49ers name Hill as their starting QB

Oct 28, 2008 - 1:35 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- San Francisco 49ers interim coach Mike Singletary continued to shake things up on Monday.

Singletary named Shaun Hill the team's starting quarterback when the 49ers return from their bye to face the Arizona Cardinals on November 10.

Hill played the entire second half of San Francisco's 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in favor of J.T. O'Sullivan, who had been the starter for the first eight weeks of the season.

A seven-year veteran, Hill completed 15-of-23 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, impressing Singletary enough to make the switch.

"Shaun brings a steadiness about him," Singletary said. "The confidence, the leadership, there are number of things to really like about Shaun. I'm excited that he's going to be the starter and I know he's excited."

The announcement comes one day after Singletary ranted at his first postgame press conference, explaining his decision to bench tight end Vernon Davis and vowing to turn the team around.

Singletary is in his first head coaching position after he replaced the fired Mike Nolan on October 21.

"It will change," Singletary said of the losing. "Not because of me, but because they want it to change. They want to be champions, and they will get it done."

San Francisco is currently on a five-game losing streak and sits in last place in the NFC West.