excited about the Packers heading West for this preseason tilt Saturday. Both teams will be looking to improve and be better coming off loses. Sounds like the Packers have more to lose in this one - and that you’ve got a possible QB thing brewing…We Packer fans know nothing about such a fiasco..*grins*…at any rate I’m curious how Rodgers fairs in fairly ‘home’ territory as the starter finally - and also to see how the Niners respond to a lousy outing versus Oakland. Should be a good match against two young teams with a ton of weight on their shoulders and lots to prove. Do you think JT would take out Smith though? BTW - Look out - Im in the Fantasy pool…you know what that means…a Canadian playing NFL Fantasy football….its no holds barred now!
August 13th, 2008 at 7:19 am
I have seen him. Very prototypical pocket-first, run if necessary type guy. He seems fairly accurate in practice and that’s crucial when running the kind of offense that Martz insists on.
Your big question though Tim, as to whether or not I think this is a good decision…I really don’t know. My big thing was just pick a guy and stick with him and there is an outside chance that Nolan’s telling the truth when he says we’re reading too much into O’Sullivan getting all the reps with the first team. I don’t like Smith at all and Hill has been fairly bad at camp. Maybe this could work out…..
August 13th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Martz is known to be a pretty stubborn guy, who rarely listens to anyone around him. Then again, they knew that when they hired him. By the way, Hill’s only getting 3 mill over 3 years so it’s not like they’re breaking the bank on him. Smith, on the other hand……
August 13th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Hard to make judgments based on a single preseason game Lee….and the entire Niner offense looked terrible in that one.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Thanks Patrick. Good luck in the fantasy league.
My question to you is, was this job ever Smith’s to begin with when camp opened this year?
August 13th, 2008 at 8:17 am
True! I remember you saying this when the hiring took place!
August 13th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
True, but J.T hasn’t done anything anywhere yet. So to me, he hasnt earned anything more then maybe the backup spot. I also thought that Smith wasn’t really that bad at all. He at least made progress on the field, which garners the right to get to play with the starting guys in week 2 of the pre season.
I just dont think that J.T is the answer, and not just from preseason game 1, but from his career to date.
I would rather get Culpepper, then to go with J.T
August 15th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Do you seem maybe releasing Alex Smith at somepoint ?