View Full Version : Believers in Young plentiful
dragondawg
09-04-2007, 04:22 AM
Even fantasy football aficionados wishing No. 2 tailback well
ENGLEWOOD - Selvin Young doesn't know anything about being "handcuffed," but he's learning.
The fantasy football term refers to players grabbing the No. 2 running back on an NFL team to go along with the starter as an insurance policy.
Obviously, there are believers out there in the Broncos rookie.
"I tell you this, I got about five calls (Sunday) night - people I didn't even know - 'Selvin, I just took you in my fantasy draft. Do me proud,' " he said Monday. "I told them, 'Thank you,' and hung up the phone."
They might be thanking Young later, too, depending on how circumstances unfold.
The former University of Texas player, at least for now, appears to be the man for the backup job behind starter Travis Henry - beating out the likes of Mike Bell, Cecil Sapp and Andre Hall for that distinction during the preseason.
Head coach Mike Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner publicly gave Young the nod after the team's initial preparations for the Buffalo Bills concluded this week.
Asked what he likes about Young, Turner said, "First off, his mental toughness. And he has the ability to learn and retain. He believes in himself. And the physical part you can see with the eye is the quickness."
The fullback position, on the other hand, is "still open," Turner said.
And, for the time being, Sapp and Bell are challenging Paul Smith, the team's only pure fullback, for that spot.
Sapp and Bell each began camp competing for the second tailback job, but Sapp said that, "as of right now, I'm just focusing on fullback, until they tell me otherwise."
Bell, the subject of trade rumors, appears to be in the same boat, with Andre Hall tentatively the third tailback.
"You never know. They probably want to see how the young guys are going to perform and then make a decision from there," Sapp said. "I'm just going to go out there with the fullback mentality and do the best I can."
Young led Denver in the preseason in carries (34) and yards (167). He benefited, in part, from extra carries received when Bell and Hall suffered injuries.
"I've always been on the short end of the stick," said Young, whose college career was marred by a serious ankle injury. "But I never slipped and fell off that small grip I had. I'm going to keep pulling and, hopefully, everything's going to work out."
The bigger surprise may be the roster inclusion of Hall, given that forced time off and only modest preseason production (18 carries, 52 yards, two touchdowns). But he might factor in on special teams and showed good bursts as a tailback before hamstring and groin injuries slowed him.
"Before he got hurt, he could make plays and he was doing things with the ball. He was impressive," Turner said.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5689307,00.html
Hulamau
09-04-2007, 05:19 AM
All you have to do is watch that 12 yard TD run Thursday night .. says everything about the possibilities with Young ... you simply can't coach that speed, vision and instinct he showed right there. ... Big time potential.
If he stays healthy we've got a great one/two change-up punch with Henry.
Speaking of possiblities ... checkout Hawaii QB Colt Brennen last Saturday. ..Yeah it was lousy Northern Colorado but he was:
34 of 40 for 416 yards and SIX TDS ... completing 19 of his 34 passes in a row ...... And all in the FIRST HALF!!!! Holy Smokes!
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/03/br/br8579362104.html
telluride
09-04-2007, 12:39 PM
And Brennan could have still been at CU. Crazy. They shoulda hired June Jones instead of Hawkins, and just opened things waaaay up.
Jetmeck
09-04-2007, 12:42 PM
I agree he is a keeper but at the third spot not the second where Mike Bell belongs. This is crazy.
Smiling Assassin27
09-04-2007, 12:44 PM
Let's see if the guy can hold on to the ball first. I'm not sold.
All you have to do is watch that 12 yard TD run Thursday night .. says everything about the possibilities with Young ... you simply can't coach that speed, vision and instinct he showed right there. ... Big time potential.
If he stays healthy we've got a great one/two change-up punch with Henry.
Speaking of possiblities ... checkout Hawaii QB Colt Brennen last Saturday. ..Yeah it was lousy Northern Colorado but he was:
34 of 40 for 416 yards and SIX TDS ... completing 19 of his 34 passes in a row ...... And all in the FIRST HALF!!!! Holy Smokes!
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/03/br/br8579362104.html
Said this in the Draft Forum a few months ago...
Colt is going to go much higher in the draft next year than he should. He will have sick numbers this year...but that O is tailor-made for him to do just that.
Somebody will burn a 1st on him and wait for him to develop..and wait..and wait.
Love the guy as a college player but am not sold on him as a pro.
crowebomber
09-04-2007, 12:52 PM
Said this in the Draft Forum a few months ago...
