BILLINGS — When he arrived at the University of Idaho ahead of the 2023 college football season — fresh off an All-Frontier Conference performance at Montana Tech the year prior — Keyshawn James-Newby was struck by the speed and strength of the players in his new environment.
Transitioning from the NAIA to the Division I FCS level was a significant jump. But if James-Newby knew one thing, it's that he belonged.
"I just put my head down and worked," James-Newby said during an interview with MTN Sports at the Big Sky Kickoff media days in Spokane, Wash., in July. "That's all you've got to do. Don't worry about what anybody else is doing around you."
It didn't take long for James-Newby, at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, to convince his coaches and teammates that he belonged. He has since become a stalwart at defensive end for the Vandals and is now one of top pass rushers in the Big Sky Conference.
Entering Saturday night's game between No. 7 Idaho (4-2, 1-1 Big Sky) and No. 3 Montana State (6-0, 2-0), James-Newby leads the conference with eight quarterback sacks, and his 8.5 tackles for loss are tied for second.
It's been a circuitous journey for James-Newby, a Helena High grad whose two-season stint at Montana Tech produced 13 total sacks. As a junior in 2022, he was a first-team All-Frontier selection and led the league with nine QB sacks.
James-Newby was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and matriculated to Montana's Capital City prior to his sophomore year in high school. Looking back on his time in Helena, James-Newby said it was difficult to adapt but that it was a positive experience.
"My main friends for most of the time were really my siblings," he said. "And then I had a small group of friends, but I kept that friend group close.
"The community was supportive. The football there was good."
James-Newby was drawn to Montana Tech because of its engineering program. He is now studying political science at Idaho but has expressed interest in returning to Tech to finish his degree in civil engineering. He also has interest in entrepreneurship and trading stocks.
Right now, football is a high priority. James-Newby ended up at Idaho through a connection with Landon Gammell, formerly a graduate assistant with the Vandals who knew of James-Newby when Gammell was an assistant coach in the Frontier at the College of Idaho.
James-Newby decided to take a chance and make the leap to the FCS under Idaho coach Jason Eck. The rest is history.
Prior to this year, James-Newby was named to the preseason All-Big Sky Conference team, and he seems on his way to fulfilling those expectations.
Which are expectations he never had for himself.
"It's nice seeing the recognition," James-Newby said. "That's the best part. I promise you, I did not think I would be here today, so it's a blessing."
James-Newby and the Vandals have a big opportunity Saturday against Montana State in a game that is scheduled to kick off under the lights at 8:15 p.m. in front of a national audience on ESPN2.
The Vandals have aspirations for a playoff run. Last year's team made it to the FCS quarterfinals but was knocked off at home 30-22 by Albany.
James-Newby wants to finish his career this year with a flourish.
"I'm just embracing the moment," he said. "This is the last ride, so you've got to make memories of it. That's what I've been doing."
Montana connections at Idaho
In addition to James-Newby, Idaho has a few other ties to Montana in its football program.
Eck, who is in his third season leading the Vandals, was Montana State's offensive line coach and run game coordinator in 2015. The Bobcats were third in the FCS in scoring offense that season and ranked 18th in the FCS for rushing offense.
This will be Eck's first game at Bobcat Stadium as Idaho's head coach, but he's coached on the opposing sideline before — most recently in 2021 as the offensive coordinator at South Dakota State.
Laurel native Owen Adams is also on the Vandals' roster. Adams was a multi-sport athlete in high school, competing on both the soccer and football teams at Laurel. At Idaho, the freshman is a kicker and punter and has handled kickoff duties this season. In six games, Adams has 30 kickoffs with 17 touchbacks.
And defensive back Tommy McCormick, a Nevada native, also has a connection to Montana. McCormick's father, Tom, was a hall of fame player at Carroll College. Tom McCormick joined the Fighting Saints in 1989 and became a four-year starter, three-time all-conference player and two-time Frontier Conference champion. In 1990, he set Carroll's single-game record for interceptions when he snagged four picks in one game.
