Jeff Phelps, DL Coach at Mississippi St. joins to talk about Cameron Young

None

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
And right now we're going to talkabout the fourth round selection from earlier today,
defensive tackle Cameron Young out of MississippiState and joining us now on the
phone is his position coach at MississippiState. He's now at North Dakota State,
and he was formerly at Washington State. Because Jess has everybody who has

(00:20):
ever been to pullman in her phoneand so well, I make good friends
over here in God's country. Sowe've got Jeff Phelps on the line to
talk about Cameron Young. Good morningor good afternoon, coach, Good afternoon.
How you guys doing. We're doingall right. Thanks for being with
us. So let's go ahead andlet's get Cameron Young. From Jeff Phelps

(00:43):
point of view. What did theSeahawks get in this young man? Oh,
I'll tell you what. You guysgot a gym, just a hard
worker, great young man. Wasthe game of football. Don't come to
work every day. He was apleasure to have in the room and to
be able to coach. What arewhat are the skills that's uh that Cameron

(01:06):
Young UH brings to the Seahawks fromhis defensive tackle position. He's a talented
young man UH and moved very wellfor his you know, he's big babble,
I'll tell you what. And hemoves like a defensive end would possibly

(01:26):
believes. So you can do alot of different things with them. And
you've got huge hands, long arms, and just plays with a passion for
a game of football. Jeff Phelpsis with US Cameron Young's position coach at
Mississippi State. Cameron Young one hundredand twenty third selection in this draft,
now a Seattle Seahawk. And thisthis team seems to uh today me.

(01:51):
They're they're kind of known coach forgetting that chip on the shoulder guy.
But every single pick that they seemto grab this year has been about a
complete not just football player, buthuman being with every selection that they've made
so far this year. So tellus a little bit more about the human
being Cameron Young and how he'll fitinto any locker room or clubhouse that he

(02:14):
goes to. Well, I'll tellyou he you know, he's got a
very amazing family, very strong familythat he comes from, very supportive and
what he does. Uh, andso he's bringing that worker's mentality, uh,
you know, to the to thefield, to the meeting rooms.
Like I said, he loves thegame of football, so in that uh,

(02:38):
you know, he's going to doany and everything to get himself prepared.
Uh. He's a he's a trueleader. He leads by example.
So he's gonna be a guy thatI think it's going to be able to
step in and fit into that thatthat realm of a professional football player and
understanding what it takes to to takecare of his boy to be successful on

(02:59):
each and every Sunday throughout the week. What kind of perfect scheme fit is
he or where does he fit ina in a scheme perfectly in your estimation?
Well, you know, it's uh, he could really do just about
both because when we first got there, we coach Leech in the staff.

(03:21):
When we first got there, wewere taking over for a program that ran
a four down defense, and ofcourse we were a three down defense.
So so he's been able to reallyline up at the zero and go all
the way out to basically a foureye and in certain situations. Uh you
know, so he's very multiple fromthat standpoint, and he's a student of

(03:43):
the game. Uh. You know. One story that I that I would
share is that you know, wewould come into the team meetings after um,
you know, the dinner at infall camp, and he would he
would be sitting there watching the practicetape, uh, you know, seeing

(04:03):
what he did right, what hedid wrong. And so therefore we got
to the meeting. You know,he really was a was a guy that
you know, he already knew andhe knew what he did right, what
he'd wrong, what he needed todo better. So again, kind of
a coach on the field, andI think that's what they're about to get
when they get him into OTAs andthings of that nature. Coach Jessamin here

(04:26):
one. It's great to hear yourvoice, so thank you so much for
coming on at the drop of ahat. Really appreciate it. Um too.
I haven't spoken to you since coachLeech is passing, and I just
wanted to tell you how sorry Iam. Um. As the football world
mourns um, you know continues tooas well. Um. But I was
wondering, and I don't mean toput you on the spot, but that's

(04:46):
what we do on live radio.Here. Is there a play I'll give
you, I'll give you a minutea second, but is there a play
that stands out to you? TheCameron young Maid during your time coaching him.
That tells you, or would tellus exactly what type of player he
is. Well, I'll tell youwhat I mean, there's so many that
I think you can that you canpick from um. But you know,

(05:11):
when you have to line up andplay against you know, Alabama, and
you have to play against Old Miss, and you have to play against Georgia,
and there's some plays in there whereyou know he's he's on the double
team and and he's not getting movesand and so that just lets you know
that that he can battle in therewith the bigs of the bigs, and

(05:34):
he can anchor in there and holdhis ground because he's so explosive and he's
so strong, you know, quickoff the ball, uh, And so
that those those are are plays thatyou come to mind. And then you
also and our scheme of what wewould do. We would take him from
a from a zero technique, headup on that center, and we would

(05:56):
slam down the four eye the decentivancap will slam him down to the A
gap and we would loop Cameron outto the sea gap and then he'd have
to sit and shuffle as if hewas a defensive end and ultimately play uh,
you know, the quarterback to theto the tailback on the cut to
keep and he would he would getover there to that edge and he'd shuffled

(06:19):
down the end and you know,quarterback would pull the ball and he you
know, he'd be able to makea play on it. And so,
um, you know, just toshow that versatility of strength on the double
team, but then also athleticism,Um, you know, getting out there
on the edge and and and beingdisciplined enough to to read his keys and
trust his keys and then get afterhim. And you know, the sky's

(06:43):
delivered for what he can do.I mean, so you're saying mobility is
a strong suit for him at hissize, Yeah, he's got them both
now, mobility and strength. Sohe's got the best of both worlds.
I mean he's listened at six threethree fifteen to be able to move like
that up and down the line.And you talked about his athleticism. That's
that's pretty special there, Yes itis. And they they got themselves a

(07:09):
gym and him when you put everythingelse into and you know, his preparation,
his work ethic, his passion forthe game, you put all that
together and he's got a chance tobe an unstoppable force, and I'm definitely
looking forward to him continuing to progressand get better with his skill set.

(07:29):
Jeff Phelps is with us position coachfor Cameron Young while he was at Mississippi
State, And so we'll close withthis, coach. We appreciate your time
here on a Saturday. You know, I'm a morning talk guy, so
I need all the dirt on allthe players I can get. Give me
a funny story, give me somesort of personality story, one of your

(07:49):
favorite stories about Cameron Young and yourdealings with him. All right, well,
if you or anybody out there inSeattle to get him a smile,
then you're you're about five steps aheadof me. He's a serious young man,

(08:09):
and every nine then you might youmight get a crack of a smile.
Um. But yeah, he's apleasure to be around. I think
you guys are going to enjoy havinghim in the clubhouse and getting a chance
to know him and getting around him. I accept the challenge. I accept
the challenge. Coach. Hey,we appreciate you and your time. Thank

(08:30):
you, sir, and uh weare now got both eyes on Cameron Young.
You can hand him over to Seattleright now. You did a good
job with him, with him,thanks coach. Oh well, I'll tell
you what you know how it is, and he did all the work.
I just simply told him when togo into game and when to come out
to him. And I do appreciatewhat you got to do. It's always
amazing to see these young men,you know, get to continue to live

(08:54):
out their dream. All right,there is thanks coach. Coach Jeff Phelps
joining us right here on our coverageof the NFL Draft twenty twenty three on kJ R