Sam Young

[IrishNY1985]

I've been wondering why the coaching staff seems to want to keep Big Sam at RT when he seems to clearly be our best tackle and probably best lineman. I mean I know he played great at RT for a freshman last year and you don't want to shift a guy that you think is making strides, but if he is our best OL, I'd really like to see him protecting the blind side of our QB, whoever that may be. I'm sure Duncan won't be a total disaster at LT, but I would just think that if SY is as good as we all think he is, he'd move to arguably the most important OL position. Just IMO. Thoughts?

[BlackIrish42]

the only thing i can think of it that it points to a more running heavy offense, IMHO. in college our best tackle was the RT but we were mainly a power-running team who favored running to the strong tackle side. plus the left guard was quick and athletic, so he could help out the weakside tackle on pass protection. plus, we ran a lot of designed strong-side roll-outs and bootlegs.

 

maybe that's the thinking?

[irishwavend]

Why do you put your best guy at LT? Because your QB is right handed and that is his blind-side... Think about the future and where we will really want Sam to play if a certain somebody becomes the QB... Clausen is a lefty.

[PJacksonsDred15]

Clausen's not a lefty.

[irish21]

Calves had a great explanation for this a while back.

[IrishCalves]

Did someone say Calves?

 

The current state of affairs are such that we have turnover at three different positions: LT (Harris graduated) LG (Santucci graduated) and RG (Morton graduated). Coming back, we have returning faces at C (Sullivan) and RT (Young). In a word, 2 out of 5 isn't bad, but it's certainly not an ideal place to be in.

 

Now, as we all know, the line's success is predicated on working as a cohesive unit, perhaps moreso than another other position. A defensive lineman can single handedly make a play by getting to the quarterback. A DB can single handedly track down a deep pass, and break up an offense's rhythm. But one offensive lineman can't single handedly make a play all on his own. He needs the four other guys beside him to do their job just to give a play a chance, let alone to create a play for your QB or RB.

 

So my best bet here is, Young has remained at RT for cohesion's sake. This offensive line is going to need as much stability as it can get. So, if you can avoid creating new question marks, about whether a guy can or can't handle a new position, you do so, by plugging Duncan in at LT - where he has played some mop up duty, so he's not a complete stranger to it at the college level.

[IrishNY1985]

Good job Calves, I agree with you from a cohesion standpoint, but the bottom line is we are going to have a right handed QB and you want your best OL to be protecting your QBs blind side. SY is a very good RT and will only get better, but he could definitely handle the duties of a LT and become elite there. That isn't to say that Duncan can't be a good LT, ditto for Romine down the road, but Big Sam was a consensus top 10 recruit coming in and performed great as a frosh last year. With so much patching up on the OL, I would think you'd want to arrange it so that its successful for the long haul. I guess I'm just of the opinion that a team's best lineman should be at the key blindside tackle spot.

[chirodomer]

So Clausen is throwing left handed since the elbow surgery.

[BlackIrish42]

i'm not trying to blow my own horn here but don't discount the emphasis to a strong-side running game here. you run on the side of your best lineman most always. claves certainly makes a good point but i humbly submit that it might also be a clue towards the direction the "new" offense might be taking...

[IrishCalves]

BI's point is noteworthy about what he brings to the table on the right side. I believe you and I both mentioned this when the Sam Young debate came up a month or two back. 6'7", 315... he's got the size to be a mountain over there, kind of like how Mark LeVoir was for the Irish.

 

And NY, I hear ya, I really do. I've got no other way to explain it other than, I'm not sure if its a matter of right or wrong, but rather that its about your perspective, and philosophy. In your opinion, lay the groundwork now by moving Sam, for what your ideal vision is and what you think will ultimately have the most success. I see it as, you have to make sure you can crawl before you walk, and that you have to take things one step at a time by keeping Sam where he is. Depending on how one chooses to look at things, you could make a very strong case that both of us are right. Its kinda like the "throw them in the fire" vs. "let 'em learn from the sideline" debate that always goes on with a rookie QB in the NFL. There's no one way to do it right, since every instance is completely unique, with many different variables.

