Relationships Really Sold Notre Dame To Texas Running Back Commit Kedren Young

Notre Dame wanted a second big time back in the 2024 class and they landed that back in June when Lufkin (Texas) High School running back Kedren Young selected the Irish over a host of impressive offers. It was a big get for the Irish staff, gaining a commitment from one of the top runners in the entire country.

Sonna Young, Kedren’s mother, gave Irish Breakdown some insight into the entirety of that recruitment and why Notre Dame was the right choice.

It was a daunting recruiting process at times, which required Sonna to intervene at times. It allowed for clarity, and for Young to understand the priorities and what he’s looking for.

"The beginning of September or October of his junior year, it got pretty serious,” Young explained. "By January or February, someone is calling everyday. I am telling him that they’re calling and he is telling me that they are calling him too. He’s on the phone all the time with a coach. A holiday comes and he’s talking to literally every coach that has offered him.

"He’s not going to say it’s overwhelming unless he can’t function, but once we got to about April we were both going through it,” she continued. "We were talking to coaches, scheduling the visits, and going to spring games.”

With all the chaos, there was a need to take a step back. It’s a parent's responsibility to keep the priorities straight, and that’s exactly what Sonna did.

"He had a teacher that called me and told me he wasn’t focused,” Young said. "Now if he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t understand. If he didn’t do his assignment, he didn’t do his assignment, but not focusing in class isn’t Kedren. I took his phone and asked everyone to take a step back and give him a break. It was out of control.”

After things starting heating back up, it quickly became apparent that Notre Dame was the team to beat. From the start, there was something different about that offer and the Irish program.

"Initially, you hear Notre Dame and it means something,” she explained. "Kedren told me that Notre Dame had called and offered him and it was just different. Coach (Deland) McCullough from day one was Team Kedren. He loves all that Kedren is and is excited about him. He was very much committed to making sure we knew that he wanted Kedren. That was important to us.

"Just looking at his resume, coaching in the NFL, and the things that have come along with him, was a plus from the beginning,” she added. "We always knew that Coach McCullough was special. Being coached by him would be special. We never wanted to commit early because we didn’t want to de-commit or have regrets. We wanted to wait but we always knew what kind of coach and person he was. As time went on, learning and getting to know Notre Dame, everyone welcomed us in. That was really inviting to us, especially on the visit.”

Once they made the official visit on June 2nd, the decision was made. Young knew where he wanted to be, which he shared quickly with his mother.

"He told me ‘Momma, I really see myself around these people’,” Young said. "It is what I want. This is what I see. The visit had a major impact on him. Notre Dame presents themselves as elite. They ask people whether they want to accept the challenge. You know the standard.”

The authenticity of the Notre Dame staff is what really stood out in Young’s recruitment. It was a group effort of impressive men with outstanding character.

"Coach McCullough is going to tell the truth,” she stated. "It’s always about finding something to work on. It’s about what you can do tomorrow to be the best version of yourself. Coach (Marcus) Freeman is just a breath of fresh air. He wants to inspire the kids. He wants to show them what kind of man he is, not just the kind of coach that he is. His kids are always there, his wife, his family. That’s what young men like Kedren need to see because this is their legacy.

"Coach Dre (Brown), add him in there,” she added. "He’s hilarious and keeps us on our toes. He’s so down to Earth, and real. He let us know that they will take care of Kedren.”

From the visit, staff, fit and everyone involved, it was a no-brainer decision for Kedren Young. There was never a question how much of a priority the Texas star was.

Young is currently considered a consensus four-star recruit by every major recruiting platform. He ranks highest on the On3 ranking, sitting as the No. 92 overall player and No. 6 running back in the 2024 recruiting class. The talented runner also grades out as a Top 100 back on the Irish Breakdown board.

The 5-11, 210-pound runner chose Notre Dame over a long list of impressive programs. Some of his other top offers included Texas, Michigan, Miami, Nebraska, Texas A&M, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Boston College, Baylor, Missouri, Arizona State, Purdue, Arizona, Vanderbilt, UCF, Houston and Georgia Tech among others.

As a junior, Young was a dominant fixture for Lufkin. He was selected as aTexas District 7-5A D-I unanimous first-team honoree after he ran for 1,751 yards and 19 touchdowns. Young also averaged an impressive 7.39 yard per carry average.

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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