T1B

From Bruce Feldman's ESPN Insider column:

Is Young done at Texas?posted: Monday, December 12, 2005 |

• I know he has made an announcement to the contrary, but Vince Young is gone. Sources say he has already made up his mind that he is done after the Rose Bowl and will be headed to the NFL. It'll be interesting to see how Young handles all of the hype that comes from the bowl run-up time, especially in such a big media market.

• Don't be surprised if talented but somewhat underutilized FSU tailback Lorenzo Booker bolts for the NFL as well. Booker is the type of athlete who will test well and probably could sneak into the latter portion of the first day of the draft despite not really having a ton of carries at FSU. In fact, the questions about FSU's offensive scheme are part of the reason why he might leave early.

I'd be a bit more surprised if Ernie Sims goes into the draft. Sims, too, would test very well but he's at a position where there are perhaps four linebackers ahead of him (A.J. Hawk, DeMeco Ryans, Bobby Carpenter, Chad Greenway) and Penn State's Paul Posluszny also figures to be taken higher too if he opts to come out early. Besides, the class of LBs next year supposedly isn't as deep, a point I'm sure the FSU brass will remind him about.

• Given that it was Posluszny, not Hawk, who won the Butkus, I was kinda surprised to see the Ohio State linebacker finish so high in the Heisman (sixth with 29 total points.) Posluszny wasn't in the top 10, but I guess there isn't much overlap in the Heisman and Butkus voting pools.

• To me the biggest eyebrow-raisers from Saturday's show were Penn State's Michael Robinson getting two first-place votes and UCLA's Drew Olson getting one. Maybe you could have them third, but first? Olson did nothing in his big-money game against USC. I mean, did that person turn in his vote in November? Also, how could anyone leave Reggie Bush out of the top three? Fine, you want to say Vince Young was more valuable to his team, I can understand that, but to say there were three players more outstanding than Bush is ludicrous.

• You can always count on some former Heisman winner to don a suit that will make everyone back home wince. This year I think it was George Rogers and his Vegas-ceiling patterned gold suit that did the trick.

• Seeing Rashaan Salaam at the Heisman presentation reminded me of one of my favorite moments from the handful of ceremonies I attended working for ESPN.com. I was there with my co-worker Danny O'Neil and we were doing this marathon pre-event chat and the former Colorado star gets this question: "What's the best thing about winning the Heisman?" Salaam, who had had more than his share of struggles after a fast start to an NFL career that petered out in almost record time, barely breaks stride and goes with, "No matter what you do, they can never take the Heisman away from you. You could even kill somebody and they can't take the Heisman away from you."

• Butch Davis says he'd listen to Colorado. I think he'd be a heavyweight hire for CU. (Short of Howard Schnellenberger, I think he did as good a job as anyone who has coached at Miami, given his circumstances there.) That said, one of the key behind-the-scenes people in Davis' days at UM was his recruiting coordinator Pete Garcia, who recently took a job back at Miami. Even if Davis gets the job at CU, I'd be surprised if Garcia, a Miami native, up-rooted from South Florida again.

Since CU is an upper-echelon job, expect to hear a lot of schools make announcements about how their coach is flattered but not interested. Tulsa was quick to let the world know Steve Kragthorpe wasn't up for Boulder. (Tomorrow expect Phil Fulmer to send out his thanks, but no thanks with the p.s., "I would be interested in a juicy porterhouse though.")

• Intriguing decision by Houston Nutt to hire blue-chip QB recruit Mitch Mustain's high school coach, Gus Malzahn, to be his new offensive coordinator. A buddy and I were talking about this last night and I'll admit it is pretty rare to award a prep coach with such a lofty role. When rumors started to swirl about Nutt hiring Malzahn early last week, I just figured it'd be for his QB coach role. Last winter, Ed Orgeron hired Hugh Freeze, the prep coach of all-everything O-line recruit Michael Oher, as his football ops guy at Mississippi.

The locals say this is no gift hire. Malzahn has written a book, "The Hurry-Up, No Huddle: An Offensive Philosophy," which is sold at coaching clinics throughout the country. (Although I imagine he might've sold twice as many books in the last 72 hours as he has in the last three months.) And in case you were wondering about how the Hogs' budding star, Darren McFadden, would fit into this scheme, it's worth noting that Malzahn did have two 1,000-yard rushers on his team this season.

