08-25-2007, 08:54 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Both of them
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,225
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Young Ready for His Close-Up
DenverBroncos.com – Official Web Site of the Denver Broncos
Quote:
Carrying three running backs into a regular-season game is routine. Taking only three into a preseason tilt, however, is as unusual as it is reflective of the spate of injuries to ravage Denver's tailbacks.
The Broncos have a pretty solid familiarity with what two of the remaining runners can do. Cecil Sapp is in his fifth season with the team, while midweek signee Cedric Cobbs saw plenty of playing time in the 2006 preseason and had some limited work in the regular season that followed.
While Sapp was a focal point of the offseason, running with the second team at organized team activities and maintaining that status through training camp, Selvin Young found himself on the fifth rung of the depth chart, eager for any practice carries that came his way.
But with Travis Henry, Mike Bell and Andre Hall each nursing injuries, more of those carries found themselves in Young's grasp in the practices leading into Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
Young emerged from the week busy, but not exhausted.
"The tired thing is out the window," he said.
If anything, Young was re-energized by the extra work. A litany of injuries dogged him throughout his college years, leaving him with a stop-and-start playing career and 11 screws that will remain in his lower right leg for life, the result of a fractured ankle suffered early in the 2004 season.
Now, with other backs around him grappling with injuries of their own, Young is healthy -- moreso than he has been at any point since high school, he said.
"I haven't been healthy in four years -- which is probably why a lot of people wonder, 'What can this kid do?'" Young said. "But I'm healthy, so I've got the opportunity to show now what I can do from now until my career is done."
Yet Young maintains that what awaits at INVESCO Field at Mile High on Saturday isn't any different than what greeted him at the first day of organized team activities three months ago.
"This opportunity is no greater than any other opportunity I've had since I've stepped (in) and put this uniform on," he said. "It's like any other play in practice, any other day. I've got to be focused on every play and be ready for it.
"My main thing is to have fun," Young added. "We put all the work in, did all the mental (work) and the stressing and straining all week in practice. By the time the game time comes, it should be just fun; everything should just be happening without hestitation."
Just like his chance to show the coaches his skills. Bell used preseason performance to rise from undrafted rookie to key contributor. Young knows he has the chance to the same -- if he capitalizes on the opportuniy afforded him.
In the Broncos' camp, the phrase "everyone has a chance" is more than just lip service -- and first-teamers such as Matt Lepsis, Tom Nalen, Kyle Johnson, Nick Ferguson and Amon Gordon can attest to the team's egalitarian leanings when it comes to camp competition.
"It makes a lot of sense," Young said. "I wish our world was more like that -- what are you doing for me now that can help us get where we want to go?"
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Young Ready for His Close-Up
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