SOUTH BEND — Despite possessing the talent of a four-star recruit out of Lufkin High School in Texas coming into Notre Dame, it would have been tough for Kedren Young to make much noise as a running back in his first two seasons with the Irish even if everything went smoothly. He and the rest of the running back room were behind two eventual first round NFL Draft picks: Heisman finalist Jeremiyah Love, and Jadarian Price.
After rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in his 2024 freshman season, Young tore his ACL during 2025 fall camp and missed his entire sophomore campaign. A year later, Young is fully healthy and may finally get the chance to become a regular fixture in Notre Dame football’s running back rotation, led by No. 1 option Aneyas Williams.
“It’s all been a process, but that’s the beauty of it,” Young said. “Physically, I feel great. It’s probably the best I’ve felt in a long time. Mentally, I think I’ve had a very positive mindset through everything, relying on my faith. Trusting God, trusting the process and relying on His timing.”
Williams and Young came into South Bend together as part of the recruiting class of 2024, so seeing the latter back at 100% carried some special meaning for the former. Williams said watching Young look like his old self during the first two fall camp sessions fulfilled him personally.
During the first two days of camp, the 5’11″, 234-pound Young looked both explosive and strong. Associate head coach and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider got a closer look at those attributes than anyone.
“We’ve been teased by it; we’ve had a glimpse of it,” Seider said. “He has all the tools to be really good. We just have to make sure we get him to game one.”
Seider said he’s putting just as much focus on making sure Young doesn’t struggle with the mental aspect of overcoming a serious knee injury just as much as he is making sure he continues to stay healthy.
“You have to breed confidence in them that they can. We’re living in a world where we’ve been told we can’t do much — we can,” Seider said. “The only way to do that is we have to go out there and try. He has to get hit. If we play with good pad level, we can do the hitting before we get hit. When he plays behind his hips and his pads, he’s a powerful dude. I think he’s starting to get those strides again, and it’s starting to show up on film.”
It will still be tough for Young to become a fixture of Notre Dame’s run game with so many options for the Irish to pull from. Seider also sung the praises of sophomore Nolan James, Jr., freshman Jonaz Walton and freshman Javian Osborne.
However, without Love and Price, perhaps Young is more motivated than ever. He outlined what type of role he envisioned for himself this season, showing no indication of self-doubt.
“I think my power is my best attribute,” Young said. “I can catch the ball, I can block — that’s my biggest improvement from the last time I was out. You need me to do what you need me to do? I’m going to do it.”
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Kedren Young ready to impact Notre Dame’s running back room as a junior
Reporting by Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
