We are just a little over 24 hours away from finding out the fate of Notre Dame's playoff hopes for this season. In the mean time, we wanted to take some time and recognize the individual players on defense who are up for some prestigious awards throughout college football. The Irish defense didn't start the season the way that they'd hoped, but after winning 10 games in a row and shutting down almost every offense along the way, this defense is now considered one of the best in the country.
They rank 13th in the country in points per game allowed (17.6), 11th in the country in rushing yards allowed (99.3), 9th in the country in sacks (35) and 1st in the country in interceptions on the season (21). They wouldn't have been able to accomplish some of these rankings without some impact players stepping up at multiple levels throughout the season. Two Notre Dame defenders have been named to a handful of different awards in college football, and they won't come as a surprise to anyone who has watched this defense play this season.
Sophomore star cornerback Leonard Moore has been named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the best defensive back in college football based on athletic ability, performance and character. Moore was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the country. Former Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts won this coveted award back in 2023 after his spectacular season.
Moore finished the regular season with 31 total tackles, seven passes defended, five interceptions which leads the team and one pick six. The 6-2, 195-pound corner has a bright future ahead of him and it's still wild to think he has to return to college for another year. Another defensive player that was recognized from the Notre Dame defense also has years of eligibility remaining, but we haven't gotten to see a lot of him of the field until this season.
Defensive end Boubacar Traore has been named a finalist for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Last season against Louisville, Traore left the game with a knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. He was a player that could have been well utilized in the post season, but Traore was on the road to recovery. This season, he returned with a vengeance and the 6-4, 250-pound defensive end has been terrorizing offensive lines since late August.
Traore finished the regular season with 31 total pressures, 10 sacks and a combined 15 hits plus sacks on the quarterback; he leads the team in all categories. What makes this more impressive, is the fact that it only took him 11 games to hit these numbers. Traore was held out against Navy, not due to injury but due to personnel usage against the triple option offense. Both players have been exceptional for the Notre Dame defense and a big part of their turnaround. Ideally, we get to continue watching them on the field throughout the post season.
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