Notre Dame’s coaching staff had confidence that junior defensive end Bryce Young was in line for a breakout season as fall camp came to an end.
Through two games, the 6-foot-6, 260-pounder appears to be on track to do just that.
Young has tallied seven tackles and leads the Irish with 3.5 tackles for loss. He has also recorded a sack.
The success hasn’t surprised Young.
He believes the experience he gained over the last two seasons has allowed the game to slow down, which has helped him play faster.
“I guess you could say all of the above,” Young said when asked if the game was slowing down, allowed him to play faster. “Just playing with clarity and focus and also having the experience under my belt to do that has been helpful.”
Young has also taken a mature approach to his preparation and it starts with showing up every day.
“It means consistency and the ability to stick to a routine, even when you might not feel motivated,” explained Young. “Having the discipline to keep doing that because everybody can be motivated at some times, but what you gonna do when you're not motivated?”
The Charlotte native has found early success with a cross-chop and an inside dip move.
It’s a move that wasn’t in his toolbox a year ago with the level of consistency he wanted.
Young quickly credited defensive line coach Charlie Partridge for helping him develop the move during the offseason.
“There was definitely a lot of work with Coach P, especially whether I'm just going inside now on the stunt or selling it upfield,” Young said. “When I'm selling it, it needs to be intent up the field first, and then a hard jab inside. If I'm just going in, I just got to be with speed, and I got to redirect fast if you try to wash me down.”
And that’s just one of the moves Young has added to his arsenal.
The Notre Dame legacy is now setting up offensive tackles with moves and counter moves, a sign of how much the game has slowed down for him.
“It's always a game,” stated Young. “Pass rushing, that's what I've learned. If I beat him with speed on one rep, I know he might overset me, so now I'm gonna sell him with speed and then come inside.”
Young’s growth hasn’t been limited to his work as a pass rusher.
He’s also become a force in the run game in 2026, which has allowed him to stay on the field more consistently.
“As a run defender, I would say my initial strike,” Young said of where he’s improved in the run game. “In that, to the point of contact, I've gotten a lot better. If you have a good strike, it's a lot easier to manage things from there. That has helped me make more plays.”
That development will be put to the test Saturday. Notre Dame enters its clash with Michigan State boasting one of the nation’s top run defenses, allowing just 2.1 yards per carry.
The Spartans have one of the nation’s top running backs in Cam Edwards.
Edwards enters Saturday’s game with 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns. A year ago, he ran for 1,240 yards and 15 touchdowns at UConn.
Young knows the Irish defense will need to be sharp.
“He's a very explosive back,” said Young. “Kudos to him. I'm excited to go out there and see what our defense can do. We've been working at it to tell the scout team, like, ‘Y'all gotta give us a good look.’ We're excited.”
Want the latest scoop on Notre Dame Football and Recruiting? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Under Armour Golf Leprechaun Aura Stripe Polo
