Notre Dame RB Kedren Young Leans on Faith Through Injury Recovery

Christians looking for guidance open their Bibles. That’s also where they find truth. Football players find guidance by studying their playbooks, and it’s their coaches they hope will provide them with the truth on the football field. Notre Dame’s running back room will be looking at second-year running backs coach and associate head coach Ja’Juan Seider for answers. He’s not only their position coach, but also the person whose opinion carries a lot of weight when it comes to deciding which running back should see the field.

During coach Seider’s meeting with the media on Friday, he admitted that he knew every player in his running back room could run with the football. He admitted that was the easiest trait to identify. However, he said he was searching for more than that.

What Seider Wants to See

“Can you block,” coach Seider asked of his running backs. “Can you catch, because sometimes checkdowns is our best friend. And can we keep you on the field in those situations? So those are the things I am looking for early, like retention. How much can you retain?

“Can they react in the game,” Seider continued. “You’re trying to figure out who’s confident in delivering in those situations. Our position is played on confidence. Theres a lot of pressure and expectations on these kids. They hear it and see it. How can they block out the noise and stay in the moment. We talk about staying in the dark. Be in the dark. At some point we’ll come to the light, but just stay in the dark and keep working.”

Young Starts Coming Back Into View

The running back room’s talk of darkness and light can also be found in the Bible. In Luke 12:3, Jesus mentioned that everything done in the dark would eventually come to the light. The light is finally beginning to shine for one Irish running back who has been working in darkness since before the start of his sophomore season.

“We haven’t had Kedren (Young) long enough to figure that,” coach Seider said of what Young will bring to the offense in 2026. “We’ve been teased by it and had a glimpse of it. I think he’s starting to get comfortable getting over the hesitation of coming back (from injury). I know he is excited to be back out there.

“He has all of the tools to be really good,” Seider added. “We just have to make sure we get him to game one. That’s got to be the mindset, and he’s got to have that understanding and confidence that he can get to game one. Daily strides and no hesitation. Haven’t seen any of that (hesitation) yet, which is good. I hope we can do that when we put on the pads.”

Young played in seven games during his freshman year for Notre Dame before suffering an ACL tear in August of 2025. As a freshman, he finished with 116 rushing yards, including one touchdown. During Friday’s press conference, Young expressed his feelings about his return to fall camp.

A Year of Recovery

“It has definitely been a process,” Young confessed. “I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs while trying to recover. Yesterday was a great day. I got to practice with the team. It’s good being back with my brothers.”

Running on the field with the team after being sidelined for nearly a year due to injury was possibly a glimpse of the light coach Seider had spoken of. It was also a testament to the hard work Young was putting in during his trial of darkness.

“Physically, I feel great,” Young admitted. “It’s probably the best I’ve felt in a long time. I’m almost a year post-surgery. So, I feel the best I’ve been through this whole process. And mentally, I feel like I’ve had a very positive mindset through everything, just relying on my faith, trusting God, and trusting the process. I’m just relying on his timing.”

Faith Through the Process

Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs believers to “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Young’s mindset during the past 12 months was no different than that of any other Christian going through a tribulation who also turned to the Bible for truth.

“I’ve been reading my Bible a lot and just relying on God,” Young stated. “Not everything is supposed to go how you want it to go. It is supposed to go how God wants it to go. So I’ve been taking the time to take a deep breath, talk to him (God), and trust in Him. And yesterday was the result. I’m back out playing with my brothers, so its great just relying on God.”

The Role Young Believes He Can Fill

The results of relying on God may not only benefit Young, but they may also provide coach Seider with the exact running back he was hoping would shine through at practice.

“My power is my best attribute,” Young confirmed. “But I can catch the ball. I can block. I think that’s my biggest improvement from the last time I was out was my blocking. I can do everything. Obviously, I’m a bigger back, but if you need me to do what you need me to do, I’m going to do it.”