Boubacar Traore Entering Senior Season Healthy, Confident at Notre Dame

Boubacar Traore enters his senior season with a new defensive line coach, which might not be ideal for some players heading into their money year.

For Traore and Notre Dame, it’s been a perfect match.

Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge is one of the best in the business, with a long track record of developing players at the college and NFL levels.

Traore has already seen the benefits.

“He's been great,” Traore stated. “He's a great coach. Very sound and technical in everything he coaches and teaches. Just being able to take notes from him – him coming from the NFL and just him showing me clips of guys that he's coached has really helped me improve my game.”

The film sessions have been particularly valuable.

Traore is learning from players who have reached the level he ultimately wants to be at next year, while also receiving instruction from the coach who developed them.

The proof is in the pudding.

“Clips are more like pass rush clips,” explained Traore. “Players like Laiatu Latu. He shows me a lot of his film. There's definitely a lot of moves that he does that I've definitely been trying to mimic and add to my game.”

Partridge has also impressed his players with how much he invests in them outside of practice.

Whether it’s watching film or staying a few extra minutes after practice to fine-tune a technique, Partridge has made himself available when his players need him.

“He was out here early just doing certain things on the Stanley, teaching a certain move,” stated Traore. “Showing us moves that he's taught to guys in the NFL and stuff like that. Just showing us clips like that just helps my game a lot. It's just been allowing me to implement my game.” 

Traore enters the 2026 season with another major advantage he didn't have a year ago. Health and confidence.

A year ago, Traore was still working his way back from an ACL injury, and he’ll be the first to admit he wasn’t himself.

“As far as a confidence standpoint, last year I wasn't really confident for real, but being that far out, you don't really feel what I was feeling last year. I've just been feeling way more confident.” 

The offseason was different this time around.

Instead of spending his time rehabbing, Traore was able to focus on football, allowing him to attack the areas of his game he wanted to improve.

“It's been great, especially just being able to do more football and not more rehab,” Traore said of the offseason. “I feel like my game's been elevated throughout the summer. That's what I've just been focused on, just trying to get better every day.”

Traore has high expectations for himself this fall, but he might have even higher expectations for Notre Dame’s entire defensive line.

“We got a lot of guys,” said Traore. “We got depth everywhere. Everybody's been playing at a high level since fall camp started. Even from the spring, just now that the season's coming up, everybody's starting to do what they're being coached to do. Not saying that they weren't, but I'm just saying the season's coming up, so everybody's been super excited.” 

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