When QB Vince Young was taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft, he was thought to become the second coming of Steve McNair — a gifted, talented athlete whose development was supposed to give a winning edge to the Titans.

In 2008, the wins came — but with Kerry Collins, not Young, at quarterback.

Where did it all go wrong for Young?

Maybe the comparisons to McNair and the overall expectations for Young to become a prolific passer were simply unfair. McNair led a prominent passing attack at Alcorn State which relied on McNair’s arm to win games.

Young was more spectacular when he tucked the ball and ran around (and through) defenders at Texas. It was his legs that carried Texas past USC for a Rose Bowl win and the national title.

Even now, entering his fourth NFL season, Young’s highlight reel is void of polished play-making passing skills. His failure to develop as a true passer has led to injuries and an uncertain future.

Then came Young’s recent comments to WMAR-TV in Baltimore, stating, “If them guys don’t want me to be in there, it’s time for me to make a career change. … If they’re not ready for me to play ball, then somebody is.”

Young seems to be unaware that he is a Collins injury away from being the Titans’ starting quarterback. He also seems to be unaware that if he plays well and wins, he will be the team’s quarterback of the future.

Furthermore, he needs to understand that the time for talking is over. Working on proper fundamentals, along with a great sense of maturity, will get him closer to achieving his goals.

For Vince, it’s as simple as anything in sports: It’s time to put up or shut up.

– Solomon Wilcots

Posted in: The Wisdom of Solomon  | comments  |