Colt is going to go much higher in the draft next year than he should. He will have sick numbers this year...but that O is tailor-made for him to do just that.
Somebody will burn a 1st on him and wait for him to develop..and wait..and wait.
Love the guy as a college player but am not sold on him as a pro.
Remember, this is the same system that made Ashlie Lelie look like a first rounder.
I agree he is a keeper but at the third spot not the second where Mike Bell belongs. This is crazy.
Why is it crazy?
Do you think Mike Bell is a talented player? Can he make a difference when he's on the field?
I think the answer to both of those questions is yes. Therefore I WANT him at FB. He's got good size and good football instincts but he lacks the top end speed and quickness that distinguishes elite RBs. So why not look to get him in at FB and see what he can do there? Mike Anderson has had a great career and he didn't join the league until he was 26. Bell has a full four year head start on him and Shanahan is basically offering a very similar career path.
If he dedicates himself to the FB position, learns the ins and outs and does his job he'll be getting regular action on Sundays. Short of an injury to Henry our #2 HB will get maybe 10 touches a game, even less if Sapp or Bell is at FB, taking more of the close yardage carries. In a couple of years when Henry's deal is up Bell would be near the top of the list for the starting HB job, just like it went for Mike Anderson. He had an awesome rookie year for us, way better than Bell's, but he set aside his pride and took on the FB role after Clinton had earned the lead back position. When Portis left Mike Anderson was immediately called upon to reprise his old role as a HB, where he once again did very well for us when healthy.
Mike Bell has that same opportunity in front of him. Does he want to go somewhere else and be in the mix as a backup HB, or does he want to stay here and start at FB with the chance to become OUR starting HB down the road. He's a young guy with a lot of football left in him either way.
Smiling Assassin27
09-04-2007, 01:12 PM
Mike Bell can't block himself out of a paper bag. He'll be a liability at FB. He sacrifices blocking ability and really isn't much faster than a regular FB. He can be a tough runner but he's a TB, not a FB. I say cut the guy loose if Selvin can, in fact, hold onto the ball.
Rohirrim
09-04-2007, 02:23 PM
The Broncos should sign Zach Crockett.
NASurfer
09-04-2007, 05:10 PM
Even fantasy football aficionados wishing No. 2 tailback well
ENGLEWOOD - Selvin Young doesn't know anything about being "handcuffed," but he's learning.
The fantasy football term refers to players grabbing the No. 2 running back on an NFL team to go along with the starter as an insurance policy.
Obviously, there are believers out there in the Broncos rookie.
"I tell you this, I got about five calls (Sunday) night - people I didn't even know - 'Selvin, I just took you in my fantasy draft. Do me proud,' " he said Monday. "I told them, 'Thank you,' and hung up the phone."
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5689307,00.html
I love how fantasy football has spiraled so out of control. LOL
We shuffle our RBs damn near every year, but I have faith in what we do. I'm excited to see how Selvin Young does while we're giving Henry a breather. :strong:
cmhargrove
09-04-2007, 05:54 PM
We're loaded in the backfield this year. These guys are going too duke it out every chance they get. It should be fun to watch.
I think my biggest knock on Mike Bell at Fb is that our FB's are asked to catch about as many as they run, and Mike hasn't shown very good hands so far. That little FB mis-direction dump pass has worked very well to KJ over the last few years. I think it is still s good part of our playbook. I just don't know if Mike has that finesse part of his game down yet.
I don't know how this will all shake out, but it's very nice to have choices...
broncofan2438
09-04-2007, 06:04 PM
How much do you really think they are going to give him the ball?
All you have to do is watch that 12 yard TD run Thursday night .. says everything about the possibilities with Young ... you simply can't coach that speed, vision and instinct he showed right there. ... Big time potential.
If he stays healthy we've got a great one/two change-up punch with Henry.
Speaking of possiblities ... checkout Hawaii QB Colt Brennen last Saturday. ..Yeah it was lousy Northern Colorado but he was:
34 of 40 for 416 yards and SIX TDS ... completing 19 of his 34 passes in a row ...... And all in the FIRST HALF!!!! Holy Smokes!
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/03/br/br8579362104.html
Anyone got a vid of that Young TD run against AZ.?
Traveler
09-04-2007, 08:09 PM
Who here dares question Bobby Turner? If he thinks Young should be the #2 RB, that's enough for me.
