SOUTH BEND, Ind. — 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 almost a year to get his next opportunity.

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

“That’s what really helped me when I was gone,” he said Tuesday. “I was reading the playbook, watching a lot of football, so that’s what helped me play faster. 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 sophomore certainly is doing his part. He has played 210 snaps, easily the most of any defensive lineman. Gabriel Rubio is second at 1

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