Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Craig James is at home in SIU's secondary
10/06/2016 | 3:37:00 | Football
This story appears in the Oct. 8, 2016, Saluki Football game program. The Salukis take on South Dakota State on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Saluki Stadium. Tickets are available online or by calling 877-SALUKIS.
Craig James is back at home.Â
The Edwardsville, Ill., native is in his first season as a Saluki after transferring from Minnesota, where he spent the last two seasons. Early results of the transfer for the Salukis have been great: James has started every game and been a lock-down corner for SIU. Early results for James have been even better.
"I finally get to hear my family's voice in the crowd," he said.
James was a two-sport start at Edwardsville High School, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Cameron. While Craig was getting Big Ten offers in football, he was also going to the State track meet 110 hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles, 100-yard dash and two relays.Â
"Anything 400 and under, I ran it," he said.
In football, once Missouri's first offer came in, James was a hot recruit for Midwest Power-5 programs. He narrowed down his options to Iowa State, Indiana and Minnesota before choosing former Saluki head coach Jerry Kill and the Gophers.Â
"You have to choose a place that you can see yourself living," James said. "Football might end, and you have to see yourself living and going to school there."
He played as a true freshman at Minnesota in the defensive backfield and as a punt returner, but his uncle, Kenneth Nance, Sr., battled colon cancer throughout the year and passed away after the season. Nance had been a father figure for James throughout his life.
"He was a very tough person," James said of his uncle. "He didn't give up on anything. He always fought to the end. He know he was going to pass away, but he was OK with it because he knew he had taught us everything he could."
As a sophomore, James was again a big part of Minnesota's success, but again he dealt with scary news during the season. His mother, Pamela, had a breast cancer scare, something that has affected Craig's two aunts and his grandmother.Â
"Every time they beat it, I'm thankful," James said. "Every time my mom goes to the doctor, there's that worry in the back of my mind."
He made the decision to be closer to home. Fortunately, everything is OK with Pamela, and he has new football brothers that he already had a familiarity with. James had played with or against Jimmy Jones, Chase Allen, Kyron Watson, Markese Jackson and more growing up in Edwardsville.Â
"All of those names popped up, and I knew it was a great opportunity to play with some past enemies," James said.
James and his past enemies have led a revitalized Saluki defense that has improved statistically across the board. The defensive unit is on pace for its most tackles for loss since 2000, and it's giving up 7 fewer points and 75 fewer yards per game than a year ago.
James is majoring in social work and hopes to one day become a high school guidance counselor or coach to help with high school-aged kids. But first, he has a couple seasons in Saluki maroon to make his case for playing in the NFL.Â
"I didn't come this far not to give it a shot," he said. "I see my high school buddies, my college buddies doing their thing. No reason why I can't do it, too."
Before that, he has two goals in mind: lead and win. He leads by example but will be vocal when necessary.
"I couldn't ask for better teammates. I couldn't ask for better coaches. I couldn't ask for a better area," James said.
