He’s spinning off defenders again. Twirling, really.

If the number on his jersey didn’t immediately reveal that it’s not Damien Anderson carrying the ball, then his technique sure did. First, he spins off a defensive tackle, then a linebacker and finally a strong safety before he is brought down.

It all looks a little wild.

“I tend to get nervous and not just relax and play,” he says.

But if Northwestern backup running back Kevin Lawrence — “K-Law” to teammates — has been nervous during his last few performances, he has certainly kept a strong poker face in front of NU’s coaching staff.

“He’s just playing more confidently,” Wildcats coach Randy Walker said. Walker also tossed in maturity and assertiveness to describe his second stringer’s performance — nothing like the anxiousness Lawrence labels himself as having.

But Lawrence has learned to play through the nerves. As NU’s kickoff returner in 2000, he watched every time as 11 monstrous men hurdled downfield at full speed, each trying to prove his might by pummeling Lawrence into the turf. Compared with kickoff returns, taking the ball against a seven-man front is a walk in the park for the spry 5-foot-11, 203-pounder.

Lawrence was on the field every game of last season.

He had standout performances against Michigan State, running for 80 yards on 14 carries, and against Indiana, scoring his only touchdown in conference play.

But this season, Lawrence has seen his role change dramatically.

For one, he’s no longer the Cats’ full-time kickoff returner. Walker said he decided to give starting running back Anderson the chance to showcase his speed in the open field. The shake-up takes Lawrence off special teams but gets him in the backfield for the first few snaps of the ensuing drive while Anderson catches his breath.

The new scheme worked for Lawrence on Saturday. Leading 7-3 against Minnesota, the Cats called Lawrence’s number for the first play of their second drive after Anderson returned the kickoff 34 yards.

With a stumble and a spin, Lawrence went over right tackle for 17 yards, bringing NU closer to the end zone, which it reached two plays later.

“We simplified the plan a little bit, kind of doing the bread-and-butter stuff we did last year,” Lawrence said. “We come out with a flurry, so I don’t have to think that much — I just react.”

A Montreal native, Lawrence has spoken both French and English since he was five years old. The sociology major says he’s even taken a few French classes at NU.

“Only to boost my GPA a little,” he said.

His English is clear, and his accent is not immediately recognizable. But it still catches the ear.

Lawrence grew up playing football in the Pee Wee leagues near his home. Lacking a more traditional high school football environment to showcase his talents, Lawrence played running back in the local city leagues.

His heroes in the Montreal city league were guys like Carolina Panthers running back Tim Biakabutuka, a fellow Montreal native who starred at Michigan before heading to the National Football League.

“(Football) is more of a pastime back home, just something to do,” he said.

As a high school sophomore, Lawrence was recruited to Avon Old Farms, a school in Connecticut, more than 300 miles away from his home.

He had a standout career at Avon, setting single-season school records for touchdowns and rushing yards. Lawrence also starred in wrestling and track.

He said that without local college teams to cheer for, many Montreal boys became fans of the Big Ten — more specifically, the maize and blue of the Wolverines.

But that was before 1995, when he watched the Big Ten’s brainy school reach the Rose Bowl.

“Northwestern sounded like a good mix of academics and athletics,” he said.

Last season, Lawrence’s primary role was on special teams, and he also served as a late-game reliever to Anderson, a Heisman candidate.

Now, he’s backing up the fourth-leading rusher in the conference. This adjustment has been as difficult for Lawrence as it has for Anderson. And as Anderson’s yardage totals fall, Lawrence’s drop right in step.

“There’s a certain target on our offense, just in the way we play, our running game especially,” Walker said. “If you give guys a rest when you can, it helps.”

But even in a down season, Walker has noticed Lawrence’s improvement.

“There are a lot of guys on this team, who in moments or snap shots, can be spectacular,” Walker said. “But it’s over the long haul, play after play — that’s in the past where K-Law’s been a little inconsistent, a little unpredictable. He’s become a much more consistent football player.”

After a 41-yard performance at Duke, Lawrence saw little playing time in the Cats’ matchup against Michigan State. But with defenses on the lookout for Anderson, Lawrence became a ready substitute in NU’s showdowns with Ohio State (55 yards) and Minnesota (33 yards).

Walker said he knows Lawrence is his go-to guy when Anderson needs a rest.

The problem is that with defenses shutting down NU’s rushing game, Lawrence knows that Anderson rarely needs to take a breather.

“Hopefully Damien will get some of those 200-yard games,” Lawrence said. “Maybe I can get in and play a little more.”