TicketsYou're from Saint Rose, La., which is roughly 30 minutes from Tulane. How cool was it going back there for the first time in your career? Did you have family there?
Yeah, a ton of family was there. I mean, it was cool, it was nice playing in front of some familiar people. I love home, I think that's the best way to describe it. I love where I'm from. But for me, it's always been business. That's where I'm at at this point in my career, it's just business. I just wanted to win. That's kind of where I was at mentally when I went home. That's all I cared about, because at the end of the day, that's what's going to look good for the team. I'm team-first, it'll always be that.
My next question was about the same thing, except it was about going back to face your former team, Notre Dame, earlier in the season. Do you feel the same way about that game?
Yeah, it was just business.
Speaking of Notre Dame, you were on a couple great teams there in 2018 and 2019. Now, you've been on a couple great teams here. Did you experience at Notre Dame help you because you've been this this before?
I would say so. But I think I've been fortunate enough to play on great teams my whole life, not just at Notre Dame. In middle school and especially high school, we were always the front-runners, we always got everyone's best shot. We always had high expectations. So, coming from some of those programs, then going to Notre Dame and coming here, it's just been normal for me. I'm competitive and I've been fortunate enough to be in winning situations a lot.
Now you've been in Cincinnati for the past two seasons. What do you like most about it here?
I love the culture. This culture is unmatched. We've got a great group of guys on the team, especially in the wide receiver's room. The one thing I can say about here, for sure, is that my teammates have the utmost confidence in me and everyone else on the team. It's infectious and it just makes you feel good. And that's not talking away anything from former teammates or anything like that. The guys on this team will always root for you and will always be in your corner, whether it's good or bad, high or low, they're going to be there. You can't take that for granted. Like I said, I've been in multiple places, and I've seen both sides. Here, we just support each other regardless things are good or bad.
The wide receiver group on this team has a lot of talent. Because there is so much talent, it's impossible for every one of you to have big games every week. What's the dynamic like in the wide receiver's room? Is there a certain sense of selflessness that needs to be there for it to work?
Yeah, coach Mike Brown (Wide Receivers Coach) instilled that in us from the very beginning. From the moment I came in, it's never been about me. And that's how I am. I hate talking about myself. It's never been about 'me' for any of the receivers. That's the way Alec (Pierce) is, Tre (Tucker), Tyler (Scott), Jaden (Thompson), Chris (Scott), and the rest of the guys are. That's just who we are, we're selfless. We are so focused on celebrating each other that when stuff happens, we don't think about anything else other than that person. If I drop a pass, Alec (Pierce) is not even worried. The first thing he says is, 'Hey, I drop passes too." And that's with the rest of the guys too, that's it. We move on. We are like the Spider-Man meme with them all pointing to each other. Like, 'Who wants the ball?' We want everyone to eat. We never think that we should have gotten more. Whoever gets the ball, they deserve it. And next game, if someone else gets the ball, they deserve it. They worked for it. We want to see everyone succeed, no matter how that comes.
Your touchdown catch this week ended up being the game winner. How special was that with all the fans there, with College GameDay there, and it being Homecoming?
It was very special. This year, I've placed such high expectations on myself. Last year I had a really good year, but this year, I started off slow. But this touchdown was a testament not just myself, but to the offense and the work we put in. Des (Desmond Ridder) trusted me, and was like, 'Well, AP (Alec Pierce) was double-covered, so Mike, wherever you are, this is going to you.' I beat the corner, and I thought Des was putting the ball on a line and it was going to hit me right in the hands. Then he threw it up, and he threw it like a punt. I realized I was going to have to adjust for this one. I'm falling and I see the defensive back and the ball, I feel the defensive back roll over me, but then I heard the crowd go crazy, and I'm like, I caught it. It was special for me. It was awesome, it was a great feeling.
You're a graduate student here at UC. Can you talk about what you have your degree in and what you plan on doing after football? What is Michael Young Jr. want to do when he's done on the field?
Obviously, we all have dreams of going to the NFL and some of us have legitimate chances. But, even then, you start thinking, what am I going to do after football? I'm one class away from getting my master's degree in sports administration. I would love to be an athletic director one day or work in a front office. Whether it's in college administration or doing something like John Widecan (Associate AD/Football Operations) does here. I'd love to do something like that or become and athletic director. Or… I have always said that I wanted to get into broadcasting as well. Getting into that field was always number one for me, and that was what I tailored my career towards at Notre Dame. Once I got here, I tailored my education to sports administration and working in a front office. So, it's either getting into administration, whether I start in high school and work my way up, or getting into broadcasting, because that's my number one passion. After that, we'll see.
