40 Acres Sports

Former Texas quarterback Vince Young has struggled on and particularly off the field since the beginning of the 2008 season. Within about 24 hours he struggled in the season opener, got hurt, lost his starting job with the Tennessee Titans to (the mediocre) Kerry Collins, and then things escalated to the point where Nashville police were looking for him worried for his safety. Lately Vince has given a few radio interviews where he hasn’t come off well, and has stated that he wanted out of Tennessee.

Recently, Vince sat down and spoke with Michael Smith for ESPN E:60 and though it’s not perfect, he speaks well about what he is dealing with in his life and what his focus is for the upcoming season. He emphatically states that he did not try or want to hurt himself. Watch an excerpt from the interview below:

More of the interview will air in late July on the E:60 season premier.

Because you can never watch it enough…

(HT)

The 2005 recruiting season was an up and down one for the Texas Longhorns full of hits and big misses. Nothing had a bigger impact on the future of Texas football than the roller coaster ride that was Ryan Perrilloux. Perrilloux eventually decommitted (after months of lies) leaving the Horns with only a unheralded 3-star QB named Colt McCoy. Guess that turned out alright after all.

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated takes an interesting look back at the 2005 quarterback class and finds a lot of busts and only a few stars, of course including our own McCoy. Bill Walsh and Greg Davis have a hypothesis on why QB recruiting is full of so many misses, too much focus on arm strength:

Texas offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Greg Davis says most talent evaluators put too much emphasis on a quarterback’s arm strength. Several years ago, while coaching in the East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco, Davis got to sit with 49ers legend Bill Walsh at a dinner. He asked Walsh the most important qualities he had identified in the many successful QBs he drafted.

“He didn’t hesitate,” said Davis. “No. 1, he said: ‘Accuracy.’ Then he talked about athletic ability, intelligence. Way, way down on the list was arm strength.”

Davis knows well the importance of digging beyond the recruiting rankings. During his and head coach Mack Brown’s 11-year tenure in Austin, the Longhorns have signed two QBs who were No. 1 in their class — Chris Simms (1999) and Vince Young (2002) — and originally received a commitment from Perrilloux.

However, they found their current star quarterback — three-year starter and 2008 Heisman runner-up Colt McCoy — tucked away at a small school in rural Tuscola, Texas. In the ‘05 class, McCoy — then listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds — was ranked just 15th among pro-style QBs, behind Pittsburgh’s Bill Stull, Notre Dame’s Evan Sharpley and Wisconsin’s Dustin Sherer, among others.

Source

The NFL is now littered with former Texas players from the Mack Brown era. It seems like every game involves a Longhorn in the starting lineup. The biggest impacts appear to be on both lines and in the secondary while linebacker is without a doubt the weakest position. Injuries affected a few of the players 2008 season, but the program should be proud of what these guys are accomplishing.

Justin Blalock – The Atlanta Falcon’s made the playoffs behind a great running game and solid quarterback play. The unsung unit on the team was the offensive line. Blalock has cemented himself as a starter on an upcoming team by starting all 16 games after playing in 14 last season. At Texas, Blalock played tackle, but in the NFL he has been able to slide back to his natural position of tackle. Blalock was even able to score a touchdown on a fumble recovery.

Tarell Brown – The forgotten member of the 2005 secondary has become a solid nickel corner in the NFL for the 49ers. Brown played in 15 games and started in one. He recorded 30 tackles and two interceptions.

Cedric Benson – The beginning of the season didn’t appear good for Benson. After being cut by the Bears it appeared no one would request his services. The Cincinnati Bengals fell apart and came calling four games into the season. Benson started 10 games, gained over 700 yards, and scored two touchdowns on the ground. He also added 20 receptions. “EL Ced” finished with two huge games; making the chance he is offered a longer deal by the Bengals a real possibility.

Tim Crowder – Crowder struggled with injuries and the depth chart all season. He played in six games, starting zero, and recording one tackle on the whole year.

