Back in college, Colin Kaepernick was thisclose to being converted into a free safety. Chris Ault, Kaepernick's head coach at Nevada, appeared on Fox Sports Radio earlier today. And, he revealed that when Kaep started playing at Nevada a few years ago, he wasn't nearly as impressive on the football field as he is today.
"His freshman redshirt year, guys, he was OK," Ault said. "There was nothing that told us he was a special athlete. He threw sidearm a little bit. He's a great pitcher and he had that little pitching motion from the sidearm. We had to try to push that thing up."
Fortunately for Kaepernick—and for Nevada—it worked out. But, if it hadn't, Ault said he was prepared to adjust accordingly.
"He could have been a great free safety, without question," he said. "I thought to myself, 'If he can't play quarterback, he looks like he's a good enough athlete that he could play free safety or wide receiver.' At that time, Kaep was maybe 6-foot-4, about 183 pounds, built like a fork."
Built like a fork? Ha. But, as it turns out, Kaepernick could play QB and, well, the rest is history. Now the guy is starting in his first Super Bowl for the 49ers in just his second year in the NFL. So, it's a good thing thing Coach Ault, the innovator of the pistol offense that Kaepernick has been running successfully in San Francisco, didn't pull the trigger on the free safety thing sooner.
RELATED: 49ers' Colin Kaepernick Files Trademark for "Kaepernicking"
[via Deadspin]
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