Editor's note: Clark Judge, Pete Prisco and Mike Freeman are traveling to every NFL training camp and filing daily reports and analysis. Next camp report from Prisco: Panthers
Titans: Five things to know | 
Prisco
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Who threw that pass? Who made that read? Who was that guy setting his feet, standing in the pocket, spinning his head, and making pin-point throws?
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| The Titans need new O.C. Mike Heimerdinger (left) and Vince Young to click. (US Presswire) |
You bet.
I have to admit this: I've been hard on Vince Young. In his two seasons in the league as the Tennessee Titans quarterback, he has been much more media-made creation than the star he's perceived to be. His magical athletic ability made fans and media members alike drool about his improvisational skills, forgetting his inability to scan the field and make all the reads -- the true job of a quarterback.
As most of you know, I like my quarterbacks making plays in the pocket. Eventually that run-around-style will cease to exist because of age, injuries and body wear.
The game should be played in the pocket, even if it cuts down on the joy some get seeing their franchise passer run around (I've never understood that.). As fast as Young is -- and he's plenty fast -- the ball in the air still gets from point A to point B a lot faster than he can run.
It's a lot safer, too.
| Out of Nowhere Man |
 Defensive end William Hayes, a fourth-round pick out of Winston-Salem State, has showed some real pass-rush ability. At 6-feet-3, 272 pounds, Hayes will likely get into the rotation early this season. Fisher said he has the same type of look as former Chicago Bears great Richard Dent. He has a long ways to go to get to that level. |
| Who is your Out of Nowhere Man? |
So I came here to Nashville to see the Titans work with the St. Louis Rams for two days, wondering what Young would do. I came with the same feelings I've had about him: Until he shows he can play like a conventional quarterback he's never going to get to an elite level, despite the slobber of other media members on his shoes.
I left drooling, too -- but not for the same reasons.
Young put on a passing display in the two practices I saw against the Rams that made him look like a different player. In the morning workout, he completed 22 of 26 passes and then followed that up by hitting nine in a row in the afternoon workout.
"He was right all day," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.
| Community Focus | |
 One man vs. One fan | |
SoonerDominance: "Another 10-6 season and a playoff berth. We'll sack Peyton Manning at least 3 times per game and beat the Colts 3 times in 2008 on our way to the Super Bowl!" |
Not all the throws came in 11-on-11 drills. Some were in 1-on-1 drills or in 7-on-7 work. But just completing 22 of 26 tossing the ball on the side with a receiver would be quite a feat, especially for a man whose accuracy hasn't exactly been his strong suit.
Young was inconsistent his first two years as a passer, doing what most young passers do, which is look at their first option, then the check down and then run out of the pocket. This camp has been different. Although he got off to a slow start, the practices against the Rams seemed to bring out the best in him.
"He's had his best camp by far," Fisher said. "The focus and the concentration is all there. It's about knowing where to go with the football."
Coming out of Texas, Young was considered a wonderful athlete playing quarterback. Some scouts wondered if he'd ever develop into a passer capable of winning games from the pocket. After his first two seasons, Young still has them wondering.
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| Ask an NFL player or coach |
 Head
Coach Jeff Fisher: I expect to see Justin Gage continue
to get better, he led our team in receptions last year and his
on-field relationship with Vince should continue to grow. You will
see Chris help our team in a number of different ways, from a
traditional tailback, split out as a wide receiver at times and as
a kick returner.
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"When you played him you have to be much more worried about his ability to get out and run than him finding the third and fourth options," one AFC coach said. "Sure, he'll beat you once or twice with those legs, but you can deal with that since you know that's his thing. There are ways to defense that. If he's running and making all the reads, then you have problems."
In his first two seasons, Young completed 57.1 percent of his passes, threw 21 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions. The Titans went to the playoffs last season, even though he threw nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. That has led to the all-too-familiar refrain that all Young does is win football games.
That won't continue unless his passing improves.
To help make that a reality, the Titans replaced Norm Chow, who never quite got along with Young, with feisty Mike Heimerdinger as their offensive coordinator. Heimerdinger has been known to stay on a quarterback's behind hard, which he did with Steve McNair when he was with the Titans before going to Denver.
