UCGrad1992
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RE: WR Michael Young transfers to UC from ND
Good find 330Bearcat. So with 2 years of eligibility he can play at Notre Dame in 2021.
Quote:Former University of Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Young is transferring to the University of Cincinnati. The 5-11, 190-pounder will be a graduate transfer, is set to play right away for the Bearcats, and has two years of eligibility remaining.
Young spoke with Irish Illustrated and 247Sports about his decision to join the Cincinnati football program under head coach Luke Fickell.
“Great, team, players, staff, city, and community,” said Young regarding his decision to be a Bearcat. “I was fortunate enough to get a chance to be around some of those people and I think that’s what put it over the top for me. I’m also a fan of what they do on offense and I see that I have the opportunity, similar to my time at Notre Dame, to go in and contribute right away and be a bigger factor in the offense. Also, can’t forget to mention the connection that I had with coach Mike Denbrock. From recruiting me to Notre Dame, to now being my offensive coordinator at Cincinnati, it means everything. The relationship we’ve built from high school up until now played a significant factor in my decision.”
The connection with Denbrock immediately made Cincinnati a major player in this recruitment. Despite a push from many programs across the country, Young wanted to play for the person who recruited him not only now to the Bearcats football program, but initially to Notre Dame from day one.
“The impact Denbrock had on this decision was huge,” said Young. “From the time he sat in my living room when I was a 17 year-old to now, we’ve always connected. Football was just one of many things we talked about and I’ve always respected that. I’m excited to play for him, not only due to our relationship off the field, but what he’s doing with the offense there at Cincinnati. I definitely see where I fit and I like what I see. There’s a great opportunity there, especially with him leading the charge, and I’m excited.”
In addition, Young really hit it off with Fickell, which made him comfortable with Cincinnati. He’s looking forward to this next opportunity and seeing how much he can improve under his new head coach.
“Coach Fickell was excited, much like any coach would be,” said Young. “He was real and honest, and that was huge for me. Having gone through this process already and being a college athlete, I knew what questions to ask and I knew what answers I was looking for. It was much easier this time around to weave my way through all the ‘recruiting pitches’ instead of honest answers. One thing that stuck with me from the very first encounter with him was when he said, ‘Look, you’ve already been through this process once, I don’t need to try to pitch anything to you, you need to see the real,’ and from that moment on, that’s all it was. It also helped that he’s very personable. I strongly believe that a coach who is personable can get the best out of his players because he knows how to connect with them.”
While things didn’t necessarily workout on the field as Young had hoped, he’s still extremely grateful for his time in South Bend, both as a student and an athlete. In three years with the program, he played in 27 games, had 17 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Beyond that, Young is thankful for all that he has encountered during this time and he leaves with a degree from the University of Notre Dame.
“Thank you,” said Young, when asked for his message to everyone connected with the Notre Dame, athletically and academically. “I truly appreciated my time there. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I’ve formed relationships, learned lessons about life, football, and myself along the way that will last for a lifetime. Notre Dame gave me the platform to become a better man and a better athlete. The least I can do is give thanks to the players, the staff, the students, the fans, and the community for embracing me and taking me in with open arms, and always having my back through the highs and lows. They gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted athletically, socially, and academically, and for that I will forever be grateful. So once again, thank you Notre Dame, for everything.”
Young arrived in South Bend as part of the 2017 class. He was ranked as a Top 50 wide receiver nationally per 247Sports and a Top 20 prospect in the state of Louisiana out of Destrehan (La.) high school. As a senior, he led his team to an 11-1 record and totaled 35 catches for 507 yards and six touchdowns. He was named a First-Team wide receiver on the Louisiana District 7-5A squad. He chose the Fighting Irish over scholarship offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Texas A&M, UCF, Virginia, and many others.
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WR Michael Young transfers to UC from ND
