A devastating knee injury derailed a promising Notre Dame running back’s 2025 season before it even began. But head coach Marcus Freeman just received the update fans have been waiting for, offering hope that he could be back on the field sooner than expected.

Redshirt freshman RB Kedren Young, who missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL tear, is expected to make a comeback this season. The running back suffered the injury during the second week of fall camp in August 2025. The new update comes from the roster news shared by Notre Dame.

According to the update, Young lost 14 pounds during his 6-month knee rehab, dropping from 240 to 226, which is a positive sign that the long months of therapy and mental toughness are starting to pay off.

But his journey hasn’t been easy at all. Before suffering a knee injury, the Texas native showed promise as a freshman, rushing for 116 yards and a touchdown in just seven games. Of course, Young wasn’t really expected to lead the backfield at Notre Dame; he was the fourth option behind the explosive trio of Aneyas Williams, Jadarian Price, and Jeremiyah Love.

And even with him out, the Irish put up pretty good numbers. Love recorded 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns, Price added 674 yards and 11 scores, and Williams had 224 yards and five touchdowns.

Even though Young didn’t get much playing time, the coaches could see the talent there. Former running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider made him prep like a starter, pushing him through every practice like he might be the guy leading one day.

“I want him to always approach the game like he’s going to be a starter, because I think that kid has a bright future,” Seider said before the injury.

As Young prepares to finally hit the field, he’ll be returning to a running back room that is undergoing a significant transformation for the upcoming season.

Notre Dame reloads

Next season, Notre Dame’s running back room is going to look very different. The Irish are bidding farewell to one of the most dynamic backfield duos the program has seen in years as Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are leaving for the NFL. Love, especially, leaves a huge void because he is incredibly versatile, and it is almost impossible to find someone who can match that.

Price brought that same spark, and together they were the heartbeat of the offense. The coaching staff isn’t freaking out, but Notre Dame fans will definitely miss seeing them on Saturdays.

Well, the good news? Many talented players are ready to step up. Kedren Young returns from his ACL rehab full of energy to prove himself, while Aneyas Williams might be ready to take on the majority of the workload. Behind them, you’ve got young backs Jonaz Walton, Javian Osborne, and Nolan James Jr., all of whom bring raw talent and fresh energy to the team.

The Texas star Javian Osborne, who chose Notre Dame over Michigan, has over 1,200 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior and a career total of 4,522 rushing yards. Jonaz Walton, another dynamic freshman who racked up 1,387 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns last season, while also catching 39 passes for 646 yards and four scores, showed off his dual-threat weapon.