So far, Heimerdinger has kept a low-key approach with Young. It seems to be working. Young is spending more time in the film room, doing more work on the mental side of things.
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Positives: Young is the most athletic quarterback in the NFL. His ability to squirm out of tight spots and make a play is second to none. A lot of people think he's a bad passer, but he had a better completion percentage in 2007 than Donovan McNabb, Marc Bulger, Eli Manning and Derek Anderson. The addition of Mike Heimerdinger will help, as well as newcomer Alge Crumpler, who was Michael Vick's security blanket in Atlanta for years. That should add around 500 yards to Young's passing totals, as should shifty rookie Chris Johnson, whose catch-and-run skills are top-notch thanks to his excellent hands and amazing speed. Between those new players and Young's penchant for running, his stats should continue to trend upward. Negatives: While we think Young is a good passer, his decision-making skills need to improve. Throwing 17 interceptions in 382 pass attempts (one every 22.4 attempts) is a huge indicator that Young needs to be sure where he's going with the ball. Young also opens himself up to injury with his playing style. He hasn't missed many games in his career, but that doesn't mean that he's impervious to pain. And while Young usually shines when he plays his hometown team, Houston, he has been completely manhandled by division rivals Jacksonville and Indianapolis, a bad trend that cannot be ignored since those two teams take up one-fourth of his schedule. Outlook: Do not be drawn to Young because of his athleticism and super-human highlight-reel ability. Remember that first and foremost, he's a quarterback, and the Titans want him to commit to playing that position without much improvisation. Tennessee added a lot of nice talent to help Young along, so he's got a shot at 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing, which is the Fantasy equivalent to a 4,250-yard passer who doesn't run in standard-scoring leagues. Think late-round pick. -- Dave Richard RB: LenDale White (58th overall) QB: Vince Young (128th overall) WR: Justin Gage (185th overall) TE: Alge Crumpler (125th overall) |
| 2008 Fantasy Draft Prep |
"There are some things I have that I want to do," Young said. "It takes a lot of hard work. Sitting down in that film room as I'm getting older and more mature, studying the game a little more and long. Things like that are helping me out here a lot. If I get my pre-snap read and my mental part of the game and getting the ball out of my hands quicker, everything should be all right."
Young went to school at the University of Texas this spring, a move I ripped him for making. The thinking was he would miss out on valuable time implementing the new offense. But Young, according to coaches, spent a lot of time in Nashville, even while he was taking classes, burning up the flights from Austin.
I still think he should have spent the entire offseason around the Titans' facility. But he appears to have made the most of his time learning.
He's a different passer -- at least for now. The Rams didn't exactly throw complex coverages at him, but it's the way he sat in the pocket that was so impressive. His footwork was better than it has ever been. His accuracy was really good.
"He's on to a level where he's understanding routes, understanding concepts and knowing to get the ball out before the receiver gets to his break," Titans receiver Justin Gage said. "When it comes out, it's there. He's really picked up this offense well."
Young threw a perfect deep ball against the Rams that Roydell Williams gathered in for a 70-yard touchdown catch. It hung in the air, had the touch, and dropped down perfectly into the hands of the streaking Williams.
It was the type of throw that great passers make. Young has always had the arm; nobody doubted that. It appears the work in the film room is what's about to pay off.
"Right now I'm trying to get the feel of the defensive coordinator," Young said. "What are they going to try and do to me? Try to get a head start on those guys, reading the defense, getting the ball out of my hands. What are they going to try do with this blitz and things like that? It's to better myself as well as my teammates. I have some goals and dreams for myself, my teammates and the fans."
Young ran 93 times in 2007, 10 more than he did in 2006. If he's making the progress he has appeared to have made as a passer, that number should go down to the 70s this season.
That could put a damper on some of the highlight-show stuff, which might anger those Vince Young worshippers who love it. But the reality is if he throws the ball anywhere near the way he threw it that day against the Rams, he will be on his way to possibly joining the elite of the league.
Was that really Vince Young doing the throwing? You bet, which should give Titans fans reason to be excited in 2008.