Who here dares question Bobby Turner? If he thinks Young should be the #2 RB, that's enough for me.
After the Maurice mess I think he is open for at least questioning.
I don't care if Young gets 3.9 or 5.1 YPC this year....just DONT put the ball on the turf!
rugbythug
09-04-2007, 09:45 PM
I think the Hall tackle on the punt return is what kept him on the roster. Any vids of that?
listopencil
09-05-2007, 12:15 AM
After the Maurice mess I think he is open for at least questioning.
We got him with a comp pick and rolled the dice. It turned out that he wasn't willing to do the work to make the team. I don't have a problem with the gamble we took.
Broncojef
09-05-2007, 12:24 AM
Why is it crazy?
Do you think Mike Bell is a talented player? Can he make a difference when he's on the field?
I think the answer to both of those questions is yes. Therefore I WANT him at FB. He's got good size and good football instincts but he lacks the top end speed and quickness that distinguishes elite RBs. So why not look to get him in at FB and see what he can do there? Mike Anderson has had a great career and he didn't join the league until he was 26. Bell has a full four year head start on him and Shanahan is basically offering a very similar career path.
If he dedicates himself to the FB position, learns the ins and outs and does his job he'll be getting regular action on Sundays. Short of an injury to Henry our #2 HB will get maybe 10 touches a game, even less if Sapp or Bell is at FB, taking more of the close yardage carries. In a couple of years when Henry's deal is up Bell would be near the top of the list for the starting HB job, just like it went for Mike Anderson. He had an awesome rookie year for us, way better than Bell's, but he set aside his pride and took on the FB role after Clinton had earned the lead back position. When Portis left Mike Anderson was immediately called upon to reprise his old role as a HB, where he once again did very well for us when healthy.
Mike Bell has that same opportunity in front of him. Does he want to go somewhere else and be in the mix as a backup HB, or does he want to stay here and start at FB with the chance to become OUR starting HB down the road. He's a young guy with a lot of football left in him either way.
Very good post, Mike Bell is nothing special at RB and I don't get where this love comes from...unless these guys have him in a keeper league somewhere? The moves Young made in that game were just sick and some of the best running I've seen in a Broncos uniform since Portis was here. Not sure how it translates into the regular season but after years of boredom I say give it a try when Henry needs a breather.
enjolras
09-05-2007, 01:56 AM
checkout Hawaii QB Colt Brennen
As a CU fan, it just makes me sick.
We got him with a comp pick and rolled the dice. It turned out that he wasn't willing to do the work to make the team. I don't have a problem with the gamble we took.
Either do I. That is neither here nor there. Turner was wrong then.
To say that no one should question Bobby as if he is somehow infailable is just silly.
Young has a history of not holding onto the football in college. That scares me when Denver is going to rely on him as their #2. He is just a rook after all. Not EVERY rookie RB needs to play their first year.
I like the insurance policy of a Bell on the payroll and currently he has earned my trust in critical game situations.
wabbit
09-05-2007, 02:49 AM
For better or worse, Young will get 100+ touches in 2007, and possibly more..many more, if the injury history of Travis Henry is any base reference.
Bobby Turner has been the primary force behind the rise of Selvin Young early on...but, Mike Shanahan has joined the fan club.
Right or wrong, the coaching staff thinks this kid is special, and special in way that conjures up images of Terrell Davis, although no-one on staff would dare invoke that comparative beyond a smile at the mention, or maybe a sideline whisper...not right now any way.
Look, Young made the same kind of impression on coaches that Davis did in the 1995 Training Camp. It took a while longer for Young...Davis impressed from day one...but this team has sky high hopes for him.
The Broncos...make that: Mike Shanahan/Gary Kubiak- literally overhauled the play-book to take advantage of the talents of Terrell Davis, and re-vamped it...some would say 'simplified' it...once he and Elway were gone.
I'm not exaggerating when I say there is renewed talk of re-designing some of the Bronco offensive scheme to maximize the use of Henry & Young...with an eye to Young & the future.
Sassy
09-05-2007, 02:53 AM
Just "wow"...
Houshyamama
09-06-2007, 02:11 AM
You know, I can't say I was exactly skeptical of Young... I just didn't really give him much thought. But the first time I saw him run in the preseason, it was on the outside and he just glided through the would-be tacklers. There was no wasted movement. It blew me back. He is a hell of a runner and I feel better about our back-up situation than I have in a while. Here's to finding another diamond in the rough. :pray: