youngs patience pays off

[radbag]

[img]http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPEC ... 18200B.JPG[/img][img]http://vmedia.rivals.com/IMAGES/PROSPEC ... 18200A.JPG[/img]


At the end of a day that was highlighted by a couple of negative recruiting items for the Gators was perhaps the best 'feel good' story of the year for the Gator Nation. It's not often in the recruiting process that a prospect's blind trust of a coach pays off in the end. In the case Edwardsville (Ill.) offensive lineman David Young – that's exactly what happened.

"Ever since I took my official visit I knew I wanted to be a Gator," said Young Monday night from his home. "Going to Florida was my Plan 'A' all along. I went through about a month period when I didn't think it was going to happen. I hadn't heard from them at all."

To understand how a high school senior with offers from some of the top programs from around the country was reduced to a wait-and-see mode on signing day, a quick check of his medical history is a must.

Young, a three year starter in high school who received his first offer as a sophomore, suffered two broken knee caps as a senior.

The injury, which caused a noticeable hobble on his official visit to Florida, is a rarity among linemen.

"I'm still rehabbing my knees," said Young. "I can walk fine, but I still can't do things like squats. There was no structural damage at all. I'll be recovered by the time I go to Florida this summer."

Positive prognosis notwithstanding, with numbers being as limited as they are, an injury of that magnitude is going to be a cause for concern among college coaches.

During Wednesday's signing day press conference Urban Meyer addressed the subject.

"David Young was one of the top offensive tackles on our board. He had a rare injury in both knees, broken kneecaps, which we've never heard of that before."

The reason Florida was able to wait until the last minute to sign Young was simple, Young was willing to wait on Florida. He took a huge leap of faith that things would work out for him.

"When I went to Florida for my official visit there wasn't anything about it I didn't love. I knew I wanted to get out of here already. After I went to Florida I knew that's where I wanted to be. I loved the coaches, the school and the Pouncey's. I liked being around them more than any other players I saw at any of the schools I've been to."

Regardless of how much Young liked Florida, the fact remained that he was walking around on two bum knees and the Gators were low on numbers.

No matter how much he wanted to eventually become a Gator, it wasn't looking in this instance as though it was going to turn out in his favor.

However, beginning late last week, things started taking a turn for the positive.

Though the Gators were near their maximum number, two commitments – Ricky Barnum and Ramon Buchanan – decided to take last minute official visits elsewhere.

That in turn got the Gator coaching staff looking for alternatives.

While those two were tiring of the process and coaches calling, Young on the other hand was waiting by the phone.

"I came back from my visit thinking I would commit to Florida if I could – they were in first," said Young. "They told me to take my time and look around some more. I had Illinois as my other team. They wanted me to commit, I wanted to wait on Florida."

The way it was looking, that waiting around might have cost him an opportunity to join either of his top two.

Both Florida and Illinois were apparently full.

However earlier this week the perfect storm began to form. Florida resumed contact with the big man as it appeared as though they were going to lose at least one of the players off their commitment list.

That was fine by Young.

"I talked to the coaches a little bit on Monday," said Young. "There was some stuff going on there, but they still didn't say that they were going to sign me. They were figuring some things out."

According to Meyer, the Gators received a positive injury report on Young – which in turn allowed the Gators to take him.

"Today we got the CD of x-rays to make sure they're (knees) healing," Meyer said during Wednesday's press conference. "Once Dr. Pete gave us the 95 percent or better that he's going to be fine, we signed him."

The fact that Florida lost two signees on Wednesday of course didn't hurt, but what led to the eventual signing is of little consequence to Young.

"They called my coach this morning and asked if I was still interested in being a Gator," said Young. With the Florida staff well aware of his answer, they were already in the process of sending him the necessary paperwork. "They faxed me the papers to sign right then. I was crying. We called my mom because she had to come to school because she has to sign them too. She was crying. We both cried.

"I had Minnesota as my other backup plan. They told me they would sign me, but I still wanted to wait and see what was going to happen with Florida. I started thinking whether I wanted to take a chance by waiting. We were crying because we were happy that I'm getting to go to Florida. It worked out for me."

Yes it did.

And it provided the Gator Nation with a feel good story to cap of the class of 2008.

[TheTodd]

I'll be a big fan of this kid. I hope he ends up being a success story.

[a1bion]

I told you guys the Pounceys may be the biggest score of last year's class. Everyone loves those two and they helped us reel Young in!

[TTBHG]

I am so glad we took a chance on this kid. Any kid that broke down in tears over being a Gator is good enough for me.

[G8rMom7]

^^^Not to mention they helped our DEFENSE last year too. Young sounds like he is all heart! Rock on!

[apexgator]

That's exactly the type of kid we need at UF.

[TTBHG]

By his junior year, Meyer will make him the face of Florida football.

[annarborgator]

Damn. Absolutely agree on the sentiment above, I'll be rooting for this kid to ball out.

[Toothy]

Yeah. I broke a kneecap one time totaling out my wife's car. It hurts like hell -- but it ain't gonna keep the guy from playing football.

Like I said on the NSD thread, this guy has the size and the face of a nasty front-line competitor. Glad he's one of ours.