Boubacar Traore certainly made his starting debut one to remember in South Bend.
Irish fans might remember his interception and return for a touchdown a week ago against Purdue, but few knew about his ability to wreak havoc on both the run and pass game. The 6-foot-4 sophomore defensive lineman from West Roxbury, Massachusetts was tasked with filling in the hole of graduate defensive lineman Jordan Botelho against Miami (Ohio) and exceeded all expectations anyone could have placed on his broad shoulders. The Irish look to have another dominant edge threat as they enter the most important game of the season against Louisville.
Boubacar is not the first person in his family with hopesnof playing in the National Football League. His older brother Badara Traore played for LSU, where he started three games and was an undrafted free agent. Bouncing around to the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, Badara was waived by the Panthers in 2024. Playing on the other side of the football with his smaller and more explosive frame, Boubacar had immense success at Catholic Memorial high school in Massachusetts. Traore was a dominant force on the defensive line, playing end, outside linebacker and tackle. His versatility at 240 pounds was what made his play on the field even more intriguing for coaches across the country. With offers from Michigan and Notre Dame among others, he chose to play in South Bend under defensive coordinator Al Golden and defensive line coach Al Washington.
Playing just one game against USC in 2023-24, Traore recorded one sack and a forced fumble in Notre Dame's dominating, 48-20 win against the rivals from California. Traore was an ideal fit for the vyper position (defensive end lining up at the boundary who can rush or play in coverage) coming into the 2024 season, but no one expected him to make an impact so soon. Injuries to junior defensive lineman Joshua Burnham and Botelho thrust Traore into an impactful role, and he has made the most of his time in the first third of the season. This season, Traore has recorded a total of 11 tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and one interception for a touchdown.
Addressing the play of the vypers for the Irish, head coach Marcus Freeman said, “Boubacar is playing at a high level. He's been playing at a high level the first three games, and he's continuing to progress. And so we need [both him and junior defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka]. I’m proud of the way they performed today.”
Traore was a force not only in the pass, but also the run game. He was weaving around offensive linemen, setting the edge on run plays and generating serious push on the outside runs. Traore’s ability to mix up his looks and see space to rush the quarterback is what gives him the special ability to be a game-changing force from the defensive line. Only a sophomore, Traore will have more opportunities to develop working alongside veterans including Tuihalamaka and graduate defensive lineman Howard Cross III. Despite the Irish offense’s woes, Notre Dame’s defense has proven to be formidable in the secondary and especially the defensive line. With Traore’s breakout in the season so far, the Irish have been able to reload at defensive line with the toughest games ahead.
When asked about how he hopes to continue his success, Traore said he was “just continue to keep my head down and keep working.”
Traore will certainly have to work next week as he lines up across from Monroe Mills (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) and Jonathan Mendoza (6-foot-9, 310 pounds) for the Louisville Cardinals. As Traore’s role has increased, so has his production. Irish fans should keep a lookout for the No. 5 on the Irish defense as the season progresses.
