SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Defensive end Boubacar Traore gave Notre Dame a glimpse of what he could do in five games last season.

Then a knee injury forced him to wait for almost a whole year to get his next opportunity.

What he learned as he watched his teammates reach the national championship game has helped propel Traore to new heights this season as he helps solidify the Fighting Irish defense.

“I feel like that’s what really helped me when I was gone, I was reading the playbook, watching a lot of football, so I feel like that’s what helped me play faster,” he said Tuesday. “I feel like my impact is just doing what I do, playing violent in the run game and getting after the quarterback.”

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound second-year player certainly is doing his part. He has played 210 snaps

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