The outlook of Notre Dame's defensive line room drastically changed this offseason when Charlie Partridge elected to leave the Indianapolis Colts and travel up to South Bend to take over the coaching duties for the departed Al Washington who went to the Miami Dolphins . Partridge walked into a room with exceptional talent and after some portal acquisitions, the defensive line unit was complete.
This room has everything you need: talent, depth, size, athleticism and length. But there were some players in the room that needed to make some strides. Alabama transfer Keon Keeley, a former Notre Dame commit in the 2023 recruiting cycle, was one of those players. He had a lot to learn technically, but Partridge has seen a lot of growth from him throughout the offseason.
"He's really embraced the playbook," Partridge said of Keeley. "Not that he didn't in the spring, but we do a lot. I'm encouraged by how well he's embraced the playbook and all of the things that we're throwing at him. In the spring, it was a translation game for him. He's past that now and playing faster. You're starting to see his talent shine.
"It's hard for your talent to really shine when you're thinking on so many levels," Partridge continued about the former Alabama defensive end. That's where he was in the spring. Now, you're starting to see him execute and cut it loose. It's been fun to see his progress this camp."
Keeley is not the only edge player who's caught Partridge's attention. When talking about Notre Dame's defensive line, it's hard not to mention 6-6, 260-pound Bryce Young who is in prime position for a breakout this fall. The last two seasons, the North Carolina native has been a relatively raw player, but that's subject to change under the tutelage of Partridge and the former Indianapolis Colts defensive line coach is pleased with Young's progress.
"You're always moving onto the next thing that you're trying to work on to help him improve his game," Partridge shared. "Some of those things, he's got nailed. Some of them, he's still working on and we've moved on to some other things. He's done a really nice job improving his technique. We're just constantly, daily, trying to find every little advantage we can. He's embraced that.
"The guys have gotten used to it for the most part," Partridge continued about the entire defensive line unit. "Even if they make a good play, there's always something you could do better for the next play and he's embraced that really well. That's why he's really improved at a fast clip."
Another key member of this defensive line room is defensive tackle Jason Onye who returns for his 6th and final season with the Fighting Irish. He has the potential to be a team captain this year and is one of the solidified leaders of the defense. Partridge has been impressed with his development on and off the field during his time with Onye.
"Whether he gets voted a captain or not, he has captain qualities," Partridge stated. "He's constantly helping the younger guys. He's constantly holding the guys accountable. I won't give you the details of what it was about, but I think you guys know for roughly a month, we get a chance to go be fathers and husbands again, and our players run the practices. He put together a PowerPoint of a project that I asked the D-line to do.
"To his credit, he didn't share with me," Partridge continued. "I heard about it from another player, and I asked him to send it to me. It was one of the most impressive presentations put together by a player I've seen in, I think this is my 31st year of coaching. Again, Notre Dame's different. He does embody the things that give him [captain qualities]. And again, what a story of all the things he's been through."
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