Jamaal Charles – Charles had a rookie season that has to be seen as a success. Charles sits behind Larry Johnson on the depth chart, but made plays when given the opportunity. The speedster averaged 5.3 yards per carry and added 27 receptions. His only touchdown of the season came on a reception. If Johnson isn’t retained by the Chiefs, Charles may get a look as an every down back.

Leonard Davis – The offensive line for the Cowboys underachieved this season. Davis will go to another Pro Bowl but o-line selections are based on reputation more times than not. It was not all Davis’ fault but he did not perform at the level he did the previous year.

Phil Dawson - Dawson was once again a lone bright spot for the Cleveland Browns franchise. He went 30/36 with a long of 56. He was perfect on extra point, but the 18 attempts magnify the struggles of the Browns offense.

Derrick Dockery – Dockery is one of the higher paid linemen in the league, but is never as dominant as his salary would warrant.

Jermichael Finley – Finley had a hard time getting started this season. He ended up playing in 14 games while starting one of them. The rookie finished with 6 receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown on the season.

Cedric Griffin – Griffin has turned into a solid starting cornerback for the Vikings. He gets a lot of action playing opposite of Pro-Bowler Antoine Winfield but holds his own pretty well. Griffin plays with excellent enthusiasm and competitiveness which makes him an eager corner in run support. He played in all 16 games for the second straight season and recorded 91 tackles and a pick.

Mike Griffin – Michael Griffin had the type of year that have made many hail him as the best defensive back to come out of the 2005 group. Griffin is a Pro-Bowl alternate after recording seven interceptions and a sack on the year. He is quickly becoming one of the best safeties in the league. His play has allowed the Titan defense to become one of the best in the league. Griffin also returns kicks for the #1 seeded Titans.

Ahmard Hall – The former Marine has established himself as one of the last true fullbacks in the game. The Tennessee running game is one of the best in the league behind the duo of Chris Johnson and Lendale White. The two split carries with mirrored success, and the one constant is the presence of Hall. He has also become a weapon in the flat out of the backfield, recording two touchdown receptions this year.

Casey Hampton – Hampton had a tough season as he struggled to get on the field with health and conditioning problems. When Hampton can play he remains the best 3-4 nose tackle in the game. He recorded one sack in 13 games that he was rarely able to make it all the way through.

Michael Huff – The Thorpe award winner hasn’t lived up to his draft status so far in his career, but it is still early. Huff lost his starting job and didn’t record a sack, interception, or forced fumble on the year.

Quentin Jammer – Jammer had another great year in San Diego. He is one of the most physical corners in the league and continually gets matched up with the opposing team’s biggest and best receiver. Jammer recorded 88 tackles, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles for the playoff bound Chargers. It has been amazing to watch the turnaround of Jammer’s play after struggling for the first few years in the NFL. The pressure of being a high pick has subsided and Jammer’s play has risen.

Derrick Johnson – DJ has moved inside and performed well for the Chiefs. The knock on the former Texas star coming out was his unwillingness to take on blocks, and after a few years as a pro the criticism still exist. When playing in space he excels, but at the point of attack he has remained a liability. Johnson has been up and down, but has shown flashes of potential. He ended the year with 85 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and four forced fumbles. If/when the light turns on for DJ the sky is the limit.

Frank Okam – Okam may have earned himself a roster spot for next year with his play down the stretch. He lacks the motor and intensity most coaches want out of an interior defensive lineman, but he has the tools to become a solid player in the league if he ever turns it on.

Cory Redding – I feel bad for Cory Redding. I feel bad for any player, coach, trainer, and journalist (except Rob Parker) in Detroit. Redding was the heart and soul of their defense (if that is possible), and if he ever gets out of Detroit he may have a chance to make some noise. Until then, he’ll be rich in Detroit. He got three sacks on the year.

