Posted by ESPN.com's Graham Watson
During Notre Dame's media day last week, coach Charlie Weis said it was now OK to call right tackle Sam Young, "Tubby." Young weighed in as the heaviest player on the team at 330 pounds, a weight gain of 30 pounds.
"Gaining the weight took a little getting used to, but I've had it on a couple months and went through spring with it and it feels really good," Young said. "I like to think that it's muscle."
Young beefed up his 6-foot-8 frame both on the Notre Dame strength and conditioning program and at a facility called Perfect Competition in Davie, Fla. There, Young worked with trainer Pete Bommarito to increase his strength, flexibility, and gain the power needed to stave off defensive linemen. Some of the drills included walking around the facility's 5,000 square-foot indoor turf area dragging a sled loaded with weight.
Young said there were several professional athletes at the facility, including San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore, whom Young mentioned by name and said he admired.
"You talk about a guy who's had to battle back from adversity," Young said. "You won't find a harder worker. It's a privilege to be able to train with them (the NFL players). I try to learn from them -- been there, done that, you know. I just try to take some of that experience."
Working at Perfect Competition this summer was really the first time Young felt healthy. During the season, he'd suffered a right wrist injury and a chronic foot injury that limited his mobility.
Now he says he's ready and driven heading into this season. Young is one of four offensive linemen returning from last season's team that allowed an NCAA worst 58 sacks. Young said the offensive line took the burden of the nation's worst total offense on its shoulders and worked hard in the offseason to not have a repeat this year.
"If you wanted me to give you a grade on our performance in the offseason I'd say B-plus," Young said. "The reason I say that s because we still have to earn that 'A' during the season. We're still working for it."
Watson joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the Missouri Tigers and the Big 12 Conference for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She also covered college football recruiting for the Dallas Morning News.
