I was among those who were surprised by RB Ryan Young's tweet late yesterday afternoon where he announced he will be returning to CU Football in the fall. Young had entered the transfer portal, and I presumed he had no Ivy eligibility left.
It's hard to express how much of a positive development this is for the Lions. While Dante Miller grabbed a lot of attention as the year went on, Young never stopped being a crucial and effective part of the Columbia offense.
Now, he will bring that talent and perhaps the most RB experience in the Ivies back the Lions in 2022.
Recapping some of Young's big highlights:
-A 19-carry, 91-yard rushing performance capped by a dramatic TD run with a Yale defender riding his back for a 17-10 win over the Elis in 2018.
-Key contributions on the ground and as a receiver in the 2018 wins over Brown and Cornell.
-A 65-yard TD run against Saint Francis that got the Lions back into the game in an an eventual win in the 2019 season opener.
-Also was key contributor in the 2019 wins versus Harvard and Penn, and had a big TD run in the loss versus Brown.
-Was an Honorable Mention All Ivy at RB in 2021, with major contributions to the wins vs. Marist, Georgetown, Dartmouth, and Brown. In the loss against Yale, he may have had his best ever game. And getting back to Brown, his 60-yard TD catch along the west sideline electrified the team.
The Lions now have a lot to be confident about on offense heading into the fall. Young is returning with other talented RB's backing him up, the starting QB is the reigning Ivy Rookie of the Year, the O-line is returning more starters and experienced players than at any time in CU history, and some very exciting WR with solid experience as well.
The defense seems to have more holes to fill, but in some ways there are fewer tough questions about the defense than we had going into 2021. There are still excellent players returning on all three lines of the D.
If this trend keeps up, we may have to start asking the "If not now, when?" question about the Lions and their championship chances for 2022.
6 comments:
This is the best news since the post-season began. Young is a fantastic player—his catch down the sideline in the Brown game was one for the ages…
Couldn't agree more. I was standing behind the north end goal posts when he carried the Yale d-back into the End Zone and watched his work (with his Dad nearby) in the St. Francis season opener on the road. He's a warrior who leads by example. Great news.
What's the status on the other transfers who haven't announced yet? Roussous?
How long is the @CULionsFB Twitter account going to be suspended for? This is worse than being on double secret probation.
Fantastic news. He's a terrific football player - both runner and pass catcher.
That's great news. Ryan Young is an outstanding football player who has been the focal point of Columbia's success on the football field the past few seasons. I can definitely see him leading the Lions to an Ivy League Championship this year.
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