Young starting to get Eagles' complex system

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - You could almost see it, like a 100-watt bulb hovering over Vince Young's head. It was there Thursday night during his first preseason appearance with the Eagles, and it was still there as he ran the second team at practice Saturday morning.

"Once the lights go on," Michael Vick said, "it's a totally different feel out there."

A few days ago, there was no wattage whatever coming from Young. He looked so uncomfortable and ineffective, many observers jumped to the premature conclusion that Young just wasn't going to be a good fit in Andy Reid's offense. That's almost understandable when you contrast him with Vick, who looks fully in command of the system and the team.

But everyone other than Young has been through this before. Two years ago, the Eagles stunned the world by signing Vick after he was cleared by commissioner Roger Goodell. Vick joined the team in mid-August, without the benefit of offseason classroom work and minicamps. Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg eased the once and future star into game action with occasional cameos in the Wildcat formation.

The Eagles had an established starter, Donovan McNabb, and a young backup, Kevin Kolb. Vick was not a real factor in the team's 2009 plan. After a year of study and practice in the offense, Vick was able to display his remarkable skills. When Kolb got hurt, Reid set a land-speed record in naming Vick the new No. 1 QB.

Now, another year has passed. Vick is entrenched as the starter. Kolb has been traded away. And Young is enrolled in the Reid-Mornhinweg Quarterback Reclamation Project. It is quite a thing. Arguably the most talented and accomplished starting quarterback on the market chose the Eagles even though it meant serving as a backup.

"It's all about Andy and the respect that I have for him," Young said. "I looked at it as an opportunity to work with one of the best coaches in the NFL."

So while Washington tries to win with John Beck, and while Miami runs Chad Henne out there, and Alex Smith gets another go-round in San Francisco, the Eagles have a two-time Pro Bowler on hand to back up Vick. They not only got a starting cornerback and a draft pick in exchange for Kolb, they improved their talent level at this vital spot.

The key is for Young to emulate Vick in his commitment to mastering this complex offense.

"Things have been slow," Vick said with his usual candor. "We have to understand [Young] is new to the system. This offense is very sophisticated. There's a lot of verbiage, a lot of terminology, a lot of concepts that you've got to be able to grasp. It's not easy. It takes a lot of studying."

There is nothing as dramatic as a prison term in Young's past. He was merely a highly drafted college star who found himself in a dysfunctional situation in Tennessee. Like Vick in Atlanta, he was probably guilty of assuming he could get by on his superior skills. For sure, he fell out of favor with head coach Jeff Fisher.

Titans fans wound up sharply divided. Some point to Young's 30-18 record as a starting QB, others to his perceived failings as a team leader. After an injury shortened Young's 2010 season and grizzled Kerry Collins took over, the Titans decided to release the guy who was supposed to be their franchise QB. They stuck with that decision even when Fisher was dismissed after the season.

For most football fans, Young will always be the guy who led Texas to the national championship with a refuse-to-lose performance against a powerhouse Southern California team in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Clearly that guy can be a successful NFL quarterback in the right situation.

This, Young decided, is the right situation. Even if his head was spinning after a week of learning this new offense.

"It's a clutter," Young said. "Definitely a clutter. I didn't start the same time as everybody else did. I go back, getting extra hours, extra meetings in, staying in my book, asking questions of Mike Vick. Just trying to stay on track, making sure I'm doing the right things. If coach pops me a question, I want to be ready."

The mere fact that he opted to accept a backup role in order to get coached up the way Vick did suggests that Young has the right attitude. If the lightbulb stays on, he could be an exceptional insurance policy if Vick gets hurt.

"The biggest thing is staying focused," Young said. "I just have to stay ready, and I want to push Mike to be the best that he can be to get this team to the Super Bowl. The opportunity is great."

For Young, and for the Eagles.