Brian Robison – Robison plays behind Jerod Allen so his snaps are limited. When he is on the field he shows up and makes plays. He managed 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games.

Shaun Rogers – Shaun Rogers is the most disruptive interior lineman in football today. The guy is just huge and unstoppable when his motor is turned on. He took over games at points this season in spite of double and triple teams. Rogers will be in the Pro-Bowl again after turning in 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He has Hall of Fame type talent when it is all clicking for Rogers.

Aaron Ross – He may not be the best athlete in his marriage, but the Thorpe award winner has become a better than average cornerback in a tough place to play. Ross started in every game he played, 15, and grabbed 3 interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown. Ross has the ability to be a shutdown corner as his technique and confidence continue to grow.

Bo Scaife – Scaife has emerged as a very productive tight end even in the face of losing his quarterback and his team bringing in a big name free agent in Alge Crumpler. There were a few games where Kerry Collins completely forgot about Scaife, but he finished with 58 receptions and two touchdowns. Scaife has also become better as a blocker which allows him to stay on the field in all situations.

Lyle Sendlein – People tend to forget about Sendlein when discussing the better offensive lineman Mack Brown has put into the NFL. Sendein has started every game of the season for a playoff team. Not too bad.

Chris Simms – Simms is the number three quarterback on Tennessee’s roster.

Kasey Studdard – Studdard remains a reserve lineman for the Houston Texans. He hasn’t been able to crack the starting lineup.

Limas Sweed – Sweed is listed as the 4th receiver on the Steeler roster. One would think Sweed will contribute more after a full off season.

David Thomas – The Patriots use a lot of tight ends in their offense, so none of them have numbers that are going to blow you away. Despite that Thomas has been able to get on the field a lot so far in his career. He pulled in nine receptions for 93 yards, but was never able to reach the end zone.

Nathan Vasher – Injuries rendered the 2008 season a wasted one for Vasher. He played in eight games, recording one interception, before being placed on injured reserve.

Ricky Williams – The former Heisman trophy winner and league pariah has made his comeback has a productive back in the Miami system. He was one of the many bright spots on a team full of them this year. Williams is able to make plays without being relied on to carry the full load because of the presence of Ronnie Brown. Ricky scored four touchdowns on 659 yards rushing. He may have made his biggest impact as a receiver out of the backfield where he averaged over seven yards a catch on 29 receptions.

Roy Williams – The losing ways of the Lions followed Williams from Detroit to Dallas. Roy was never able to make an impact for the Cowboys for reasons that still remain unclear. He has proven to have the ability which leaves work ethic and injury as the two other reasons for his lack of production. Williams has unfortunately been criticized for both a lack of work ethic and inability to stay healthy in his career. He will need to have a huge year next year to justify the trade and contract Jerry Jones awarded him.

Selvin Young – Young was another Longhorn that struggled with injury. Denver is notorious for alternating backs, and with the addition of injuries Young was never able to stay on the field. When he was healthy he produced so it will be interesting to see what the new coach in Denver decides to do with Selvin.

Vince Young – 2008 was not a good year for VY. The greatest player in Longhorn history lost his job after one game and a knee injury, and never was even given the chance to win it back. It now appears Jeff Fisher made the right choice as Tennessee earned the #1 seed in the AFC. While they did it with defense and running the ball, Collins has done a good job in a Trent Dilfer type role. This season may end up being the best thing that has ever happened to Vince as a professional if he uses the experience in the right way.

Okay he doesn’t suck, but Tennessee Titans’ current starting quarterback Kerry Collins isn’t better than average either. Peter Bean of Burnt Orange Nation takes a Music City Miracles article where they finally realized that Collins wasn’t actually having a “fantastic” season and does an excellent job stating the obvious: The Titans need to start playing Vince Young and do it in a hurry.

Shaun Rogers had his best game as a Brown

Roy Williams caught his first touchdown with Dallas and Shaun Rogers had a huge game for Cleveland. Read below to see how all the former Horns did this week:

Tarell Brown - Brown had a quiet night in a loss to the Seahawks. Brown had two tackles in the game.