[IrishNY1985]

good points calves and I agree with every man having his own philosophy. SY will be a stud at either LT or RT, so I'm not worried about him. I do believe he is our best lineman. If he were to stay on the right side, then it just comes down to who you trust to man the LT position. Duncan has some experience and Matt Romine certainly has some promise, so we should be ok. I think its just the norm to normally see very high profile recruits and later on NFL draft picks to be left tackles as linemen. Then again, weren't Joe Thomas and Levi Jones right tackles for much of their careers? Something tells me Thomas initially was but then moved to LT his senior year. Can't remember but I could be wrong.

[Guest JerseyDomer]

So Clausen is throwing left handed since the elbow surgery.

 

now thats ufckin hilarious chiro

[Junkhead]

BI's point is noteworthy about what he brings to the table on the right side. I believe you and I both mentioned this when the Sam Young debate came up a month or two back. 6'7", 315... he's got the size to be a mountain over there, kind of like how Mark LeVoir was for the Irish.

 

 

Young was listed at 6-7 292 last year, 6-8 315 now. Anyway, I thought with all the new players etc, now would be a perfect time to move him to LT. That'd give him 3 solid years at LT by the time his eligibility is up. From what I saw, he was average last year, but for a true freshman, that is outstanding. If that makes sense.

[BlackIrish42]

[

Young was listed at 6-7 292 last year, 6-8 315 now. Anyway, I thought with all the new players etc, now would be a perfect time to move him to LT. That'd give him 3 solid years at LT by the time his eligibility is up. From what I saw, he was average last year, but for a true freshman, that is outstanding. If that makes sense.

 

 

well, i would disagree with you a bit as i thought by mid-season he was *above* avg., excepting perhaps the ucla game. but then almost no one the line distingushed themselves *that* afternoon...

 

but as a true freshman to even hold one's own would be impressive and he did more than that. expect him to win an outland trophy or two before he's done. assuming he doesn't go pro after his junior year...jeebus, what a monster he'll be as a junior!

[Guest SirJohn]

I think ... more or less weis said in that last Presser sSm stays at RIGHT. sort of a "Comfort zone" I don't know who he wants at Left T.

 

But Weis is Weis so what he says goes. Notice everyone trys to out think/predict him and fails? But right now Sam is at Right. which doesn't mean any shift is out of the future.

 

He was a true freshman playing last year, screwed up a bit but did an overwhelming job. Bright future

 

Now we have a bunch of freshmen pl,aying

[Rockne3d]

I think it is a very easy answer, Sam Young is simply more suited to play RT. They are 2 very different positions. I really don't see why to move him to LT. Yes, he would be protecting the blindside but in recent years there has been an increase of teams putting their top pass rushers against the RT. I'm sure this is done for many reasons. 1 is that you are putting the speed rusher against the RT who is typically slower afoot than the LT. Another theory is that the left defensive end may be in sight for the QB, but the problem for the offense is also that the left defensive end is in sight of the QB. The theory being that the QB becomes too distracted by the speed rusher bearing down on him and panics. Who knows why these decisions get made but there are some thoughts.

 

My thoughts are easy, Sam Young is much more suited to play RT than LT.

[Irish_WIN]

In an interview with Sam Young last season, he said he went up to 325 at one point. He found that out that was about 10 pounds too much and dropped down to 315. He feels that is his best weight for football. I don't know if he grew an inch or not, I just remember that interview. I still might be on the und.com website somewhere if you look for it.

[miragesmack]

As long as he's on the field, I'm happy.

[Guest domerdude]

Put it simple....

 

Sam has one year playing time at RT. Our only other returning starter is Sulli at Center. So why move Sam Y to LT and have 4 people playing new positions when you could leave him where he played and have only 3 people at new positions? CW is more of a football genius than the collective brain power of every poster on this site. Lets not second guess him

[chirodomer]

I played both FB and TB in high school and I loved running behind the best big linemen. Anyone who has ever played will tell you that as far as momentum goes. A big pass play will get a quick score. BUT..............Nothing demoralizes a defense like a big powerful running game that keeps the defense on the field "all day long''! It's fun when the defense is sucking wind and they are bleeding and banged up and your team is well conditioned and you are just running it down their throats! I love it! Leaving cleat marks on the defense is the best! Especially when you have a big lead and you just PUNISH them for the remainder of the game. Knowing that all they want to do is get on their bus and go home! hahahahahaha! Booom! There's an old saying. "Do not demand what you cannot take by force!"