Sam Young Has Agents’ Attention
Eric Hansen reported on Sunday that Sam Young is getting a lot of attention from agents looking to get an in with him now.
Along the same lines, Irish offensive tackle Sam Young is getting swarmed by agents, something that wouldn’t be happening if the buzz was that new line coach Frank Verducci hadn’t made an impact, and Young wasn’t poised for a big senior year.
Hansen makes a great point. Agents wouldn’t be all over him this early if they didn’t think he had the chance to be a high draft pick next year. For that to happen, Young would need a big senior year after a couple of disappointing seasons in 2007 and 2008.
Earlier this spring, Young said that new offensive line coach Frank Verducci has been helping him greatly with his technique. Young has also shown some signs of leadership throughout his career and is a likely captain for the 2009 season.
Hopefully the attention Young is getting from agents is a sign that he is poised for a big senior year because the offensive line is going to be the key to season in 2009. If the line can step up, the offense has a chance to be as dynamic as it was in 2005 and 2006.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
You guys that are dogging on Sam Young, based on performance to date are exactly correct. He has not impressed me overall. However, that whole line was not well coached and so he may have been trying to cover too much ground for other underperforming linemen. If even two linemen don’t cover their assignments, then potentially everyone looks bad.
Someone sees something in ths kid and I would agree that he has potential. So maybe he gets a chip on his shoulder and with better coaching all around has that solid season that helps him reach his potential.
Our otherwise undersized defense has some good “Nasty” to it. Let’s hope not just Sam Young, but the whole oversized offensive line gets solid coaching and can apply some “nasty” to defenses. I’d love to see any of them pancake someone, or just blow a couple of holes for the running backs. It just can’t be that difficult to learn.
And how in the world did he beat out Tebow for Player of the Year in Florida??
Todd McShay has Young going 14th in the 2010 draft..I’m sorry I just don’t see it; Unless he stops getting beat. On every 4th play.
Sam Young is a bust – over rated and under achiever. He had all the makings to be another Orlando Pace but it was not to be. I am betting the lack of development from our former offensive line coach had much to do with this. Hopefully Sam can salvage a bit this year – aint no reason in the world he should find the need to even think about holding anyone. I think he should have been much much more of a force to contend with than has materialized.
Whether Verducci makes a noticeable differencw in the actual play of the line has to be seen, but my feelings are that if you take a pro line coach,that he is, the most physically gifted (young) will only benefit from learning pro style footwork
I hope it’s true, but I’ll wait to see the results on the field.
@Frankie V,
You yourself have pointed out in other articles that the poor line play was more than a talent loss. The key to any of this is how much re-learning can be done by these guys. They have a lot to prove before any of us should care about agents. Personally I just want to see the O-line do something postive. I don’t EVER want to see a yuotube video like the one posted on this site after the BC game. AFTER these guys accomplish something, and after senior year, let the talk of agents begin.
i disagree that young was our best linemen last year. I believe olsen was better last year and will be better this year. I’d also like to see what trevor robinson will have to offer this year if he can beat out stewart.
Sam Young might have been the Ryan Leaf of the 2006 class.
jimbasil, the offense as a whole was explosive and dynamic in 2005. The OL was also pretty good in 2005 with Sullivan, LeVoir, Stevenson, Harris, and Santucci. Quinn was barely touched in 2005. In 2006, the line lost some talent and teams figured out that you had to just blitz the hell out of ND to beat us.
I’m all for Sam Young being a dominant player this year. I just don’t remember the OLine being all that terrific in 05,06. I’m puzzled as to why you’d say that. Quinn was running for his life half the time and DW couldn’t find a hole to run through.
It’s no wonder, at 350 – 6’8″ with offensive linemen at a premium in the NFL, I wish Sam all the best this Year. He definately will make a serious impact.
Hopefully no agent gets him or ND in trouble. WE aren’t USC.
I’d still want to see a solid senior season. From best to worst, I was not impressed with the toughness of the o-line, nor the technique. I’d like to see them get just a little more chippy.
He actually was our top Olineman last year. I think people wanted him to be a superstar immediately but his progression as an OLineman is taking him to a point where he’s gotten better every year and has been the most consistant guy on a line that never got coaching. It’s not a matter of if, Sam Young will be outstanding this year and will at least be a 2nd round pick next April.