Cedric Benson - The Bengals are awful, but Benson has been a bright spot in his short time there. Benson ran the ball well in the first half before being taken out of the game plan because of the deficit his team faced. He finished the game with 13 carries for 49 yards and two receptions for 20 yards.

Jamaal Charles - Charles had his best rushing day of his young career on Sunday averaging nine yards on five carries including a long thirty yard run. Starting running back Larry Johnson continues to miss time because of off the field issues, so the rookie’s role should continue to grow.

Leonard Davis - The Cowboys got back on the win column, but it had little to do with the play of the offense. Dallas has suffered a lot of injuries but the play of the offensive line has to be disappointing.

Phil Dawson - Dawson continues to play well going three for three with a long of 42 in the Cleveland win of Jacksonville.

Michael Griffin - The Titans made a statement on Monday night in a win over the Colts. Griffin was all over the field finishing the game with eight tackles.

Ahmard Hall - The Titan running game changes focal points throughout the game with the combination of Chris Johnson and Lendale White, but the one constant is the consistent blocking ability of Ahmard Hall. Hall played well again as the Titans remain undefeated.

Casey Hampton - Hampton got back in the stat column after struggling with injuries throughout the year. The big defensive tackle recorded six tackles while controlling the middle of the line.

Michael Huff - The Raiders and Michael Huff continue to struggle. The former Thorpe Award winner was credited with two tackles and no pass breakups in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Quentin Jammer - Jammer went all the way to London to get hurt. He finished the game with six tackles before he left the game with a minor leg injury. The game was not good for either team’s secondary. Jammer gets a week off to heal up.

Derrick Johnson - DJ had a chance to be a hero against Brett Favre and the Jets but he dropped a potential interception that hit him right in the numbers. He finished with six tackles in the loss.

Cory Redding - Redding recorded five tackles and a half sack in another Detroit loss. I feel bad for anyone playing in Detroit, Roy Williams got out, now we need Redding to follow.

Shaun Rogers - Rogers was dominant for the second straight week. When Rogers plays all out he could be the best interior lineman in the game. In the win against the Jaguars the nose tackle recorded nine tackles and a sack.

Bo Scaife - The Titans are the best team in the league right now and everywhere you look a former Longhorn standout is making a contribution. Scaife looks to be the best tight end on the squad even with the addition of Alge Crumpler. On Monday night Scaife had five catches for 44 yards.

David Thomas - Thomas caught a ball after going a week without one. The Patriots won the game and Thomas is one of many tight ends New England uses.

Ricky Williams - Williams scored a touchdown but was held to 16 yards on seven carries in the upset win over the Bills. He did have a 47 yard reception in the game but gave a fumble that set up a score for Buffalo.

Roy Williams - Roy Williams scored his first touchdown as a Cowboy on a two yard fade in what ended up being the only touchdown of the game. Williams wasted no time pleasing his Texas fans by putting up a “Hook em’ Horns” sign in the air for the world to see.

Vince Young - Vince Young remains the man on the Titan sideline

The Texas defense bent (a lot) against Oklahoma State but held strong just when they needed to secure the win. In what may have been the most important play of the season so far they stuffed the OSU offense on fourth down on a critical fourth quarter drive. The defense sniffed out the wide receiver slip screen and defensive tackle Lamarr Houston tackled Dez Bryant as soon as he caught the ball, well short of the needed yardage.

That play is up against plays from Florida State, Georgia. and probably the deserving winner from the Ohio State/Penn State game. That big hit and then fumble by Terrelle Pryor probably put Joe Pa in the title game.

Go to www.pontiac.com/ncaa and vote for the Horns. Be sure to click on “Rush” to see the ESPN guys talk at length after a good replay of Vince Young running for 80 yards against Okie State back in the incredible 2005 game.

