Post by 50yardfan on Apr 22, 2011 15:30:36 GMT -5
Tri-Cities Fever coach Adam Shackleford says the chances of Tre Young playing in the Indoor Football League next season are as close to zero as you can get.
"He doesn't have a chance to be in this league next season," Shackleford says. "He WILL get an opportunity to play at a higher level."
Young says he is flattered by the high praise, but at the same time grateful for his opportunity to play for the Fever, and while he is here, he wants to enjoy every minute.
As far as what happens next season, he could care less right now. He is concerned about what is going to happen Saturday night when the Fever (5-1) take on the Colorado Ice (7-0) in one of the biggest regular season games in Fever franchise history.
"We're excited," Young said. "You can tell there is a little more excitement at practice this week and it's a little bit more intense.
"We want to be known as one of the best (teams) and to do that we need to beat one of the best." For Young and the rest of the Fever offense, Saturday is an opportunity to prove themselves against one of the league's best defenses.
The Ice is allowing less than 30 points per game, second-best in the IFL. The Fever is averaging more than 60 points per game, second-highest in the IFL.
"It's a good matchup," Shackleford says. "The bottom line is that we need to go out and execute our game plan."
One big part of that game plan is Young. After missing two straight games with a severe ankle sprain, Young returned last week helping spark the Fever to a 90-31 win over Arizona.
Young accounted for three touchdowns, including over a 45-yard burst on a broken play.
"It was good to get back out there," says Young. "Right now I am pretty close to 100 percent."
In his previous three games, Young has 19 catches for 275 yards and nine touchdowns. That comes out to nearly 100 yards receiving per game and three touchdowns per game. Those numbers rank him among the league's best.
"He's a big weapon for us and we try to get him involved early," Shackleford said.
At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Young is a complete package as a receiver. He is tall, fast, and can leap over smaller defenders to get the ball which is a huge advantage in the indoor game.
Young had over 2,000 career receiving yards while at South Carolina State and signed with the Carolina Panthers prior to the 2010 season. He was released after the third preseason game, and didn't really know where his career was going to go from there.
He attended a workout for the Pittsburgh Power of the AFL in Atlanta, but never heard anything back. He got another call to come for a workout for the San Jose SabreCats, but other than that he didn't have many options.
Except that is to come play for the Fever.
Shackleford contacted Young and two stayed in touch throughout the summer, before Young signed last October.
"When you explain where Tri-Cities is, they just don't sign overnight," Shackleford said. "We try to sell the community and our philosophy to them."
"We were in contact for quite a while," said Young, who is a Charleston, S.C. native.
But like a lot of players, it took a little geography lesson to show Young where he had signed on to play.
"I had never been to the west coast or heard of Richland, Pasco or Kennewick," Young said. "But since I have been here, I like it.
"The fans have been great. I think I made the right decision to come up here and play."
"He doesn't have a chance to be in this league next season," Shackleford says. "He WILL get an opportunity to play at a higher level."
Young says he is flattered by the high praise, but at the same time grateful for his opportunity to play for the Fever, and while he is here, he wants to enjoy every minute.
As far as what happens next season, he could care less right now. He is concerned about what is going to happen Saturday night when the Fever (5-1) take on the Colorado Ice (7-0) in one of the biggest regular season games in Fever franchise history.
"We're excited," Young said. "You can tell there is a little more excitement at practice this week and it's a little bit more intense.
"We want to be known as one of the best (teams) and to do that we need to beat one of the best." For Young and the rest of the Fever offense, Saturday is an opportunity to prove themselves against one of the league's best defenses.
The Ice is allowing less than 30 points per game, second-best in the IFL. The Fever is averaging more than 60 points per game, second-highest in the IFL.
"It's a good matchup," Shackleford says. "The bottom line is that we need to go out and execute our game plan."
One big part of that game plan is Young. After missing two straight games with a severe ankle sprain, Young returned last week helping spark the Fever to a 90-31 win over Arizona.
Young accounted for three touchdowns, including over a 45-yard burst on a broken play.
"It was good to get back out there," says Young. "Right now I am pretty close to 100 percent."
In his previous three games, Young has 19 catches for 275 yards and nine touchdowns. That comes out to nearly 100 yards receiving per game and three touchdowns per game. Those numbers rank him among the league's best.
"He's a big weapon for us and we try to get him involved early," Shackleford said.
At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Young is a complete package as a receiver. He is tall, fast, and can leap over smaller defenders to get the ball which is a huge advantage in the indoor game.
Young had over 2,000 career receiving yards while at South Carolina State and signed with the Carolina Panthers prior to the 2010 season. He was released after the third preseason game, and didn't really know where his career was going to go from there.
He attended a workout for the Pittsburgh Power of the AFL in Atlanta, but never heard anything back. He got another call to come for a workout for the San Jose SabreCats, but other than that he didn't have many options.
Except that is to come play for the Fever.
Shackleford contacted Young and two stayed in touch throughout the summer, before Young signed last October.
"When you explain where Tri-Cities is, they just don't sign overnight," Shackleford said. "We try to sell the community and our philosophy to them."
"We were in contact for quite a while," said Young, who is a Charleston, S.C. native.
But like a lot of players, it took a little geography lesson to show Young where he had signed on to play.
"I had never been to the west coast or heard of Richland, Pasco or Kennewick," Young said. "But since I have been here, I like it.
"The fans have been great. I think I made the right decision to come up here and play."