One of the things that makes Notre Dame football special is the tradition associated with it. It’s unique compared to any other program in the country and it’s part of what draws people to the program.
Freshman tight end James Flanigan knew more about that tradition than a lot of players Notre Dame recruits. His father Jim was a standout defensive lineman on the storied 1993 Fighting Irish team and then went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL. The younger Flanigan learned from his father how this place was different.
"Throughout my recruiting process, he didn't really try to push me into Notre Dame. I could definitely sense that he wanted me to come,” Flanigan admitted. “The way he talked about it, you could tell it was a special place. Coming here, this place has a lot of tradition. My dad coming here before, I'm excited to carry on that tradition."
A multi-sport athlete growing up and throughout high school, Flanigan wasn’t introduced to the campus by coming in for football games. It was a different sport that got him to South Bend and he experienced it before he was even thinking about playing for the football program.
"I used to play a lot of hockey − travel hockey − so there was always a Christmas tournament (at Notre Dame). We'd be down here for the holidays, so we always looked forward to that tournament during that time,” Flanigan said. “ I got to see a lot of Notre Dame before ... and get a good sense of what it was about."
History has shown that a multi-sport background is important in projecting football players, especially at the tight end position. There have been 54 tight ends drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in the last decade. 48 (88.9%) were multi-sport athletes in high school.
Flanigan gained a lot from playing multiple sports at a high level. He gained valuable experience on a hockey team that won a state championship and he’s had individual success winning state titles throwing the shot put and discus as well.
"I just want to be competitive and try to be the best at whatever I do,” Flanigan stated. “Obviously winning in football, I was chasing at that my senior year. Hockey taught me the most, I'd say, just because my first year I played for my high school I was a sophomore. I was still a young guy, and the leadership group and that hockey team kind of shaped me to go further in high school.
“Then track, I'd say track is a lot more personal. You're still a team, but you're in a single (person) event. I was there doing shot put and discus, and my dad was coaching me. So I was able to get the mental aspect of that, I'd say, because you're a lot more alone at that."
Everything Flanigan showed on and off the football field before he got to college proved why he has a great chance to be one of the next in the long line of NFL tight ends for Notre Dame. For right now, though, he’s still a freshman who only arrived in June. He’s adjusting to the everything that’s new for him and has taken heed to head coach Marcus Freeman’s message about earning the trust of his coaches and teammates. He’s just looking to find his role as a rookie in college football.
"I think it's just about doing your job. You gotta be the hardest working at what you do,” Flanigan said. “Know your role − that's [Marcus Freeman's] big emphasis. How you trust, how you go around and earn trust or see trust from other people when you see them working hard, they're trying to be the best at what they are in their role."
He’s been diving into the playbook and as he said, “keep doing what I’m doing” in terms of working hard every day and letting the coaches decide what that role is. So far he has seemed to make a great first impression on his offensive coordinator and position coach, Mike Denbrock.
“James is a competitor. He loves the physicality of the game. He loves to compete,” Denbrock stated. “He's had a tremendous upbringing. I think he understands what it takes to be really good at football, and so I'm excited for where he's going.”
Flanigan understands the challenge of having to play at a program where his Dad played and how expectations are going to follow him because of that. He’s got the right mindset to be able to handle it, though. He might be just getting started at Notre Dame, but he’s mentally prepared for what is in front of him.
"I did feel a little pressure, so it was kind of a challenge − a good challenge − to work through. I knew that people are watching me, but I also feel like it was good for me to work on it going through my career. If I have success, I'll be able to handle that success."
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