Roy Williams saw limited action in his Cowboy debut

Tarell Brown - Tarell had a decent day at nickel back for the San Francisco 49ers. He ended the day with four tackles and no pass breakups.

Cedric Benson - Benson got his first start since he left the Chicago Bears. He had a solid day, carrying the ball 14 times for 52 yards. Benson recorded his first reception of the year but has failed to reach the end zone. The highlight of the day came when he blew up Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

Jamaal Charles - With starting running back Larry Johnson “suspended” by his team Jamaal received more playing time but the rookie running back and his team failed to get anything going against the Titans. Charles finished with three carries for 17 yards and four receptions for 26. He may be the starter next week.

Tim Crowder - Crowder provided pressure that forced an interception by Matt Cassell on Monday Night Football, but his team got crushed on national TV. Crowder has yet to record any stats but continues to get snaps in a backup role.

Leonard Davis - The Cowboys are hitting rock bottom and the offensive line has had a lot to do with it. Tony Romo is out because of a pinkie injury he suffered because pressure had gotten to him. New quarterback Brad Johnson had little time to do anything in the loss to the Rams.

Phil Dawson - Dawson made one of the two field goals he attempted in the loss to the Redskins. He is nine for 11 on the season.

Derrick Dockery - Buffalo has become one of the better teams in the league because of a strong running game. Dockery is earning his huge contract with big play up front.

Cedric Griffin - It was a tough day for the Vikings defense. The group gave up 48 points in a loss to the Bears. Opposing teams continue to attack Griffin in order to avoid Antoine Winfield’s side of the field. Griffin had nine tackles and a pass breakup in the game.

Michael Griffin - Michael Griffin recorded seven tackles in his team’s destruction of the Chiefs. Griffin is becoming one of the better players on arguably the best defense in the league. It is only a matter of time before he is a Pro-Bowl type player.

Ahmard Hall - The Titans are one of the only teams left that use a true fullback and it is because of how well Hall has played. The tailbacks he leads the way for combined for over 300 yards in the game on Sunday. The Titans gave him a carry towards the end of the game which he got six yards on.

Michael Huff - Huff had two tackles and two pass breakups in the overtime win over the Jets. The Raiders defense played much better this week than they did last week against the Saints.

Quentin Jammer - The Bills avoided Jammer’s side of the field for most of the day. Lee Evans did make an incredible catch over Jammer for a touchdown. After a rough start to his career, Jammer is becoming one of the better corners in the league.

Derrick Johnson - It was a bad day for D.J. and his defense. The Chiefs gave up over 300 yards rushing to the Titans. Johnson continues to struggle taking on blocks in the run game. He is great in space, but gets manhandled too often in the trenches. He finished the game with six tackles.

Cory Redding - Redding has been banged up all year, but is without question the leader for the Lion defensive front. That may not be a good thing. He recorded five tackles and a sack in the loss to the Texans.

Shaun Rogers - When Rogers is healthy and into the game there may not be a better player at defensive tackle. The big man had seven tackles and a sack in a defensively dominated game.

Bo Scaife - Scaife is still putting up numbers with Vince Young on the sideline as the backup. The Titans did not have to pass much in the blow out win but Scaife finished with three catches for 48 yards.

David Thomas - Thomas didn’t record any receptions but continues to get playing time as the second or third tight end and on special teams for the Patriots.

Nathan Vasher - Vasher missed another game with an injury.

Ricky Williams - The Heisman Trophy winner had his least productive day of the year. He only carried the ball four times for 16 yards with no receptions. The Ravens did a great job stopping the run and it forced the Dolphins out of their game plan. Ronnie Brown is the clear number one in Miami.

Roy Williams - Roy Williams thought he was making a huge step up by being traded from the Lions to the Cowboys. Not so fast. The Cowboys played horrible and Roy never got involved in the game recording no catches.

Watch Peter King talk out of his ass.

