IRVING – Before Vince Young became VY, hero to Texas fans everywhere and the third overall pick of the NFL draft, he and Damarius Bilbo had a lot in common. Both were prized recruits, winning state player of the year honors as top quarterbacks (Young in Texas, Bilbo in Mississippi).
The two even served as counselors together at Steve McNair's football camp.
Things changed along the way.
Young became one of the most dominant college football players in history, leading UT to a national championship, while Bilbo was converted to receiver at Georgia Tech and was signed as an undrafted free agent by Arizona.
But for the last two weeks, Bilbo, who was added to the Cowboys practice squad the first week of the season, has been impersonating Young as the Cowboys prepare for Sunday's game at Tennessee.
"This isn't rocket science," coach Bill Parcells said. "He's running the option play."
At 6-3, 220 pounds, Bilbo is similar in stature to the 6-5, 228-pound Young. Bilbo gave his Young impersonation a 7 out of 10. Last week, Miami used practice squad receiver/former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick as Young's impersonator, although Young did not play against the Dolphins.
"I'm big. I'm athletic, and I got a gun," Bilbo said. "I wasn't a first-round draft pick, so I can take that down to a 1 [on his 1-10 scale]. I'm myself. I'm a good athlete in my own right."
Bilbo finished his career with 549 yards passing, completing 33 of 81 passes with three touchdowns and six interceptions. When Chan Gailey, the former Cowboys coach, arrived as Tech's coach, he moved Bilbo to receiver, where he caught 46 passes for 679 yards and two touchdowns. In 12 starts as a senior, he caught 40 passes for 591 yards and two scores.
"Last week, I told him he was a disgrace to black quarterbacks," cornerback Terence Newman joked. "He couldn't run and he couldn't throw. This week he's doing a little better."
So much so that Bilbo said he was congratulated by linebacker Greg Ellis for a fake on an option play in Tuesday's practice.
"Just for the speed of the game, it helps," nose tackle Jason Ferguson said. "You can't ask Drew [Bledsoe] to take the ball and run. He doesn't do what Vince Young can do. It helps having somebody that's fast, so you know what to expect."
When the Cowboys signed Bilbo, Parcells told him to expect a little of everything: quarterback, receiver, safety. It's the same thing he told Ray Lucas when he signed the former Rutgers quarterback in New England, and Lucas developed first into a special teamer and then a starting QB for Parcells with the New York Jets.
With Atlanta coming up later, Bilbo will probably get a chance to be Michael Vick. He may get to do some things when the Cowboys prepare for Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb as well.
"It's a lot of fun, especially to get the defense a look they need," Bilbo said. "If we get the win against Tennessee, then you know you had something to do with it."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
