Notre Dame running back Nolan James Jr. might be listed as a sophomore, but you’d never know it.
The New Jersey native has been through two spring practices and a fall camp, experiences that have prepared James to enter this year’s running back competition without being overwhelmed by the moment.
“I remember my first fall camp and the walk-throughs at night,” James stated. “I was a little bit jittery for him, just because I wasn't 100 percent sure what I was doing.
“Now it's just a walk-through. I know what to do. I was just checking each box and just doing what I got to do. It's just the confidence I have is a little bit different.”
James is also prepared for the mental grind that fall camp can put on a younger player. Learning the offense is one piece of it, but staying patient and engaged while reps are split is another.
During his first fall camp, James learned the importance of being ready when his number was called. Last fall, Aneyas Williams and Kedren Young dealt with injuries and James suddenly found himself getting meaningful reps.
“Towards the end of the camp, we had some guys banged up, and I ended up getting a decent amount of reps with ones,” recalled James. “I think that mentally prepared me a little bit for what this spring and this summer were going to prepare me for. I think I'm handling it well. I got a lot of time with the ones this spring. I think I'm doing a fine job adjusting to it.”
Now, James can see the opportunity waiting for him.
A year ago, he was behind two future first-round draft picks and a returning Aneyas Williams when fall camp ended.
This year, James isn’t simply competing for a role. He’s competing for the opportunity to become Notre Dame’s No. 1 running back.
“Coming into it, this was kind of always the plan,” explained James. “I knew what I was getting myself into last year. I wasn't naive to that fact. I knew who was in front of me. I knew what they were capable of. I always kind of had my eyes set on this year and going forward.
“I've put in the work, and I'm extremely ready for this opportunity. I'm just ready to take advantage of it.”
James played in four games and rushed for 37 yards last fall, but the 5-foot-10, 215-pounder has already shown the ability to make defenders miss while also bringing some power to his game.
That versatility could make him a dangerous weapon as his role expands.
“Just realizing what runs and what scenarios you've got to pick and choose where to use certain aspects of my game,” explained James. “Certain times it calls for a little bit more finesse to make people miss it. Sometimes you've just got to put your shoulder down, put your head down and just run through a couple people. With reps and seeing defenses and knowing situations, it helps you realize when things are useful.”
Another area of strength for James is the ability to catch the football. In fact, that’s been a focus this offseason as more game reps will come his way this fall.
“I think pass catching is definitely one of my strengths,” said James. “I'm just trying to work on my game as a whole and holistically. Whether that's in pass protection, running the ball, pass catching.
“One thing I'm really working on, especially when I'm moving out to the slot, is reading coverages. Different routes, I want to know where the soft spots are in the zone, so I can be advantageous in that position.”
James lived with quarterback CJ Carr last summer, so he is ahead of the curve in reading coverages and defenses. That said, the goal is to see what Carr sees, and the two have continued working to be more cohesive.
“We just talk through a lot of scenarios,” stated James. “We're on the same page. He may see something different than I do; whether it's in the run game or the pass game, we're on the same page. He knows where I'm going to be. I know where he wants me to be.
“Same thing with even the receivers. I talked to a lot of the older receivers about route running stuff. They run routes more than we do, so I just want to know where they see on certain routes, where they like to sit and stuff like that.”
It’s clear James is more than comfortable heading into his second year at Notre Dame and that can be traced back to recruiting.
The Irish have made waves in New Jersey over the last few years and James believes it’s because there is a lot of common ground.
“We have a lot of guys from Jersey,” said James. “I remember Adon, an older guy, and he's a guy who I was close with growing up. I think it's really the coaching staff. I think they kind of resonate with the culture that is in New Jersey, especially my coaching staff in high school and the other coaches I'm aware of around the high schools in Jersey.
“I think that they kind of mesh up and marry up together, and I think it resonates with a lot of guys.”
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