(Profiles In Sportage will become part of Personally Foul's weekly look at some of the top underdogs in professional sports. These men and women are personal favorites of the writing staff and are more likely to show up on your doorstep selling insurance than in All Star games, but deserve recognition in some small way. These athletes play their sport the way they were meant to be played. Our first edition covers one of my personal favorite quarterbacks: Shaun Hill.)
Shaun Hill may never go to the Pro-Bowl, lead a team to a Super Bowl, or even start 16 games. But, his style of play and gutsy leadership has given Hill a career no NFL draft guru could have predicted. He is one of the NFL's top backup quarterbacks over the past decade and has enjoyed relative success starting for cellar dweller teams; even jump starting a dormant franchise.
Since high school Shaun Hill routinely was overlooked as a quarterback. Not highly recruited out of Parsons High School in Kansas, Hill spent two years at community college where he caught the eye of Maryland Terrapins then coach, Ron Vanderlin.
In 2001, Hill's senior year at Maryland, he led the underdog Terrapins to the Orange Bowl and their first ACC Championship since 1985. (Losing to Florida.) But, during the season Hill out-dueled Philip Rivers to beat the future top 5 pick with 40 seconds left in the game. Still, his lack of arm strength led to Hill going un-drafted and was written off as a product of the Ralph Friedgin system.
15 Quarterbacks' names were called during the 2002 NFL draft, but not Shaun Hill. Of those 15, only one quarterback from that draft currently starts in the NFL; David Garrard. Hill would get the casual look by NFL teams for camp bodies, but luck was on his side. Hill was picked up by then Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Tice; a former Maryland Terrapin as well. Hill would play in NFL Europe and take practice reps on the Vikings practice squad to stay on an NFL roster. Given the chance to play in the NFL, Hill spent 6 years on the bench before getting his first start in San Francisco under coach Mike Nolan. Hill took the opportunity and ran with it.
In 3 starts in 2007, Hill passed for 500 yards and 5 touchdowns, but only 1 interception. Hill won two of three games, but returned to the bench for 2008. But when Alex Smith failed in 2008, Hill returned to a starters role at the halfway point in the season.
2008 became arguably Hill's best season. In 8 games Hill won 5, passed for 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns; salvaging the 49ers season from complete disaster. In week 10 of 2008, against eventual Super Bowl contenders Arizona, Hill led a 49ers comeback with gutsy play and smart quarterbacking. The game was lost by the poor play calling of Mike Martz in the final seconds, but Hill proved his worth. Forcing the 49ers interim coach Mike Singletary to give him a fair shake in the next years training camp.
But 2009 brought Jimmy Raye's new offense and Shaun Hill's 3rd offense in 3 years. While Hill enjoyed relative success, the team went back to give former top pick Alex Smith a chance. But, in 2009 Hill revitalized the career of Vernon Davis (also a former Terrapin) leading to Davis' best season in the NFL and one of the best seasons ever for a tight end. With Hill at the helm the 49ers found ways to win.
The resurgence of Alex Smith under Jimmy Raye's offense, sent Hill out into the great NFL wasteland for NFL backups. But after shopping himself around the league, Hill found a place in Detroit where he could become the back up and play with some of the NFL top receiving talents.
Detroit began as another clipboard-holding job for Hill, but after a Matthew Stafford shoulder injury, Hill finds himself back in the mix as an NFL starter. Despite a 1-3 record, as a starter, this year, Hill has thrown for 1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns so far and led two near comebacks before blowing out the St. Louis Rams this week.
Hill's effect on the locker room brought veteran leadership and hard work to the Lions for the first time in, well, forever. The Lions fell short against division opponents 3 times on the road, but twice just missed the win. Something that cannot be said for the usual play by the Lions against division opponents. Huge steps for a team that has won 3 games in two years. The Lions also have already inked a 1 year extension for Hill next year. Matthew Stafford may return in week 8, but Shaun Hill has a full tank of experience ready to lead the Lions to their first season of "improvement" since 2007.
Whatever the NFL throws at Shaun Hill, he will continue to prove that leadership, intelligence, and hard work can still win in the NFL, despite lacking the physical attributes of a prototypical Quarterback. The ability to win cannot be taught; luckily Shaun Hill was born with it.
-Matt
Shaun Hill Clinches the ACC Championship 2001
