Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” The point, I think, is that we should strive to be getting better all the time, rather than sitting around waiting for a magic pill that will get us to the finish line instantaneously.
The word “young” carries particular significance for college football fans. It is full of hope, yet resigned to a mediocre or worse present. I think it’s basically a way for coaches, fans and sports writers to safely lower expectations. “Sure, they can’t block, tackle, or correctly identify their team uniforms. But what do you expect? They’re young.”