Watch this video of SI’s Peter King then read my rant below…

Somehow the various talking head NFL experts have somehow gotten it into their head that Kerry Collins is the solution at quarterback in Tennessee. Peter King in the linked video is just the latest example of these guys speaking as if Collins is having some great season and Vince Young is a chump. That argument isn’t sound and fails under the least bit of inspection.

Collins isn’t actually playing well. I’m not sure what games anyone is watching or box scores they’re looking at that say he is.

Until this week he was doing a MUCH better job of not turning the ball over than Vince but otherwise he’s been mediocre. Collins has completed just over 50% of his passes and is throwing for less than a touchdown per game. How is that good? His completion percentage is almost seven points lower than Vince’s was last year. Oh, and Collins’ yards per attempt this year are also lower than Vince’s in 2007.

If you take Collins’ numbers over four starts and assume he started 15 games (the number Vince played in last year) and he’d have 11.25 touchdowns and 11.25 picks over the course of the season. Is that really that much better than Young’s 9 and 17 last year? Last stat: Young’s QB rating in 2007 was 71.1 and Collins’ this year is only two points higher at 73.1.

2007 was an admittedly bad season for Vince but somehow the same numbers are good for Collins? How’s that logic work again?

So after all that… you are seriously going to tell me the Titans are going to cut their future and take a big hit on the salary cap because of VY’s bonus, so they can pay and play a 36-year old QB who isn’t very good? Give me a break. Peter King is talking out of his butt on this one.

Coach him up, get his head right, and help him understand he doesn’t have to make a huge play every time. If you cut down on INT’s and then there’s absolutely no facet of the game Collins is better than Vince. Vince was not good last year, but he has a future and a ton of potential. Let Collins be the backup or go be average somewhere else.

Cedric Benson made his debut for the Bengals

Another good week for Michael Griffin and a big day for Cedric Griffin but the biggest news was a couple of former Horns returning to the field. Titans’ QB Vince Young returned to the practice field and RB Cedric Benson hit the field for the Cincinnati Bengals for the first time since his signing earlier in the week.

Read on to see how the Texas Exes performed this Sunday:

Cedric Benson - Benson made his Cincinnati Bengal debut this weekend verse the Cowboys. His first run went for seven yards, but he didn’t get much done after that finishing the day with 30 yards on 10 carries.

Justin Blalock - Blalock is going to become one of the better inside lineman in the NFL. His Atlanta Falcons pulled an upset over Green Bay, and the offensive line play has been a good surprise for the up and coming team.

Jamaal Charles - The rookie played well when he got the chance but the combination of playing behind Larry Johnson and his team being down big limited his snaps. He had four carries and four receptions for a total of 40 yards.

Leonard Davis - It appears getting out of Arizona was just what the big man needed. He is not alone in that regard. Davis is still the biggest man I’ve ever met in person, and appears to engulf most defensive players unfortunate enough to lock up with him.

Cedric Griffin - Griffin played his best game of the season in the victory over New Orleans on Monday Night Football compiling 10 tackles. The highlight of the game came when Griffin laid out a Saints tight end late in the game.

Michael Griffin - Michael Griffin had an interception in the Titans win over the Ravens. His play has helped Tennessee move to 5-0 on the young season.

Ahmard Hall - Ahmard is playing at a high level even though the Titans struggled on the ground against a stout Baltimore defense. Tennessee even gave him a touch on an eight yard reception.

Quentin Jammer - Jammer had a quiet day as his Chargers lost to the Dolphins. Teams seem to be avoiding his side of the field which is a huge compliment in the NFL. He recorded four tackles on the day.

Derrick Johnson - The light has finally come on for DJ in the NFL. He backed up last week’s stellar performance with a nine tackle day. His team is awful and I hope he doesn’t have to play there his whole career because it will be a waste.

Brian Robison - Robison didn’t record any stats Monday night, but was on the field more than he had been in previous weeks. He is stuck behind All-Pro Jared Allen.

