Whenever your name is mentioned in the same breath as Stephon Tuitt, that’s probably a good thing. Especially if you play defensive line for the Fighting Irish.
That’s the case for Boubacar Traore. His pick-six against Purdue was the first one for an Irish D-lineman since Tuitt did it against Michigan in 2013.
It’s the first interception for any Fighting Irish defensive lineman since Daelin Hayes in 2020, as well.
Only one time in the past 30 years has an Irish defensive lineman returned one longer for a touchdown — nose tackle Alton Maiden took one 44 yards to the house against Navy in 1994.
“I didn’t even think it was going to come to me,” Traore told the South Bend Tribune when asked about his 34-yard touchdown return of the errant Hudson Card pass. “When I saw the ball, I just had to make the best out of the situation. I got the ball and just ran.”
With fellow lineman Jordan Botelho out for the season with a knee injury, and defensive end Josh Burnham question for this week’s home game against Miami of Ohio, the redshirt freshman Traore might be on the move against the Redhawks.
If so, he told the Tribune, he’s ready.
“I already knew what to do at end because the Vyper and end position aren’t too different,” Traore said. “The preparation was still the same. I was in the playbook a little more this week. It was fun playing in the end position.”
Vyper, for those who don’t know, is a hybrid position that is essentially a rushing end.
Traore is young, but he might be able to shore up a stout but injury-plagued defensive line.
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