James ready to shine for Terrebonne

Nicholls to get stiff test from McNeese
August 30, 2017
I owe it to Toke, Roggie and Bada
August 30, 2017
Nicholls to get stiff test from McNeese
August 30, 2017
I owe it to Toke, Roggie and Bada
August 30, 2017

Terrebonne quarterback Keshawn James had a big season under center in 2016, but didn’t always look like the textbook quarterback.

“He plays the position in his own way,” Terrebonne coach Gary Hill said with a laugh at TGMC Media Day. “It doesn’t always look the way the instructional videos say it should look, but he makes things happen and is really productive.”


But over the summer, James said he refined his skills, thanks to diligence, coaching and a secret weapon: a tree in his backyard.

James is cooking so far in camp, showing better passing skills than he did last season while leading Terrebonne to the Class 5A State Playoffs.

In the jamboree on Friday, James and the Tigers dominated, thrashing rival H.L. Bourgeois.


James said his trick is hard work, dedication to the craft and hours spent at home with the tree – his nature-made accuracy test.

“Over the summer, I went to the Southern University camp and it taught me a lot about the position,” James said. “But I was always throwing. I was throwing my football at the tree behind my house. That would help me get my three-step drop and my aim right. I’d hit the tree over and over and over again so the ball can be on target in the season.”

Evolving into a polisher passer is one of the only tools missing for James, who is already an accomplished playmaker.


Last year as a sophomore, James started as a skill position player, but was thrust into the lineup at quarterback mid-season and with some of the most difficult games on the schedule still ahead.

But James never flinched.

He led the Tigers to some late-season victories, which helped lead the team to a postseason bid.


In several of that games, James made key plays with his legs, including several games with 100 or more yards on the ground 200-300 all-purpose yards.

Hill said he knew early in camp last year that James could be a varsity player, but didn’t have a sense that he’d be as good as he ended up.

Hill added that James is one of the more accomplished sophomore players he’s seen in a while.


“He’s skilled and he’s someone that really can make something special happen out of nowhere,” Hill said. “But he’s also a good leader. Even as a younger guy, he was never intimidated and never showed any fear for what was against us on the field. He always played the same way every game and never got too up or too down.”

James said he was proud of his body of work last season, adding that he got better and better every week as he got comfortable at the new position.

He said Hill, assistant coach Stuart Vitter and others showed confidence in him – through good and bad times. That, James said, empowered him and allowed him to make the plays he needed to succeed.


“Both our quarterbacks got hurt and Coach Hill came to me and told me I had to step in and run the offense,” James said. “From there, I just stepped up and took the position. I hadn’t played there in almost a year and I started off bad at practice, but Coach Vitter got on me a couple of times and it paid off. The next game, I had a good game with my passing and my reads. By the time the season was over, I had a total of 1,131 yards, which I was proud of.”

But now, James is eager to grow.

After many, many hours spent with that backyard tree in the offseason, James is back and has refined passing skills, which will allow the Tigers’ offense to thrive.


In Terrebonne’s scrimmage, the Tigers flourished, defeating E.D. White in a live quarter.

At the jamboree, the momentum continued and Terrebonne easily beat H.L. Bourgeois 37-14 – getting a little revenge on the Braves after H.L. Bourgeois’ Week 10 triumph over the Tigers to end last season.

James was a huge factor in the win, showcasing his new, polished skills with a passing touchdown in addition to his customary 100+ yards rushing.


James said he believes many people are sleeping on Terrebonne in a district that’s top-heavy with powerhouses like Thibodaux, Destrehan, Hahnville, East St. John and others.

He and his teammates hope to change that in a hurry in the new season.

So far in the early going, they’ve done just that.


“Practices are going well,” James said. “We’re learning new things every day. Our goals are to have a winning season and make it far in the playoffs. We think we can get that done. We believe.”

Terrebonne opens the regular season against Ellender at home on Friday night.

Keshawn JamesCASEY GISCLAIR | THE TIMES


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