Role: Runningback Coach
Previous Role: Runningback Coach
Previous Team: Iowa Hawkeyes (Big 10)
Age: 42
Experience
Young started his career in 2009 as the De Anza JC WR coach, before joining Minnesota State-Moorhead in 2010 as a ST coordinator. He’d transition to San Jose State for 2011 & 2012 as ST assistant,
and then an assistant ST coordinator in 2013 and 2014. He’d join the Browns as an assistant RB coach in 2015, head to South Carolina as their assistant RB coach in 2016, and back to the NFL for 2017-2018 as the Packers assistant WR & assistant RB coach. Young would then join Eastern Illinois as the teams runningback coach and special teams coordinator from 2019-2021. He’d join the Bears in 2022 as an assistant RB coach before being named the teams assistant QB coach in 2023 and also serving as an interim RB coach for the final two months. In 2024 he’d join the Patriots as their assistant TE coach, before heading to Iowa as the teams RB coach for 2025.
*I won’t be touching on experience more than a decade old, for any of these breakdowns unless it’s a very key thing to note*
Cleveland Browns (2015)
Young got his start in the NFL after bouncing around working under former nearly 30 year RB coach & college football HOF selection Wilbert Montgomery with Cleveland in 2015. He’d also work under offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, and now Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who was the teams QB coach. The Browns ranked 22nd in rush yards/game, 30th in touchdowns, 20th in yards/carry, 23rd in first downs, and 24th in EPA. The team was led by Isaiah Crowell’s 185 attempts, 706 yards, and four touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers (2017-2018)
Young worked as the teams assistant WR coach in 2017 seeing Davante Adams post 74 receptions, 885 yards, and 10 touchdowns, Randall Cobb 66 receptions, 653 yards, and four touchdowns, and Jordy Nelson hauling in 53 receptions, 482 yards, and 6 touchdowns. The team also got quality production from Geronimo Allison. He’d get experience coaching under OC Edgar Bennett, and WR coach Luke Getsy, (both former Raiders coaches). He’d transition to an assistant RB coach in 2018 working under current Packers RB coach Ben Sirmans where they’d rank 22nd in rush yards/game, 15th in touchdowns, but 1st in yards/attempt. Additionally, they’d rank 7th in rushing EPA and 7th in forced missed tackles at RB. The team was led by Aaron Jones who posted 133 attempts, 728 yards, and 8 touchdowns while Jamaal Williams logged 121 attempts, 464 yards, and three scores.
Chicago Bears (2022-2023)
Young would rejoin the NFL in 2022 with the Bears, under OC Luke Getsy, and alongside now Raiders OC Andrew Janocko who was the teams QB coach at the time. Additionally, Young would work under RB coach David Walker. The team ranked 1st in rushing offense, heavily impacted by QB Justin Fields, but they also ranked 6th in rush yards/game by RB. The team was 7th in touchdowns, 1st in YPC, and 2nd in EPA. Factoring out Justin Fields, they still ranked top 10 in touchdowns, YPC, and EPA including top 3 in YPC. The Bears rushing offense was led by David Montgomery who posted 201 attempts, 801 yards, and five touchdowns with Khalil Herbert adding 129 attempts, 732 yards, and four touchdowns.
In 2023, Young worked under OC Luke Gesty and QB coach Andrew Janocko again. Additionally, he worked alongside Raiders TE coach Luke Steckel and replaced David Walker as RB coach in November. The Bears rushing offense by RB ranked 31st in EPA, 24th in yards, and 25th in YPC. The Bears proceeded to finish the season 2nd in yards/game (13th without QB yards) including 2nd in total rushing offense for the final half of the season. Additionally, they ranked 11th in touchdowns, 6th in yards/attempt, and 5th in first downs while also being 9th in EPA/rush by RBs. The team saw Khalil Herbert post 611 yards, 2 touchdowns on 132 attempts along with key performances from D’Onta Foreman (109 attempts, 425 yards, 4 TD) and Roschon Johnson (81 attempts, 352 yards, 2 TD). Veteran journeyman Darrynton Evans also turned in 30 attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown. Herbert and Johnson combined for 355 receiving yards and 3 TD, including 70% of those yards post November 1st.
New England Patriots (2024)
Young would work under OC Alex Van Pelt, who crossed paths with him in Green Bay, along with TE coach Bob Bicknell. The team saw Hunter Henry lead them in yards with 674 yards and 2 touchdowns on 66 receptions. Austin Hooper ranked fourth with 45 receptions, 476 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
Iowa Hawkeyes (2025)
After spending the last three seasons in the NFL, he joined the Hawkeys as the teams RB coach & run game coordinator where the offense ranked 42nd in rushing yards (3rd in Big10, 22nd in FBS). They also ranked 39th in yards per carry, and 26th in touchdowns. Iowa did see the team win the Joe Moore award, given to the teams best offensive line, which likely spurs a little of the teams rushing success. Redshirt Sophomore Kamari Moulton posted 170 attempts, 878 yards, and five touchdowns while Jaziun Patterson added 60 rushes, 296 yards, and 0 touchdowns. True freshman Xavier Williams posted 49 attempts, 285 yards, and four scores with Nathan McNeil also providing some production. QB Mark Gronowski added 596 yards largely on designed runs and only a 17% scramble rate. The Hawkeyes, ranked 25th in missed tackles per game.
Philosophy
Young’s offense and background is pretty much as wide zone as you can come upon, spending time with Van Pelt & Getsy both of which adapted the wide zone from their times in Green Bay under LaFleur. Additionally, Young has a surefire focus on developing blockers, with key signs from receivers in forcing missed tackles, ball security, and attention to details. His system fits with what the Raiders are looking to run, and while Ashton Jeanty is the top runningback it’ll remain to see how well Young can impact the rest of the room beyond Jeanty.
Players to Watch, Connections:
Veteran Aaron Jones is likely to be a cap casualty this off-season and could reunite with Young from their time in Green Bay. Jones hasn’t been the same runningback as he was in 2019-2022 but the former UTEP standout has a a career 7626 yards, 52 touchdowns, and 2683 receiving yards with 21 scores. Jones is coming off a 2025 season where he logged 548 yards and 2 touchdowns in 12 games. Additionally, Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (G), Logan Jones (C), and Beau Stephens (G) could be targets for the Raiders during the 2nd to 4th round with all three fitting the mold of a wide zone system and having positional felxibility within a similar scheme.
