If you are a fan of Vandal football, I am sure you have heard the phrase, “Sack by Keyshawn James-Newby” plenty of times. The senior defensive lineman has made his presence felt by quarterbacks across the nation ranging from Eugene to Albany. But what if I told you this dominant force wasn’t always a Vandal?
Keyshawn James-Newby played at Helena High School in Helena, Montana, and was originally committed and played at Montana Tech, a NAIA program in Butte, Montana.
In his time with the Orediggers, James-Newby was able to post 40 total tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks in his 2022 campaign. His success with Montana Tech helped him gain traction to transfer to another school.
Keyshawn James-Newby has to do a ton of work to get himself noticed coming from a NAIA program, having to make his own connections, which eventually got him to Idaho for 2023.
“Transferring out of there was difficult, transferring from one division to another, NAIA to division one FCS, it was very hard for me,” James-Newby said. “I was able to adapt to it, and it really was only hard getting out of there since there is no transfer portal, so you’re contacting and emailing every coach for a shot.”
In his initial season with Idaho, he had himself a respectable season, posting 38 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks, and was an impact player on the 2023 team that reached the FCS Playoff quarterfinal.
“I think last year was a big chapter for this team. I think that how we are playing this year we are learning from last year how to learn from our mistakes, and always starting fast,” James-Newby said. “We always talk about doing your 1/11th right, that has been so important to us I can’t even tell you enough.”
The Vandals have recently hired a new defensive coordinator for the 2024 season, Coach Dan Jackson, who was previously Vanderbilt’s defensive backs coach. With this coaching change, James-Newby and the Vandals defense have seen a revamp of defensive schemes, which has been the fire for this year’s team success.
“I like the way Dan Jackson has his defensive scheme. I think he’s a smart guy too, putting up a specific play against a specific offensive formation. He’s really good at that,” James-Newby said. “As for the way our team reacts to it and handles it, I think we do very well in everyone doing our job.”
James-Newby currently sits at seven sacks on the year, already surpassing his sack total of five from 2023. He also ranks second in the nation for the FCS, with five of his seven sacks coming against FBS competition, putting up two sacks against Oregon, and three sacks against Wyoming. James-Newby also has 23 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four QB hits, and two forced fumbles on the year, proving his dominance and leadership within the Vandal defense.
“Those three sacks from Wyoming? That was the best feeling ever. I don’t even know how to explain it,” James-Newby said about his favorite moment this season. “If I could relive those three sacks again, it just felt like bread and butter, it was just sick.”
Keyshawn James-Newby and the Idaho Vandals look to continue their defensive success in their upcoming game on Saturday, Oct. 5 against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at 2 p.m. If you have the opportunity to watch the game, make sure you keep your eye out for big #1 on defense making plays.