Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM APRIL/MAY 2026 31 gan said of his freshman season. "So, I've kind of had that idea in my head. Just talking with them, they believe in me. They think I have all the tools that it takes to be a three-down, all- around tight end. It's just on me to put in the work to make sure I reach my full potential." It's easy to understand why Flanigan was used in such a limited fashion last season. The Irish had senior Eli Rari- don as the clear No. 1 tight end and best receiving threat at the position on the roster. Then redshirt junior Ty Wash- ington, the No. 2 option, spent most of his time blocking. That allowed Notre Dame to get away with redshirting Fla- nigan last season. Blocking responsibilities are often what limit freshman tight ends from making an immediate impact. But Fla- nigan was different than many highly touted tight end prospects. He spent a lot of time blocking in a run-first of- fense at Green Bay (Wis.) Notre Dame de la Baie Academy. He needed more development as a pass catcher, but that's on the way. "I think what people will be surprised with, with James, in particular, is he has that tough-guy mentality that will bludgeon you, but he's more athletic than people give him credit for," Den- brock said. "He'll become that as he un- derstands it better. I think he got thrown maybe 11 passes in his high school ca- reer. I don't know how many it was. But as he understands the passing game, he'll become more of a threat there as well, which I'm excited to see." Flanigan did have a more produc- tive high school career as a receiver than Denbrock suggested. He caught 25 passes for 609 yards and 11 touchdowns in his senior season. But he certainly put a major focus on helping Notre Dame out as a run blocker and the details he needed to master to excel. "I'm just taking that and kind of ap- plying that to the pass game now be- cause that's kind of like a newer thing for me," Flanigan said. "I just feel really confident recognizing zone versus man, a feel for the game and running routes. I like that, too." With Notre Dame looking for a new starting tight end, Flanigan will get an opportunity to compete for playing time with Washington, redshirt junior Coo- per Flanagan, redshirt sophomore Jack Larsen and freshmen Preston Fryzel and Ian Premer. The 6-foot-6, 251-pound Flanigan shouldn't worry about where he fits in the mix this spring. As long as he remains on track with his own de- velopment, he'll be hard to keep off the field. MOTIVATED BETTIS TRANSFORMS The motivation hit Jerome Bettis Jr. when he didn't make Notre Dame football's travel roster for last season's opening game at Miami. As Bettis watched his teammates play the first game of his freshman season without him, he vowed to make changes. "I feel like right as the season started, I realized I wasn't really where I wanted to be Week 1," Bettis said. "They were in Miami. I didn't get to go to that game, so I was watching at home, and it kind of clicked within me that, 'Yo, I've got to make a change for myself. I've got to become more physical, stronger, faster.' So, I put my head down from there. I've been working ever since." Bettis spent his freshman season in the shadows. He played in just one game — a 49-10 win over Navy Nov. 8 — and couldn't have been much further from contributing in meaningful moments on game days. He dedicated himself to his scout team role and tried to maximize his opportunities for improvement. Bettis made sure to follow director of football performance Loren Landow's strength and conditioning program and returned to the weight room on Sun- day mornings alongside captain Adon Shuler. They were the only two there most of the time. "I feel like the little extra steps like that, doing extra reps sometimes, even when we're advised not to by Coach Landow," Bettis said. "Little things like that — just pushing a little bit more so I can get a better result. If I was to come in and do the same thing I did last year, I wouldn't be where I'm at right now." Where Bettis finds himself in his second spring at Notre Dame is among the noteworthy physical transforma- tions that were obvious when the Irish took the practice field for the first time March 20. Bettis, the son of former Irish running back Jerome Bettis, no longer looked like someone who should still be in high school while wearing No. 15. With his sleeves rolled up on a new jer- sey number (8) it was impossible to miss his chiseled arms. "I feel like it's a world of change," Bet- tis Jr. said. "Whether it's physicality at the line of scrimmage, being able to move guys where I want them to go, whether it's in the run-game blocking. I feel like it's become a lot easier for me now for sure. Blocking, being more physical. "And then even in my routes, I feel a lot faster than where I was last year. I feel like that's opened up a whole other part of my game." Now the 6-foot-2, 199-pound Bettis Jr. needs to consistently show his ability produce in practice. "He's done a good job of transforming his body," said Notre Dame wide receiv- ers coach Mike Brown. "He's a lot big- ger. I've told him, you have to be a phys- ical presence for us. He's really worked his game. He's attacking the ball really well now. He has to continue to grow. He's been a pleasant surprise for us." ✦ Redshirt freshman tight end James Flanigan could become a well-rounded option for the Irish. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER