Notre Dame Tight End James Flanigan Emerging Ahead of Opener at Lambeau Field
Notre Dame’s season opener against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field will be a homecoming for sophomore tight end James Flanigan.
It’s a rare opportunity for a player to compete in his hometown, inside the stadium of his favorite NFL team and on the same field where his father once played.
For Flanigan, the significance of the moment isn’t lost on him.
“It’s just really special,” Flanigan stated. “It’s just insane how lucky and blessed I am to get to play here, not only here but to play at Lambeau. What are the chances? It’s going to be really special to be around all my friends and family. At the end of the day, we have to get our job done.”
The 6-foot-6, 253-pound tight end has already had an opportunity to experience working for the Packers from a different perspective.
Flanigan and his brother previously worked for the Packers, spending time in the team shop and warehouse.
“We were in the merchandise (area),” Flanigan said. “We were in the warehouse, picking orders and packaging them. It was pretty close to the Packers (building). A cool job, just to get some experience and to work with my brother.”
When Flanigan returns to Green Bay, he estimates at least 60 members of his inner circle will make the trip to Lambeau, although not everyone will necessarily be wearing blue and gold.
“My uncles, on my mom’s side and dad’s side, went to Wisconsin,” said Flanigan. “A lot more of my mom's side. My mom went to Wisconsin. Ultimately, family is family. I hope they're cheering for me at least, but I'd understand if they're hard-rooted. It's all good fun at the end of the day.”
While the Lambeau storyline makes Flanigan’s season opener unique, his role on the field has also changed considerably since last season.
Flanigan wasn’t an early enrollee, meaning fall camp a year ago was his first real introduction to college football. This time around, he entered August with a much better understanding of what was expected of him.
“I think a big thing was just kind of experience throughout the offseason,” Flanigan stated. “I think everything here just takes time, reps and learning. Failing to grow.
“I just kind of put my head down. Focusing on getting better is what Coach Freeman's message has been to the whole team. The better you can do your job, the more you can help the team. I've seen that not only myself, but the whole team.”
Flanigan has made a move up the depth chart and will enter the season behind Cooper Flanagan, but Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock expects both tight ends to play significant roles.
“Coop is the clear starter in the room as of today,” explained Denbrock. “James Flanigan is 1B as of today, and the rest of them are guys that can play really high-level football consistently. So I'm excited about the depth in there, and I think we're going to be pretty versatile with what we can do with those guys and how we can kind of construct a game plan around them.”
The law firm of Flanagan and Flanigan brings more than just size to the field. Both have demonstrated a willingness to block, something Denbrock believes can help Notre Dame improve its short-yardage offense after some struggles in that area a year ago.
For Flanigan, blocking isn’t simply something he has learned at Notre Dame. It has been part of his football identity for years.
“That’s kind of how I was raised up in football at Notre Dame Academy, my high school,” Flanigan explained. “We were in 22 personnel the whole game, running power and counter the whole time. It was kind of the first thing, the first love of the game that came to me. I think just how it helps the identity of our team.
“We want to be a physical team. We’re kind of a run-first team. You have to establish the run to get the pass going. We take a lot of pride in being a physical team.”
The physicality comes naturally to Flanigan, but he has spent much of the offseason working to become a more complete threat in the passing game.
“That’s been more of a focus for me throughout this offseason,” explained Flanigan. “It all just takes time and reps. I feel confidence in how I’ve progressed and the upperclassmen helping me. I’ve seen great progress in that aspect.”
And while the Fighting Irish return plenty of proven talent across the roster, Flanigan believes the tight end room has a chance to be one of the team’s most difficult groups to defend.
“I think anybody can go out and play for us in the tight end room,” said Flanigan. “It's just special to be in the rotation and share the field with my guys in the tight end room and help the team get a win.”
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