Partridge fuels Notre Dame's defensive line, with key players like Traore and Young showing significant progress and new transfers quickly making an impact.
Former Indianapolis Colts and Pitt Panthers defensive line coach Charlie Partridge made quick work in getting to know his unit and get to work this spring. Yesterday, Notre Dame wrapped up their seventh practice in spring training and they're rapidly approaching the Blue Gold game at the end of the month.
Last season, Notre Dame had the most underrated defensive line in the country and led college football in total pressures at the end of the regular season. Now, Partridge looks to take this group to the next level and has a strong foundation led by rising redshirt junior Boubacar Traore.
"I'll go from practice one to now just finishing practice seven, and I have seen strides," Partridge shared. "I'm feeling the unit, which obviously includes him, rushed together. They make intelligent choices around the quarterback and have an understanding where the weak spots are in lanes based on protection and or call.
"I think he's taken big strides that way, and I'm proud of him for that," Partridge continued. "He's a strong guy, so he's done a good job setting edges. Now he's condensing and setting the edge more than I've seen in the past. So he's taking strides in both of those areas for sure."
Traore isn't the only defensive end that's turned some heads this offseason. Rising junior Bryce Young, who many have tabbed as a leading candidate for a breakout year, is also having a strong spring training session. Young played in meaningful minutes as a true freshman and entered the starting lineup as a true sophomore. Now, the 6-6, 260-pound defensive end is taking the necessary strides to become and impact player on the defensive line.
"The thing that I think he's doing a good job of learning is angles in the pass rush," Partridge explained. "How to get his body pointed to a point at the threshold of the rush where it's important. You know, I think at times last year, everything was up-field so you may have a flyby or no option to counter or adjust his rush if the first one doesn't work. He's now got multiple choices at the top of his rush because he's getting his body in a good position between that five-yard and eight-yard mark within the rush. That's where I've seen the most growth from a pass rush standpoint."
Notre Dame also has a trio of transfer portal players that are finding their footing and making a strong impression at the midway point in spring practice. Alabama transfer Keon Keeley, Pitt transfer Francis Brewu and Oregon transfer Tionne Gray will all be valuable members to the defensive line rotation this fall. Partridge took the necessary steps with schematics and fundamentals to get them to where they need to be.
"Those are spokes in a wheel," Partridge said. "If you abandon one for the sake of the other, it's not going to work. We really have to lean in on both; I think if you give too much attention to just one of those, it's going to be hard to see growth. If you have a ton of mistakes because they're not learning the system.
"But they're great technically, you have a problem," Partridge continued. "Same thing the other way. If they're playing with bad technique but executing, you've got a problem. We're working to help them in both, and that takes some extra time and extra studying on their part, and I think they're putting in the work."
The defensive line for the Fighting Irish have the opportunity to be an elite unit this fall. At the bare minimum, they'll be an extremely talented, powerful and big unit that will play it's part in Notre Dame having an elite overall roster from top to bottom. Partridge has this group firing on all cylinders and ready to take on the season.
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