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Ex-QB Young Returns to Texas Roots

AUSTIN, Texas – The University of Texas has hired former Longhorns quarterback Vince Young for community relations and fundraising, a $100,000-a-year job created specifically for him that wasn’t posted to attract other applicants.

Young led Texas to the 2005 national championship before turning pro. He hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season NFL game since 2011.

Young earned his bachelor’s degree in applied learning and development from Texas in 2013. Starting Sept. 1, he’ll be a development officer for program alumni relations within the university’s Division of Diversity and Community Excellence, which works with first-generation college students and others from low-income backgrounds.

In a statement released by the school, Young called the job “a great way to stay connected to the university and help make a difference in the lives of underserved kids across the state.”

Young was hired through a direct-appointment basis, which requires approval by the school’s human resources department but not a job posting.

Gregory Vincent, vice president for diversity engagement, called such hires “rare” and said the chance to get Young was a “unique opportunity.”

“He is one of the iconic figures in UT history, but what we are really impressed with is his connection with communities and young people that we serve,” Vincent said.

Young has a history of volunteering with school engagement programs, including the Neighborhood Longhorns academic incentive program geared toward children in 2nd through 8th grades, since his days in college, Vincent said.

“We feel like he’ll be a great ambassador and fundraiser for that program,” Vincent said.

Young didn’t have to fill out an application or submit a resume. He was interviewed by Vincent and another department official.

“We knew firsthand the work he’d done with us,” Vincent said.

Vincent called Young’s $100,000 salary fair and “far from the top of the range in what development officers make.”

The department is funded through several mechanisms, including as grants and endowments, Vincent said. Young’s salary will not be paid from tuition revenue or money meant for teaching, Vincent said.

After his college football career, Young was drafted in the first round by the Tennessee Titans and was with the team for five seasons. He started three games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011. He spent part of two preseasons with Buffalo and Green Bay. Young was signed May 1 by Cleveland, but released after the Browns drafted former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M.

Young filed for bankruptcy protection in January, but the case was quickly dismissed after he reached a settlement in a pair of lawsuits that let him to pay his principal creditor.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

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