Stats Perform has released their finalists for the FCS National Awards, and Idaho’s very own Mark Hamper and Keyshawn James-Newby received the honors of being named finalists for two separate awards.
Mark Hamper was named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, which honors the best freshman in the FCS. Hamper, being a redshirt freshman for the Vandals, has had himself a great season, putting up 41 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns on the year.
Mark Hamper had an excellent ending to his regular season, where he scored four of his five touchdowns in the last two weeks and was voted Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week in week 11 after an eight-reception, 187-yard, three-touchdown game against Weber State.
Hamper looks to become the second Vandal in three years to win the Jerry Rice Award, with former Idaho quarter Gevani McCoy winning the award back in the 2022 season.
Keyshawn James-Newby was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which honors the best defensive player in the FCS. James-Newby has had himself an incredible senior season, putting up 54 total tackles, 30 solo tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Newby leads the Big Sky in sacks and ranks 24th in the country for tackles for loss, and 14th for sacks, despite missing time with an injury. James-Newby looks to become the first Idaho Vandal to win the Buck Buchanan Award.
James-Newby has shown high success against elite competition, with great games against Idaho’s two FBS opponents with three tackles for loss and three sacks against Wyoming, earning him Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week for week two, and 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks against the No. 1 team in the country, the Oregon Ducks in week one.
Find out on Dec. 5 if one of our Vandals brings home an award when the winners of all FCS awards will be announced.