Former Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Young (2017-19), who left the team during last year’s bye week on Oct. 19, announced via social media he will be a graduate transfer at the University of Cincinnati with two years of eligibility remaining.
With the Bearcats, he will be reunited with former Notre Dame assistant Mike Denbrock (2010-16), who is the offensive coordinator there and helped recruit Young when he was with the Irish.
A three-star prospect from Destrehan, La., Young signed with Notre Dame in 2017 and finished with four catches for 18 yards and a touchdown. The score was tallied in the Citrus Bowl against his home-state LSU Tigers when quarterback Ian Book found him in the fourth quarter with the Irish trailing 14-6 before rallying for a dramatic 21-17 triumph
The 5-10, 190-pound wide receiver/kick returner remained a reserve wideout on a 12-0 regular season outfit that advanced to the four-team College Football Playoff during his sophomore campaign in 2018.
Young snared two of the three longest receptions by wideouts that season, a 66-yard screen in a 56-27 win at Wake Forest and a 47-yard touchdown in a 31-21 victory at Northwestern. He finished the year with seven catches for 138 yards and the score against the Wildcats.
He also returned nine of Notre Dame’s 13 kickoff opportunities and averaged 21.2 yards, with a long of 48 versus Vanderbilt that helped the Irish to a 22-17 victory. He overcame a groin injury in summer camp to contribute.
After a strong 2019 spring, Young earned the starting role at X receiver, but suffered a broken collarbone in mid-August while making a leaping reception and landing awkwardly along the sideline during a scrimmage at Notre Dame Stadium.
He missed the first three contests before playing against Virginia (three catches for 19 yards), Bowling Green State (one catch for minus-two yards) and USC (two catches for four yards) for a total of six receptions for 21 yards.
In the 30-27 conquest of USC, Young broke free on the second-half kickoff for what looked like a sure touchdown before fumbling and recovering the ball near midfield.
A week later, during the bye, he left the team, preserving a year of eligibility because he had played only three games. He still finished his undergraduate studies at Notre Dame to earn his degree.
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