Bo Scaife - Scaife finally seems to be getting on the same page as new quarterback Kerry Collins. Scaife had a huge day, catching seven balls for 72 yards in a Titan win.

Ricky Williams - Ricky is now the clear number two back in Miami behind Ronnie Brown. The Heisman trophy winner finished the game with 39 yards on 13 carries.

Roy Williams - Roy had a good day when it comes to stats, catching a team high seven passes for 96 yards. However, his antics on the sideline rubbed a few fans and teammates the wrong way. Williams could be acting out to help get out of Detroit and avoid the franchise tag in the off season. If that is the case, I say God bless him. Would you want to play anything in Detroit?

Selvin Young - Selvin finished the game with 38 yards on 10 carries, adding one reception. The Broncos play musical chairs with their tailbacks so it is no surprise Young’s production has dropped each week.

Vince Young - Back at practice but still not full strength and not starting. He was the backup to Kerry Collins in Sunday’s game against Baltimore.

Vince Young has an injured MCL

Here’s the actual quote from Fisher in the AP article:

“We’re going to get Vince back, get his knee back, work with him, get him back involved in the offense, but Kerry’s going to go ahead and play for us until either he struggles or whatever else happens.”

And…

“He’s got to get back. He’s eventually going to be under center for us. When that happens, I don’t know. For right now, Kerry’s our quarterback”

That’s not exactly the statement the headlines or the article are making it out to be. Fisher essentially said that Collins would be starting for him since Young was injured and that they’d take the time for his knee to heal and not rush him back.

This isn’t some huge vote of confidence in Collins. Fisher stated that Collins would play until “either he struggles or whatever else happens.” For anyone who watched Collins play back in 2006 and in limited time in 2007, it would be pretty surprising if he does anything more than put up the average day he did Sunday against mediocre competition. That “for right now” is also pretty damn noncommittal.

Collins will likely start the next three games, put up two clunkers against Minnesota and Baltimore, and then Vince is back in as the starter after the bye week. For the next few weeks Vince needs to get both his knee and his head healthy. He’ll get his chance again soon, he just needs to get back out there on the field and just play his game when it comes.

The Tennessean is reporting that former Horn Chris Simms has signed with the Titans to backup Kerry Collins and the currently injured Vince Young.

With Titans quarterback Vince Young out indefinitely, the Titans on Tuesday began firming up their back-up plans. Those plans include veteran Chris Simms, not former Montgomery Bell Academy star Ingle Martin.

MRI results on Tuesday confirmed Young, injured in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, has a left MCL sprain. While the team had no timetable for his return, early indications are it could keep him out anywhere from 2-4 weeks. But there were also indications the team might be prepared to let Kerry Collins lead the way if the team is playing well even when Young returns.

On Tuesday, the Titans agreed to terms with Simms, who will serve as Collins’ back-up starting with Sunday’s game at Cincinnati. Simms, a 28-year-old left-handed free agent, is expected to be on the field for the Titans on Wednesday, a day after the team auditioned three veteran quarterbacks and let Martin go to the Chiefs.

Simms will back up Collins for now and I assume compete to be the number two guy when Vince returns. If Vince’s injury is more serious there is a chance he could beat out Collins some time later in the season. Collins has been really average so if Simms is healthy he’s certainly a better long term solution.

Source

Get your Vince Young sausage

Supposedly you can head out to your local Walmart or Kroger and give these a try. I am thinking I might have to check it out this weekend. I will keep you informed on how the search goes. And if anyone out there has tried it, please let us know in the comments.

On a side note, I think someone from the VinceYoungFoods.com marketing department needs to give us a call over here at Bevo Sports so we can give them a much needed website redesign. I don’t really want to say it is pathetic, but it is kind of embarrassing. Heck, I would probably even do it for free (or maybe a case of sausage).

Check it out at VinceYoungSausage.com.