Yeah, a ton of family was there. I mean, it was cool, it was nice playing in front of some familiar people. I love home, I think that's the best way to describe it. I love where I'm from. But for me, it's always been business. That's where I'm at at this point in my career, it's just business. I just wanted to win. That's kind of where I was at mentally when I went home. That's all I cared about, because at the end of the day, that's what's going to look good for the team. I'm team-first, it'll always be that.
My next question was about the same thing, except it was about going back to face your former team, Notre Dame, earlier in the season. Do you feel the same way about that game?
Yeah, it was just business.
Speaking of Notre Dame, you were on a couple great teams there in 2018 and 2019. Now, you've been on a couple great teams here. Did you experience at Notre Dame help you because you've been this this before?
I would say so. But I think I've been fortunate enough to play on great teams my whole life, not just at Notre Dame. In middle school and especially high school, we were always the front-runners, we always got everyone's best shot. We always had high expectations. So, coming from some of those programs, then going to Notre Dame and coming here, it's just been normal for me. I'm competitive and I've been fortunate enough to be in winning situations a lot.
Now you've been in Cincinnati for the past two seasons. What do you like most about it here?
I love the culture. This culture is unmatched. We've got a great group of guys on the team, especially in the wide receiver's room. The one thing I can say about here, for sure, is that my teammates have the utmost confidence in me and everyone else on the team. It's infectious and it just makes you feel good. And that's not talking away anything from former teammates or anything like that. The guys on this team will always root for you and will always be in your corner, whether it's good or bad, high or low, they're going to be there. You can't take that for granted. Like I said, I've been in multiple places, and I've seen both sides. Here, we just support each other regardless things are good or bad.
The wide receiver group on this team has a lot of talent. Because there is so much talent, it's impossible for every one of you to have big games every week. What's the dynamic like in the wide receiver's room? Is there a certain sense of selflessness that needs to be there for it to work?
Yeah, coach Mike Brown (Wide Receivers Coach) instilled that in us from the very beginning. From the moment I came in, it's never been about me. And that's how I am. I hate talking about myself. It's never been about 'me' for any of the receivers. That's the way Alec (Pierce) is, Tre (Tucker), Tyler (Scott), Jaden (Thompson), Chris (Scott), and the rest of the guys are. That's just who we are, we're selfless. We are so focused on celebrating each other that when stuff happens, we don't think about anything else other than that person. If I drop a pass, Alec (Pierce) is not even worried. The first thing he says is, 'Hey, I drop passes too." And that's with the rest of the guys too, that's it. We move on. We are like the Spider-Man meme with them all pointing to each other. Like, 'Who wants the ball?' We want everyone to eat. We never think that we should have gotten more. Whoever gets the ball, they deserve it. And next game, if someone else gets the ball, they deserve it. They worked for it. We want to see everyone succeed, no matter how that comes.
Your touchdown catch this week ended up being the game winner. How special was that with all the fans there, with College GameDay there, and it being Homecoming?
It was very special. This year, I've placed such high expectations on myself. Last year I had a really good year, but this year, I started off slow. But this touchdown was a testament not just myself, but to the offense and the work we put in. Des (Desmond Ridder) trusted me, and was like, 'Well, AP (Alec Pierce) was double-covered, so Mike, wherever you are, this is going to you.' I beat the corner, and I thought Des was putting the ball on a line and it was going to hit me right in the hands. Then he threw it up, and he threw it like a punt. I realized I was going to have to adjust for this one. I'm falling and I see the defensive back and the ball, I feel the defensive back roll over me, but then I heard the crowd go crazy, and I'm like, I caught it. It was special for me. It was awesome, it was a great feeling.
You're a graduate student here at UC. Can you talk about what you have your degree in and what you plan on doing after football? What is Michael Young Jr. want to do when he's done on the field?
Obviously, we all have dreams of going to the NFL and some of us have legitimate chances. But, even then, you start thinking, what am I going to do after football? I'm one class away from getting my master's degree in sports administration. I would love to be an athletic director one day or work in a front office. Whether it's in college administration or doing something like John Widecan (Associate AD/Football Operations) does here. I'd love to do something like that or become and athletic director. Or… I have always said that I wanted to get into broadcasting as well. Getting into that field was always number one for me, and that was what I tailored my career towards at Notre Dame. Once I got here, I tailored my education to sports administration and working in a front office. So, it's either getting into administration, whether I start in high school and work my way up, or getting into broadcasting, because that's my number one passion. After that, we'll see.