New Tider
Chris James

Nickname: CJ
Birthday: 6-13-82
High School: Dougherty
HS Mascot: Trojans
HS Coach: John Reynolds
HS Position: FS, CB, QB, WR
HS Number: 3
Official Visits: Alabama, MTSU
Second Choice: Georgia Southern
Host During Alabama Visit: Jason Jones
Committed: 1-16-2000
Roommate To Be: Thurman Ward

As a quarterback last season, James passed for 900 yards and 10 TDs. He rushed for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. The final three games he played free safety and made 20 tackles.

James is a sprinter on the track team and he plays baseball. As a junior he was timed at 10.68 in the 100 meters. He says that his best 40 time is 4.32. He expects to play centerfield for the Alabama baseball team.

James is a high school teammate of another Alabama signee, offensive tackle Maurice Mitchell. He is related to Lionel James, the former San Diego Charger and Auburn great.

Q&A with Chris James

TI: Chris, your name emerged late in the recruiting process. When did Alabama start recruiting you?

CJ: They started recruiting me when I was a junior. Coach Rouzie came out and watched us practice last spring. I guess I caught his eye then because he called me last May [during the contact period] and introduced himself and introduced me to Coach Harbison. Then last September when coaches could start calling once a week, I'd hear from Alabama every Wednesday night. In December they could start calling more. I was hearing from them three times a week.

TI: Needless to say, you were probably thrilled when Alabama offered you a scholarship?

CJ: Most definitely. I was always a big Alabama fan as a kid. I would've never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to play at a place like Alabama. There's so much tradition, just like Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and places like that. Those are all tradition-rich schools. To have an opportunity to play for Alabama is a dream come true for me.

TI: Which other schools recruited you?

CJ: Alabama, Georgia Southern and Middle Tennessee State offered me a scholarship. I was scheduled to visit Georgia and Georgia Tech, but when I decided on Alabama I canceled those visits. A Florida coach, I think it was Coach Stephens, came by my school to see me once.

TI: Alabama was the only major school that offered you a scholarship. Why do you think other big schools overlooked you?

CJ: I think a lot of it had to do with playing in the shadow of teammates like Maurice [Mitchell] and Daryl Smith [linebacker who signed with GT]. We won the state championship my junior year and I was always in the background. I didn't really start showing what I could do until my senior season when they put me at quarterback and free safety.

I remember one game when coaches from Alabama, Georgia and several other schools came to see us play. We were playing Colquitt County. They had Nate French [signed with Auburn]. All the coaches were there to see him, Maurice and Darryl. They didn't know much about me. I ended up having a very good game. I had a 70-yard touchdown run as a quarterback. It was called back, but it showed the coaches what I could. I think I finished that game with about 270 yards of offense, and that doesn't include the run that was called back.

TI: You played several positions in high school. Which position are you expecting to play at Alabama?

CJ: The coaches are telling me that I'll play corner. They're hoping I can come in and challenge for a starting position, if not then at least some playing time.

Coach Harbison and Coach Rouzie say that I'm what they're looking for because of my height. They want tall corners. I'm 6-1. They also talk about my speed. My size and speed are my two biggest assets.

TI: What about your coverage skills?

CJ: I played a lot of free safety in high school. There will be some adjustments, but my speed will help me. I just need to work on my flexibility. Other than that, I feel pretty good.

TI: You mentioned your speed. What are some of your fastest times?

CJ: Last track season at a meet in Valdosta I ran a 10.68 100 meters. In the same meet I ran a 21.5 200 meters. My best time in the 40 is 4.32. I consistently run about 4.4. The slowest I've been timed is 4.5. The 40 times were hand held.

TI: In talking to several of the recruits who signed with Alabama this year, it appears that you are the personality of the recruiting class. All the other Chris Jamess seem to like you quite a bit.

CJ: [Laughing] Yeah, I became pretty good friends with some of them. I talked to Thurman [Ward] quite a bit. I can't wait to meet all of the guys. It's something to be in a class with guys like Albert Means.

TI: What are some interesting stories from the recruiting process?

CJ: On the Saturday before signing day I heard on Countdown to Signing Day that Chris Young had committed to Vanderbilt. I was like, 'What? Vanderbilt?' I couldn't believe it because Chris and I had kind of become friends. I knew that he was thinking about coming to Alabama. I picked up the phone right then and called him. I tried to talk him into coming to Alabama. He said that he was still thinking about it but that his brother wanted him to come to Vanderbilt.

TI: How much influence did you have on Maurice [Mitchell] to pick Alabama?

CJ: Really I just got a kick out of Mo. He was getting so many phone calls from coaches the last few days that his mom disconnected the telephone. He was confused a little, so I mainly left him alone. I was pretty sure that he was going to Alabama anyway.

On signing day Mo fooled all the students at school. He showed up at school wearing an Auburn cap and carrying around an Auburn press guide. Everybody was talking about Mo was going to Auburn. Then at the signing ceremony that morning there was an Alabama cap sitting on the table in front of him. When he sat down to sign, he switched caps and signed with Alabama. The only ones that knew he was going to do that were me and our coaches.