The Facts: Following up on a previous item. ... James was one of the most productive backs in college football during his four seasons in the Pac-12. 49ers HC Jim Harbaugh had a sideline view for a lot of that production, especially in 2010 when James carried the ball 31 times for 257 yards and three touchdowns in Harbaugh's final defeat as a collegiate head coach. "I have a memory like an elephant," Harbaugh said with a grin. "I never forget."

Diehards Line:James, who led the nation with 150.4 yards per game and ranked second nationally with his 1,805 rushing yards at Oregon last season, saved some of his best games against Stanford teams coached by Harbaugh. The coach best remembers how tough it was to tackle James by the goal line. "Just the unstoppable nature of him at the goal line," Harbaugh recalled. "You could not stop that team once they got inside the 5-yard line. ..." In two games against Harbaugh-coached Stanford teams, James rushed 49 times for 382 yards and four touchdowns. Now James is entering a talented 49ers backfield which includes Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, Brandon Jacobs, Anthony Dixon and Rock Cartwright. The 49ers will allow James, like all of their players, to compete for a respective role on the team. Harbaugh said James has the ability to become a punt and kick returner in his early years and will get an opportunity to work behind Ted Ginn this season. "Whatever they need me to do," James said. "I feel like I have a variety of skill sets. Returning ability, I can run in between the tackles, I can catch the ball, I can do pretty much everything they ask me to do."