Sep. 12—MOSCOW, Idaho — On their second trip from New York to Moscow in two years, Albany University offensive linemen may be approaching Idaho’s senior edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby with admiration akin to awe.
Against third-ranked Oregon, of the Big 10, against whom he got two sacks, and against Mountain West foe Wyoming, where he got three (almost four if an offsides call had gone his way) James-Newby has shown he can be as instant as a beam of light in getting into opponents’ backfields and disrupting plays at the Football Bowl Championship level, the highest level of college football.
The Vandals in their home opener Saturday entertain the 1-1 Great Danes, who knocked Idaho out of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in the second round last year, 30-22. But James-Newby is not dismissing Idaho’s first game against an FCS foe after two weeks of standing up to FBS competition following a narrow 10-point loss to the Ducks, 24-14, and a 17-13 upset of the Cowboys, as a step down in quality.
“What is the expression? Hard work beats talent. It doesn’t matter if it is FBS or FCS. It is how much effort you put in,” James-Newby says. At 6-2, 240, he is no giant at defensive end himself, and he does not plan to come up short in effort against Albany.
The Big Sky Conference co-defensive player of the week, following his work against Wyoming, James-Newby left practice Wednesday like a guy who had just finished an especially grueling shift in a mine or similar grinding occupation. He had shucked his shoulder pads late in the workout and spent the remainder of it making big arm swings to convince a trainer that his shoulder was still functional. But he shrugged off the medical attention.
“I rolled it wrong,” James-Newby said matter-of-factly of his injury and asserted he is good to go against the Great…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-revenge-defensive-line-anchors-020300857.html
Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Publish date : 2024-09-13 02:03:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
