Notre Dame Football

Notre Dame P James Rendell Focused on Stacking Days

By Matt Freeman

August 5, 2024

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College football players across the country spent the summer adjusting to new programs.

Freshmen arrived on a college campus for the first time, while thousands of players are starting fresh after entering the Transfer Portal.

It’d be hard to find a player who is undergoing a larger adjustment than Notre Dame punter James Rendell as he arrived in South Bend from Australia in June and completed his first collegiate practice last Wednesday.

The 6-foot-6, 219-pounder took it all in and looks to build on his first true experience as the punter at Notre Dame.

“We did do a couple of punt periods in the summer, but (Wednesday) was the first time in America with pads - with a helmet on, with guys rushing at you,” stated Rendell. “I was really excited. I really enjoyed it.”

Were there nerves? Of course. Rendell has prepared for this moment with Pro Kick Australia for months, but now, it’s real.

“There's always an element of nerves, but I try to reframe it as excitement,” explained Rendell. “At the end of the day. I'm just incredibly grateful to be here, I have a lot of self-belief in my ability. I really think that the more you're able to feed on the gratitude and self-belief, the less room there is for doubt to creep in. I try to have a really positive mindset.”

It doesn’t take long to see why the Notre Dame staff is excited about Rendell. In fact, it took about four punts to notice that Rendell could be a weapon for the Irish this fall, but it also is important for him to show growth quickly before the trip to College Station.

“We talk about stacking the day,” said Rendell. “It's just about getting better every single day in every aspect. The more times I'm out there in punt periods practicing, it's only natural to progress with that. We're just stuck in the days, getting better every single day.”

And yes, Rendell is advanced in what he can do with the football. There is hangtime, but Rendell excels in directional kicking, and that could really benefit Marty Biagi’s special teams units, which finished No. 4 in the country in efficiency in 2023.

“I think direction, along with hangtime, is probably the most important thing,” Rendell explained. “Obviously, you need distance as well. So back training with Prokick Australia, we would emphasize direction a lot.

“I guess the direction comes from playing Australian Rules Football where we're kicking into a moving target. So we have to sort of pinpoint it. If I can assist the team with my direction, it's great for everyone.”

Perhaps a sign that Rendell is trending in the right direction is the fact his hangtime has impressed Biagi, but also his teammates.

“He just continues to work,” Biagi stated. “It’s great when your players, when you pause the film, they’re looking up, tracking the ball, not looking straight ahead. When you hear the oohs and ahs consistently, I think it starts to give you confidence. It’s more for him, just showing he can do it rep after rep when called upon.”

Rendell and Notre Dame have started the process of determining his potential eligibility, which could be up to three years.

“We're working on that at the moment,” Rendell said. “We're hoping to have a response shortly. I guess the sooner that we know, the better. I'm just focusing on one day at a time, I'm focused on this season and playing my role for the team and all that other stuff will sort itself out.”