Notre Dame Still On Mind Of 2025 RB James Simon
James Simon has stayed in steady contact with Deland McCullough since visiting South Bend for the USC game back in October.
“We talk very often,” the 2025 Louisiana running back says of himself and the Notre Dame running backs coach. “He came to see me at my school twice already since then. He's definitely been in touch with me a lot.
“It just feels great to know that I'm a big priority for him. Even knowing that he has commitments already, it's still exciting to know that I'm still a really big priority for him to get.”
The message from McCullough to the 6-foot, 198-pounder is a simple one.
“He would be able to get me on the field,” Simon says. “He wants to coach me. I'm a player who he just really wants to coach badly. He feels like he could develop me the best out of anyone else. He thinks I'm one of the best running backs and he wants the chance to coach me.”
Simon’s father, John, is the assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Grambling State.
“He loves Coach McCullough too,” Simon says of his father. “He talks to him. They're both running back guys, so they have good relationships. They both understand the same things. Yeah, he believes Coach McCullough is one of the best running back coaches in the nation and I do too. So we both kind of just agree on the same things.”
Simon would like to get back to South Bend in 2024.
“I'll be able to get out there at some point,” he says. “I want to go just check it out, see what else they got to offer and just get to see Coach McCullough again.
“Just learn more about the school and just the people, the community and also what I would be able to do there and how they'd be able to develop me to be the best player I could be.”
In addition to Notre Dame, Simon says he’d like to get to Alabama, Georgia and Texas for visits.
He doesn’t have a firm timeline for a final decision.
“I probably want to commit somewhere around the beginning of my senior season.”
Want the latest scoop on the Fighting Irish? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
Under Armour White Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2023 Motivate Half-Zip Top
