On the mend and on the spot: you have to feel good for these guys—and bad for their opponents

Sporting News, The, June 10, 2005 by Matt Hayes

There's this half-joke, half-serious sentiment floating around Austin these days: It doesn't matter who plays running back at Texas; the best runner is the guy under center.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The most important player for Texas this season--the player who will determine whether the Longhorns have a special season or another 10-1, wish-we-beat-OU season-is running back Selvin Young, not All-Planet quarterback Vince Young.

"I'll believe Vince's newfound passing ability when I see it," one Big 12 defensive coordinator says.

All the more reason for Texas to look to junior Selvin Young, one of the three most important players returning from injury this fall for national title contenders. Young, who missed most of last season because of an ankle injury, sat out spring practice while taking courses at Austin Community College and watched speedy sophomore Ramonce Taylor move up the depth chart.

It won't be that way for long. Taylor isn't a 25-carry back; Young, a 225-pound load with a punishing style, is a Ricky Williams/Cedric Benson-type back who fuels coach Mack Brown's offenses.

At some point during big games this season, Vince Young's inability to throw accurately will force the Longhorns to look elsewhere for offense. Texas has the nation's best offensive line. It's all set up for Selvin Young.

Two other top returning players:

Eric Winston, OT, Miami. A lineman, you say? Believe it. At this point in the maturation of the Miami offense--and specifically, new quarterback Kyle Wright--no position is more important.

The Canes want to return to their play-action, pro-style offense that was so successful under quarterback Ken Dorsey. Miami abandoned the scheme for the shotgun because Brock Berlin had problems reading defenses. The staff is confident Wright can work within the pro-style offense, which benefits greatly from strong protection.

"You'd be a pretty good quarterback, too, if you had Bryant McKinnie protecting your ass," a Big East defensive coordinator says of Dorsey.

That's why Winston is so valuable. A former tight end, Winston is a mauler with fantastic balance and footwork who has grown into the nation's best pass blocker. He missed spring practice recovering from an ACL injury suffered early last season but is on pace to return for preseason camp.

Kevin Simon, LB, Tennessee. Think about the last time the Vols won the national title: There was a ball-control, grinding offense and a wicked defense led by a dynamic linebacker. Simon is Al Wilson, circa 2005.

The similarities: Simon is undersized at 5-11, and his speed and athletic ability allow him to freelance and line up at inside and outside linebacker and rush end. The difference: Wilson never missed serious time because of injury; Simon has missed all or part of three of the past five years.

Simon says he's faster and stronger than ever. Coordinator John Chavis says the Vols will use Simon much as they used Wilson: at both linebacker spots and rush end in an attempt to disrupt timing and blocking schemes.

speed read

So the MAC added Temple to its football lineup. Was the league that desperate to add another team? I don't care about the Philadelphia market; it means nothing if the team is without a pulse.

INSIDE DISH

It looks as though the Big 12, SEC and ACC might sponsor NCAA legislation that would allow athletes to compete in football for five years instead of four, giving the proposal more weight when it is addressed by the NCAA. The ACC proposed the legislation last year but pulled back after no other conference joined in. * There are rumblings among many Big 12 coaches that the addition of the 12th game beginning in 2006 should force the league to eliminate the conference championship game. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says he would be all for dropping the title game, adding that the current BCS setup leaves teams playing in a championship game at a disadvantage. Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg says the game has become an important part of the league's tradition. In other words, the $10 million cash cow isn't going anywhere. * The possibility of shakeups in 2006 bowl tie-ins is picking up steam, although there won't be firm agreements until this summer. Many of the non-BCS tie-ins expire after the 2005 season, and the top prize is the SEC No. 2 spot. Currently, the Capital One Bowl has the SEC No. 2, but the Gator is trying to lure it away to match it against the ACC No. 2. If the Gator can't get the SEC No. 2, it likely will go after the Big 12 No. 2, which currently goes to the Cotton. * California recently received an anonymous $25 million gift for the renovation of Memorial Stadium, which could begin after the 2006 season. Wonder whether that same donor will pony up when the NFL comes after coach Jeff Tedford.

mhayes@sportingnews.com