Kedren Young Healthy, Ready for Carve Out Role at Notre Dame
Running back Kedren Young arrived at Notre Dame in January to get a jump on his freshman season after rushing for almost 4,000 career yards at Lufkin High School (Texas).
Young then suffered a minor setback during spring ball as a hamstring injury slowed him down, keeping him from essentially practicing when the pads came on.
Still, the Texas native was able to make the most of it. Young soaked in the knowledge from Deland McCullough and his peers.
“Definitely mental reps from my teammates and just learning from an outside view of everything and how everything works,” Young said of the benefits of being an early enrollee. “Then also, just learning myself and my body.”
The hamstring didn’t linger too long as Young was 100 percent about three weeks after the Blue-Gold Game, which means he was full go for Notre Dame’s summer program. In fact, Young probably looked forward to the summer workouts more than most of his teammates due to him missing a chunk of spring practice.
“It was great just working with the guys and being able to be out there,” stated Young. “Sometimes, when you’re not out there, you feel kind of frustrated. But just being out there and working with them was everything.”
Young also spent plenty of time with Loren Landow over the last few months to get his body and weight where he can best perform, which included losing weight as it may have had a factor in his hamstring issue.
“I was like 238 at one point and there was like a lot of thoughts of maybe I was like too big,” Young said, who is down to 227. “I’ve never handled that weight before. When I was running and I turned, that’s when I felt the pull. It was probably just the weight. I mean, who knows, but that’s a big factor when I haven’t handled that weight before.”
“Coach Landow and even the trainers and everybody. They helped so much with getting me better and getting me fully healthy.”
Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price will likely be the head of the stable this season as both proved they could make explosive plays behind Audric Estimè last season. That said, there is plenty of playing available behind them, especially with junior Gi’Bran Payne expected to miss the season with an ACL injury.
“Whatever I can do to help the room,” explained Young. “Whether it’s short yardage, whether it’s third down, second down, first. Whatever I can do to help the team.
“I love how Coach McCullough’s system works. Everybody has a role and whatever role you have, detail it. Do your job. So, whatever role I can get, it may be short yardage, but if I get that role I’m going to do my best.”
Young could carve out a role as a freshman as he is a power back with speed and with Payne out, it could be his ticket to the field.
“I’m the biggest back out of all of them,” Young stated. “I mean Jeremiyah’s really fast. I’m not going to be as fast as Jeremiyah or Aneyas is really fast also. I’m not going to be as fast as them but I feel like for my weight I move pretty good and I’m not worrying about trying to be faster than everybody else.”
The other key to the field for any of McCullough's backs will be pass protection. It’s an important and overlooked part of the game and it will be essential this year as Notre Dame breaks in two new tackles on the outside.
“I’m getting a lot better,” said Young. “Coach McCullough does a great job teaching us how everything works. D3, that’s the thing. So, being detailed, disciplined. He gives us a good run out of everything. He’s so detailed and he teaches us the best.”
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