As Notre Dame kicks off its fall camp, all eyes are on the running back position. Replacing Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price has been a major focus for every analyst. At the very beginning of camp, quite a bit of the talk has been about Aneyas Williams and Jonaz Walton. However, there's one returnee who has been largely overlooked who could make some real noise. Kedren Young is back and shouldn't be discounted when talking about who might get a ton of carries in 2026.
The junior running back tore his ACL last August, which is the main reason there hasn't been much talk about him since then. He sat out most of spring practice as well, further making it look like Williams and Walton were the favorites to be No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in touches at running back. However, Young is now back on the practice field and looking to return to a leadership position.
Young has been working out with Notre Dame teammates over the summer; however, he spoke to the media after a recent practice and explained why offseason workouts feel different from practices. Especially just weeks away from the regular season.
“It’s been a process,” stated Young. “I've been through a lot of ups and downs, trying to recover and everything. I got to practice with the team. It's good being back with my brothers. That's the beauty of it, you get to accomplish everything through the recovery and everything, and now I'm back.”
Notre Dame football gets Kedren Young back after ACL recovery
Young said that not only is he back and ready to go, but he feels better than he has in a long time. It's possible that, by essentially missing the most strenuous effects of practice, he's been able to come back fresh. That's certainly something that should have Notre Dame opponents plenty worried.
Head coach Marcus Freeman has long talked about his team having a "next man up" mentality when it comes to any big stars getting hurt. That's part of the reason why Young has been overlooked by some. With Williams and Walton looking as good as they have in practice, Young could be compared to Wally Pipp, the old New York Yankee who lost his job to Lou Gehrig.
There's also the fact that Young really hasn't gotten to show what he can do. In 2024, he carried 21 times for 116 yards and a touchdown. However, that August ACL tear meant he didn't play a down in 2025.
That gave Williams, especially, a leg up, as he was the primary ball carrier after Love and Price. It stands to reason that he'll be the starter, at least to open the season. That still leaves No. 2 wide open in a system that has long leaned on two backs as the primary rushers.
Kedren Young is back on the field and competing again. His addition to a talented running back room gives Mike Denbrock and Marcus Freeman another option. It gives Notre Dame opponents yet another talented player to worry about.
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