Some quick notes on three former Longhorns…

Adam Schefter Reports Titans Think Vince Young Has a Torn MCL

Schefter is reporting that the Titans think Vince Young tore his MCL. I am not really sure what that means. He is expected to have an MRI tomorrow. We will just have to wait and see what the MRI reveals.

Now it gets interesting. PFT is reporting that the Titans have contacted Chris Simms. If the Titans don’t have confidence that Ingle Martin, who is on the practice squad, can step in if Kerry Collins were to go down, they absolutely have to bring in another quarterback. Simms is probably the best guy available, but I would also put a call in to Daunte Culpepper to see how serious he is about retirement.

(Source)

Tom Brady done for the year, Chris Simms to work out for Patriots

The Patriots are resigned to the fact that Brady likely suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and perhaps other damage in his left knee during today’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss Brady’s condition publicly. Brady exited the game after taking a hit to the knee and was replaced by backup Matt Cassel.

Free agent quarterback Chris Simms, released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their final round of roster cuts, is scheduled to work out for the Patriots on Monday and could be signed by day’s end. The Patriots also could consider free agent Tim Rattay, a source said.

(Source)

Saints, Texans showing interest in Cedric Benson

Former Bears running back Cedric Benson, released by the team June 9 after two alcohol-related off-season arrests, said Saturday he has a tryout with the Houston Texans this week.

Benson also said by phone he’d had a workout with the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago and that it “went well.” Benson believes teams are waiting for his legal matters to be cleared up before signing him.

(Source)

Tennessee quarterback Vince Young just left the game with a possible knee injury. He was hit as he attempted a pass and the defender then rolled up on his leg.

Team doctors are done looking at him and he is currently resting on the bench. Worse news for Vince, backup Kerry Collins looked much sharper in his one series so far.

Finally healthy, Titans’ Vince Young ready to take next step. ESPN’s John Clayton is high on VY for the upcoming season.

A crossroads season for Horns QBs past and present. Simms, Young, Snead, and McCoy all face important seasons.

NCAA Football 09 isn’t even out yet (and we’re giving it away!!) but I’m also getting excited about Madden 09 thanks to some new video and screenshots that have hit the web.

Operation Sports has up a ton of new images including the great one above of Titans’ Vince Young diving for a beautiful touchdown at the pylon against the Jaguars. I love the flashes going off in the crowd. It’s accurately catching what really happens, despite the fact that with most cameras that probably means you just took a photo of the guy’s head in front of you.

Word from the guys at IGN and Gamespot is that Madden 09 is more than just a roster update, hopefully they’re right and there are some cool new features. Other than last year’s version (which I bought just because Vince was on the cover), I’ve been buying NCAA and renting Madden every year for a while. There will have to be more than a rewind/cheat feature to make me purchase the game this year.

Check out the screenshots.

NFL Live Breaks Down the AFC South. Apparently everyone but the Titans thinks they should have picked up a receiver for VY.

Vince Young focused on winning, being role model. Claims he thought about retirement after rookie season.

No first-round receiver? Vince Young says no problem. I hope he’s right, I wish they’d moved up and gotten one in the 2nd though.

Vince Young and new coach Mike Heimerdinger are working on his footwork. Should help his accuracy when outside the pocket.

It’s been way too long since we’ve posted a Rose Bowl video, so check out one of the best I’ve seen below:

Makes me want to go watch my Rose Bowl DVD for the tenth time. This video tries to highlight the game itself and not just the Horns, but it still turns out to be much more of a Longhorn video. Not that that’s a bad thing. I could watch the last three minutes of this thing over and over again. The only thing it is missing is the audio from Craig Way’s call of the 4th and 5 play to win it.

Thanks go to jbHorn over on Orangebloods for the link.

ESPN reviews each AFC and NFC team draft since 2000. Not so great for the Longhorns until recent years.

Longhorn pipeline may continue to flow for Titans. I’d love to see them pick up Sweed in the first and Charles and the second or third.