• Recruitniks and USC and Miami fans probably will be riveted to ESPNU tonight at 7:30 ET to hear blue-chip LB Joshua Tatum's college choice. Tatum is rated Scouts, Inc.'s seventh-best OLB.

As one of my Trojan-loving buddies pointed out a few weeks ago, USC hasn't lost out on many of its target recruits in California much since Miami nabbed QB Kyle Wright from the Bay Area four years ago. (Actually, my pal didn't think the Trojans had lost any coveted locals, but it dawned on me later RB Marlon Lucky was one of the top three RBs on their board last winter and he ended up at Nebraska.)

• I watched some of the Florida state 5A high school championship game Friday night curious to see the loaded St. Thomas Aquinas O-line, led by touted standouts Sam Young, Marcus Gilbert and ND commit Dan Wenger.

I came away really impressed by the other team, Lakeland High, and with its explosive star RB Chris Rainey, who looks like a terrific prospect. Rainey, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound junior, ran for 112 yards and a touchdown and made everything look so easy in doing it.

Thanks for the update and it will be interesting to see if VY goes. Everyone thought Leinart might go after last year despite what he was saying. Hopefully for the Buckeyes, he leaves.

And I loved this quote from RS.

Killian wrote:"No matter what you do, they can never take the Heisman away from you. You could even kill somebody and they can't take the Heisman away from you."

Sky wrote:Thanks for the update and it will be interesting to see if VY goes. Everyone thought Leinart might go after last year despite what he was saying. Hopefully for the Buckeyes, he leaves.

I actually hope he stays. I want the Longhorns' best shot next year in Austin. If VY sticks it out, along with Whitner & Youboty from OSU, that could be a #1 vs. #2 matchup on 9/9/06.

While I agree with your statment, it is only if Whitner & Youboty stay. I would really like Holmes in there too (isn't he a little small for the NFL?). I just worry they will take off since 5 other guys on the offense are gone--they may doubt their chances.

Killian wrote:• Don't be surprised if talented but somewhat underutilized FSU tailback Lorenzo Booker bolts for the NFL as well. Booker is the type of athlete who will test well and probably could sneak into the latter portion of the first day of the draft despite not really having a ton of carries at FSU. In fact, the questions about FSU's offensive scheme are part of the reason why he might leave early.

I'd be a bit more surprised if Ernie Sims goes into the draft. Sims, too, would test very well but he's at a position where there are perhaps four linebackers ahead of him (A.J. Hawk, DeMeco Ryans, Bobby Carpenter, Chad Greenway) and Penn State's Paul Posluszny also figures to be taken higher too if he opts to come out early. Besides, the class of LBs next year supposedly isn't as deep, a point I'm sure the FSU brass will remind him about.

Rumor is that Booker is gone. I am kind of torn on whether I think FSU would miss Booker. On one hand he would be a senior and he has made big plays from time to time when FSU needed them. The players all look up to him and he is great in the open field. On the other hand, he hasnt been all he was hyped to be coming out of CA. He runs EAST/WEST too much and doesnt break tackles at all. He also seems to pre-occupied w/ himself sometimes. Also, Antone Smith will be a soph and I think he is special and that FSU would be just fine w/ him as our starting tailback. I think Ernie will stay. He will be the 4th-5ht rated LB coming out and I think he needs another year to pad stats and put on a little more weight.

I already assume that Holmes is gone. I have no issues with that. He's been at OSU for four years, he's got a national championship ring, he deserves the chance to go pro.

I think Youboty needs another year. As well as he's played, he got burned a lot this year (see game winner vs. Texas ). I think Whitner is good enough now to be a 1st rounder, but he hasn't received much hype so he might stay.

Still, offense should be stacked next year with depth at O-line, Smith at QB, Pittman/Wells/Wells at RB, & Ginn/Gonzales/Hall at WR.

Poz has announced that he's returning.

Good for him....course doesn't bode well for the rest of the big10.

We shall see he has told the Texas coaches he is staying so this is either a very new development (last 48 hours) or this guy is full of shit

I don't think there's too much of a chance that VY's decision right now is final, assuming he's even arrived at one yet.

If he loses and looks bad agaisnt USC his market value in the NFL will be greatly diminished so he'd very likely stick around Austin for another year in the hopes of rebuilding his value.

If he wins and looks good against USC then he'll have nothing left to do in college that's worth risking the NFL payday. Regardless of whether or not USC wins this next game Leinart was a fool (at least in the monetary sense) for not coming out last year.

