Troy Pride Jr. Coming Into His Own

Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr. is comfortable, and offenses better take notice. 

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder has been a fixture on the first-team defense this spring, and it was just a matter of finding a comfort level with the game. 

“I don’t feel like it was an issue of track translating to football,” said the two-sport athlete. “It was an issue of comfortability with myself on the football field. I had accolades in track, but managing the two hasn’t been an issue. 

“It’s been me coming into my own as a player. It's just telling myself I can make plays and do things on the field that are special.” 

You could see Pride’s game rising last fall as he started to get more and more reps. The Greer (S.C.) native might have been getting more comfortable, but he was also finding the love of the game again as his confidence grew. 

“I love the game,” stated Pride. “It really has surged back. My freshman year it was a little iffy. I was up and down. I was thinking a lot. Everything just started to slow down, and I realized it was still football. 

“Once that happened, I wanted to just go ball. Once I got over the hill, it was downhill from there.” 

Another aspect of Pride and the entire defense gaining more confidence is being in the second year of the same defense. 

Defensive coordinator Clark Lea has continued to build off of Mike Elko’s scheme but his coaching style is different, and his players have embraced it. 

“I would say Coach Lea brings a different element than Coach Elko,” explained Pride. “We have a different motivation and set of principles that we abide by. We’re going to prove that difference this year and stop being inconsistent and having up and down practices. 

“We’re going to be playmakers.” 

One of those playmakers has been early enrollee defensive back Houston Griffith. Pride has noticed Griffith’s ability to make plays, but also how the game has already started to slow down for him. 

“Houston has been making plays and doing his thing,” Pride said. “He’s in that comfortable position, and he’s just running around. He’s coming along, and it adds to the depth in the safety room. Those guys are competing every single play to make a play to get on the field.

“Everyone wants to be on the field. We’re fighting for it every play. If you come slacking, you might be a three. Houston coming along is making more competition for guys.” 

On the other side of the ball, Pride gets to push the receiver unit every practice, and he has noticed a few guys starting to come into their own. 

“The biggest that has stuck out to me is Miles Boykin hasn’t played much for three years,” Pride said. “He’s a great talent, and I can see that now. He’s a great receiver that has been making plays. I like Michael Young’s speed, and Chase Claypool has been making plays.“They will be a group that will be good this season. We’re competing with them every day, and I feel like they are coming back at us.” 

When it comes to Young, the Louisiana native didn’t get much playing time a year ago but had a big game against LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Pride has seen Young use that confidence this spring and has become a tough receiver to put the clamps on. 

 “He’s a lot more comfortable,” stated Young. “That’s a big thing. The comfort on the field is big. He’s really stepping into his role. He and I will go back and forth at it talking junk. We’re competing. He has a different level of quickness that you have to be ready for. He’ll run a route that looks like something and breaks off somewhere else, so you have to be ready for it. He’s a special talent.” 

With competition ramped up between the defensive backs and the receivers, we have seen a lot of trash talking between the two sides this spring. In fact, quite a bit more than in past years. 

“We’ve had the swagger,” Pride said. “I feel like it’s a testament to our compete level. We always want to come out as the big dog. We want to come out as the trendsetter. With us talking junk, I think that’s us competing. We’re just really playing ball, and that’s how we play. 

“Some words will get thrown out there.” 

On Saturday, Notre Dame will close spring practice with the Blue-Gold Game and Pride is looking forward to showing the fans how far they have come. 

“I’m very excited,” said Pride. “It’s going to be amazing. We’ve simulated it with scrimmages, but it’ll be amazing to be in that jersey and running around the field with my brothers making plays.”