Brian Young: The engine for the Saints’ defense

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, October 05, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

New Orleans Saints
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At the University of Texas at El Paso, New Orleans Saints DT Brian Young was a criminal justice major. Now, that's a scary thought.

For, once the 6-foot-2, 298-pounder started pursuing someone, chances are he'd never stop -- and when he finally caught up with his quarry, it wouldn't be pleasant. Just ask Cleveland QB Charlie Frye, whom Young sacked 2 1/2 times in the Saints' season-opening victory.

Because he's a product of Lawton, Okla., you might expect the goateed, tattooed Young to conform more to the slow-talking good ol' boy stereotype. Instead, he's the subject of jokes among his teammates because of his rapid fire delivery.

"Yeah, he talks fast," said fellow defender Willie Whitehead. "He does everything fast."

Except achieve a lot of recognition. Despite 102 tackles as a St. Louis Ram in 2003 and more than 160 in his last two seasons with New Orleans, the seven-year veteran has still been committing his mayhem largely below the national radar.

Maybe it's because Young isn't the biggest or fastest defensive lineman around. Rather, he succeeds by sheer persistence, one of those guys whose motor never stops running.

"He's so reliable," said linemate Will Smith. "You always know where he's going to be."

Young dominasted as a UTEP senior, making 126 tackles, eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss (the latter a school record). St. Louis made him a fifth-round draft choice, then lost him to the Saints via free agency in 2004.

Young played perhaps the game of his life against Cleveland, recovering a fumble along with his sacks. And in a victory at Green Bay, he forced an interception when he drilled Brett Favre from behind, causing a Favre pass to flutter.

The New Orleans D-line of Young, Smith, Charles Grant and Hollis Thomas is largely unheralded, but it has been a major factor in the team's 3-1 start. Thomas has effectively clogged up the middle, thus allowing Smith and Grant to be more active from the edge and providing the occasional gap for Young -- never before known as a sack master -- to motor toward the quarterback.

Young suffered a shoulder injury against Carolina last week that leaves him questionable for Sunday's Superdome matchup with Tampa Bay, but X-rays were negative, and it's a game he would obviously hate to miss. With Tampa Bay QB Chris Simms sidelined with a spleen injury, rookie Bruce Gradkowski will be under center for the visitors. Even better (from the predatory point of view of a Brian Young or Will Smith), starting Buccaneer tackle Kenyatta Walker is hurt and won't play.

You can almost hear Brian Young's motor revving up again.
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