Bill Young speaks fondly of his time as Ohio State defensive coordinator, when he coached talents like Alonzo Spellman and Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson. Spellman? “I loved him,” Young told me this week ahead of Tulsa’s trip to Columbus. “Tremendous physical attributes. Long arms, fast, athletic. Probably one of the most conditioned athletes I’ve ever been around.” And Wilkinson? “Danny was the only guy in the history of football taken with the No. 1 pick in the draft as a sophomore,” Young said. “He was pretty good, too. Those guys made me a lot better coach than I really was.” Nothing has changed 20 years later. Ohio State’s assembly line of pros is as steady as the Olentangy River current a short stroll from famed Ohio Stadium. Well, this much is different: Whereas Young once took pride in the Buckeyes’ defensive stars, he must now worry about their array of skill on offense, since it’s his task to contain it as Tulsa’s defensive coordinator. This is hardly San Jose State, the team Young’s Golden Hurricane shut down in last week’s season-opening victory. “They’re just so much more talented,” Young said. “They’re one of the fastest teams in the country. They…
Continue Reading: Guerin Emig: Bill Young returns to Ohio State to compete, not reminisce
