Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans and DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans were named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, respectively, Wednesday.
Young took over as the starting quarterback in week four when the Titans were an 0-3 team. After losing his first two starts, Young won 8 of his last 11, including six straight at one point, to lead Tennessee to an 8-8 record and a near playoff berth. Despite his less than desirable numbers (2,199 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, good for a 66.7 quarterback rating), Young went 8-5 overall as a starter and was the driving force in four fourth quarter comebacks, three of them consecutive. Young also had a game-winning 39-yard touchdown run in overtime against the Texans on December 10th. The 23-year old rookie from the University of Texas rushed for a total of 552 yards and seven scores this season.
Young easily took the award, getting 23 of a possible 50 votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Jacksonville Jaguars' halfback Maurice Jones-Drew and New Orleans Saints' wide receiver Marques Colston were tied for second, each getting nine votes. San Diego Chargers' tackle Marcus McNeill came in third with six votes, and Saints' halfback Reggie Bush tallied three votes, good for fourth place.
Ryans recorded 155 tackles this season, second in the NFL. The 22-year old second-round draft pick, 33rd overall, recorded more tackles than any rookie in the past 20 years. Ryans won the award even easier than Young, receiving 36 of a possible 50 votes. Chicago Bears' defensive end Mark Anderson, Ryans' teammate at Alabama, was second with five votes. Linebacker A.J. Hawk of the Green Bay Packers came in third place with four, and Cleveland Browns' linebacker Kamerion Wimbley totaled two votes and came in fourth.
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