If VY finds himself in a similar circumstance he might very well change his mind after his friends and family pound it into his head that he'd be a total idiot to risk it all just for another go 'round in Austin...

I tend to agree, and especially in VY's case. That guy seriously needs a whole lot of polishing before he'll be ready to play QB in the NFL.

mvscal wrote:A quarterback should never leave early. I understand the financial inducements to do so, but it permantently retards their professional development.

Wrong^^^

Like a CFB RB (who needs to get to the NFL ASAP) theres a lot of tread on that tire. If he weren't a runner, it would be different. Beyond the sack risk, he also runs into a lot of LBs and Safetys which poses a risk.

Look at Vick and the injuries he sustained. He is probably glad he left early and made the money. He could be gone at any moment. Sometimes it isn't about being the best but more about making money.

Mvscal already mentioned how he understands the financial inducement rationale for leaving early.

That one's obvious.

He's talking about playing the position in the NFL, and Michael Vick is a perfect example of a guy who really doesn't know how to play QB very well in the NFL. He's just a glorified RB with a strong but erratic arm, a very young guy who's already injured way too often due to his reliance on athleticism rather than skill.

Look at Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Look at Dan Marino. Those guys never get hurt and that's how that position should be played. The QB position is not about athleticism, it's about skill, leadership, poise and intelligence. A good NFL QB merely needs enough athleticism to be mobile in the pocket. He needs to have a good enough arm to deliver deep outs. That's it. Anything else athletically is pure gravy.

With the way VY plays the position he'll be lucky to make it through an NFL preseason without getting hurt. He'll never make it in the NFL playing the way he plays now. He's not as good of an athlete as Michael Vick.

So staying in college for all four years increases your chance of success at the next level? Who knew? Wow, we've really reached new depths of discussion here.

So says Johnny-come-mvscal, Junior Member to the college football board.

Too bad the NCAA doesn't let guys play more than four years...we could have doctors in the NFL.

mvscal wrote: Look at all the duds and busts who came out early....Akili Smith

Won't argue one bit with the "bust" list, but Akili was a senior/4-year man. 2 in juco, 2 at UofO.

mvscal wrote:Well you've certainly raised the bar with your little cunty bitch snivel. Thanks for your invaluable contribution. (That, too, was sarcasm since you seem to be struggling with the concept)

I come to this board to get laughs. Your post did just that for me. You're pretty much nonexistent around these parts, and when you finally poke your head in here, you break off a take that even a severely brain damaged east african bushman could've told us.

Try and keep your vag drippings collected in one puddle. It wouldn't do for you to leave snail tracks all over the board as you stalk people from thread to thread.

I don't stalk people, I stalk ignorance and assinine posts. It's only coincidental your bitch ass has been on the other end of them 90% of the time.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:...even a severely brain damaged east african bushman could've told us.

not to split hairs, but there's only so many topics i can speak authoratatively about: the bushmen live in southern africa. ok, carry on being funnier than the other dood.

I thought you might call me out on that.

Rack MClub.. isnt it about time for your return state side?

L45B wrote:

Sky wrote:Thanks for the update and it will be interesting to see if VY goes. Everyone thought Leinart might go after last year despite what he was saying. Hopefully for the Buckeyes, he leaves.

I actually hope he stays. I want the Longhorns' best shot next year in Austin. If VY sticks it out, along with Whitner & Youboty from OSU, that could be a #1 vs. #2 matchup on 9/9/06.

DITTO................................

Booker was highly touted in High School cause he had a ton of yards at a private school in a low division. Many people in So Cal thought Herschell Dennis was the better TB in the Southern Section that year, but he too hasnt had much oppurtunity to play in college

Vito Corleone wrote:We shall see he has told the Texas coaches he is staying so this is either a very new development (last 48 hours) or this guy is full of shit

Well, there are rumors around that he and his family have been screening potential agents as well.

peter dragon wrote:Rack MClub.. isnt it about time for your return state side?

i'm here already. bright lights, bright lights.

I say he beats sc by one point and stays.

I'll be in LAX by 9:30 and at the Texas Ex's tailgate. Think I'm in the endzone, but haven't seen my ticket yet.

WAR buying my friends season tickets for the last 5 six years to get a $175 ticket to the ROSE Bowl.

Next season's Ohio State game will be the best game of the year (for the second straight season imo) Hope all ya buckeye's make it. I promise a killer wild game tailgate for ya if ya make it.

merry christmas

hookem