Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 7, 2026 7 UNDER THE DOME Unleash Bubba Frazier's Speed By Kyle Kelly Before the season, it looked like freshman wide receiver Bubba Frazier had positioned himself for playing time after receiving first-team reps in practice. Even if he did not crack the rotation, it sounded like, at the very least, he would have some sort of role in the offense, especially after offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock teased it during preseason camp. "Listen, we've got some fast guys, but that's crazy fast, right?" Denbrock said, elaborating on how they could use Frazier or other players in a niche role if the game plan called for it. An offensive role for Frazier has yet to materi- alize through seven games. He's seen just 22 of- fensive snaps, all in blowout victories. Yet, wide receivers coach Mike Brown offered another assessment Oct. 27 that made it sound like Frazier should be playing more than he has. "Bubba Frazier's going to be a dude," Brown said. "If he's running slot fade, more times than not, it's going to be I'm running by a guy and catching it over shoulder." Enough of the talking. It's time we see it. There are sound arguments to be made that sophomores Jerome Bettis Jr. and Elijah Burress and junior Mylan Graham should all be playing more. Still, we have already seen what they can do. We have not been afforded the same opportunity to see Frazier in meaningful situations. It's about time that changed. The Irish need another dimension at wide receiver, and Frazier can provide it with his speed. Let Elijah Burress Learn On Saturdays By Tyler James Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock didn't hold back his honest thoughts on Elijah Burress in August 2025. In a matter of seconds, Denbrock described Burress as both "incredibly frustrat- ing" and "elite." Burress provided glimpses of his potential in the limited game opportunities given to him in the past two seasons. The first 7 receptions and first receiving touchdown of his career came in blowout victories over Stanford (twice) and Rice. But even the 30-yard touchdown pass delivered to Burress from quarterback CJ Carr against Stan- ford this season looked like some sort of mix-up with Burress and tight end Cooper Flanagan running routes in close proximity to each other. If Burress can't be trusted to do what's asked of him, that must be frustrating for Denbrock and wide receivers coach Mike Brown. But they've asked Burress to play both the boundary and field receiver positions, so the staff must trust him enough to learn both those roles. That versatility should earn Burress more opportunities to rotate in for Jordan Faison and Micah Gilbert. If he can't handle both roles, let him focus on one to help him blossom. Burress should have enough talent to work open on routes and make some defenders miss after receptions. The potential for him to create more big plays should outweigh the other concerns. He doesn't have to be a third-down or red-zone option yet, but he can take some of the workload from Notre Dame's starters even in a small role. Point ✦ Counterpoint: WHICH BACKUP WIDE RECEIVER DO YOU WANT TO SEE MOST IN NOVEMBER? Notre Dame didn't show a lot of trust in its wide receivers beyond the starting trio of Jor- dan Faison, Micah Gilbert and Jaden Great- house in the first seven games of the season. Instead of a fourth receiver stepping up, sopho- more running back Nolan James Jr. rose to the occasion as a pass catcher who can produce out of the backfield or even split out wide. Following the 28-24 loss to BYU Oct. 17, James ranked fourth on the team with 13 receptions for 105 yards and 3 touchdowns through seven games. During that span, James caught as many passes as backup wide receivers Mylan Graham (5), Jerome Bettis Jr. (4) and Elijah Burress (4) combined. Blue & Gold Illustrated caught up with James last month to discuss his develop- ment as a pass catcher, his ability to pick up extra yards and more. BGI: When did you become a guy who can run slant routes? James: "Early in high school. My freshman year [at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J.] I played varsity and I was smaller. So, I played predominantly slot. That really helped de- velop that. "And then from then I played more run- ning back, but I continued that part of my game because I got a little bit bigger. But that freshman year I was tiny, so I just played strictly slot, so I think it kind of set that foundation." BGI: How small were you? James: "Probably like 160 pounds. I'm sure that's not tiny for a freshman. We played in a pretty serious league in high school. "There's a lot of D1 recruits, so like com- pared to the other running backs and line- backers I was a little bit light at the time." BGI: Has contact balance always been a big strength of your game and how do you train it at this level when the guys you're bouncing off are a lot bigger? James: "It's always been something that's been a strong suit of my game. I think part of it is natural. But it's something I work on, strength from every aspect, traditional bal- ance, strengthening like fibers and ligaments. "Just little things that I incorporate in my holistic training, try to get it to that point." BGI: Is there any carryover with your wres- tling background? James: "I don't know for sure, scientifi- cally. But I'm sure it plays a part. A lot of those movements are seriously contorting your body in weird ways. And I grew up do- ing that, so I think it plays a part. "I don't know how big of a part, but it definitely plays a part." BGI: Is getting yards after contact as a run- ning back similar to trying to get yards after catches as a receiver? James: "It's very similar, but there are some nuances to it that make it a little bit different. The transition from the catch to the run is maybe something that some peo- ple may struggle with, as opposed to just having it in your hand the whole time. "But I do think it is similar. Once the ball is in your hands, you are a running back. That goes for every position." — Tyler James Five Questions With … Sophomore Running Back Nolan James Jr. James hauled in 13 passes for 105 yards and 3 touchdowns in Notre Dame's first seven games of the season. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER FRAZIER BURRESS