Perry Young can thank Mike Tyson for his new job. Tyson came to the Cincinnati Bearcats as a four-star prospect and a talented safety. Over the course of three seasons with the Bearcats, he grew to become a versatile defender who could not be pigeonholed into a singular role or position, shifting between linebacker and safety, especially last season.
What does that have to do with Young? Everything. A growing trend to have shape-shifting defenders who can play different schemes (zone or man) and at different posts (safety or linebacker) has spread to UC and Tyson was the team’s most successful contributor to follow that trajectory.