Notre Dame’s Chris James entered his senior season with a big helping of hype.
As if a junior campaign in which he rushed for 2,089 yards and 30 touchdowns wasn’t enough, the Notre Dame running back became a YouTube darling after a workout video showcasing his 68-inch vertical jump was posted to the site in June. The clip had over a million views within a couple days of being uploaded.
And on top of that, James was undecided about where he’d play in 2014.
With an inordinate amount of attention being directed his way, James didn’t disappoint in his final high school season. He ran for 1,734 yards and 20 touchdowns to garner the Pioneer Press Offensive Football Player of the Year honor.
James’ value also can be measured by the Dons’ postseason success. As a junior, he helped Notre Dame win a pair of playoff games for the first time since 1997. The Dons made the jump from Class 6A to 8A this season, and still managed to win their postseason opener thanks to James’ three-touchdown game against Fremd.
“I always try to put the team No. 1,” James said during Week 1.
James didn’t make his college decision until after the season concluded, announcing via Twitter on Nov. 15 that he had verbally committed to Pittsburgh the same day.
“I just want to thank everyone who’s been involved in this entire process,” James said. “My friends and coaches growing up, my grandmother, who’s been there for me since the beginning. My coaches and everyone at Notre Dame. I feel so blessed and so grateful to have this dream come true.”
