By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
RINCON – For Makenly Newbill, it's almost a seamless transition – a football safari that has taken the Rincon native from Tigers to Lions.
The former South Effingham standout transferred from the Savannah State Tigers to the Division I North Alabama Lions for his final year of college eligibility.
And he loves the pristine setting of his new school, located in Florence, Alabama, about an hour west of Huntsville near the Tennessee border.
"They have a real lion in the middle of campus," says Newbill about his new mascots Leo III and UNA, who live at the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat.
North Alabama is the only college in the United States with live lion mascots living on campus, according to the school’s website.
Newbill said he wasn't disgruntled with SSU, where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and had two productive years on the football field. But he still had a fifth year of eligibility granted from the NCAA because of the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020.
The 6-foot-1, 255-pound defensive end entered the transfer portal after finishing the 2022 season. The Lions, who became an official NCAA Division I member after completing their transition period at the start of the 2022 season, came roaring after Newbill.
"They have a new coach, a God-fearing man, who's going to do good things and this was a great opportunity for me," Newbill said. "I loved Savannah State. (SSU) gave me a chance to be in the light. This is another opportunity."
Although he will have only one year of eligibility, Newbill, who will work on a minor in sports management, said he liked being part of building a program. North Alabama was once the cream of Division II, winning NCAA football national championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
Last season, the Lions won only one game in the Football Championship Subdivision and rebuilding began. Head coach Brent Dearmon, an offensive coordinator from Florida Atlantic, was hired in December to start the overhaul.
A porous defense was a big part of UNA's slide. The Lions ranked 120th among 123 FCS teams in total defense, allowing 483.8 yards a game.
UNA surrendered nearly 42 points a game to rank 119th.
Newbill's skills should help. At SSU, he displayed the strength to anchor the edge of the line against the run and enough speed to rush the quarterback or drop into coverage against the pass.
Newbill earned second-team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference honors last season after leading the Tigers in tackles for losses (10.5) and sacks (5.0). He was second on the team in total tackles with 57.
Newbill went through spring practice with his new team. He said he'll be near the top of the depth chart at defensive end when fall practice begins in a few weeks.
With a chance to step up in Division I, Newbill sees some big game hunting ahead.
The Lions open the season with Mercer on Aug. 26 in the FCS Kickoff Classic in Montgomery on ESPN. Their regular-season finale on Nov. 18 is at Florida State.
"(UNA) had it tough last year, so it would be great to be part of turning this (year) into a winner," Newbill said.
