Anthony Newman eager to lead ‘homegrown’ West Linn Lions

Bring up the name “Anthony Newman” to most in the state of Oregon and his playing career immediately comes to mind.    The Oregon Hall of Fame (2006) defensive back and high NFL Draft pick was a legendary football star — from Beaverton High School to the Oregon Ducks to his decade-plus in the NFL.    Some might mention his high school coaching career — Central Catholic (2007-2019) and West Linn (2020-2025) — where Newman's defenses have been the not-so-secret weapon for several state championship teams.   But on a granular level, it is striking to hear people describe Newman, the man.   He's beloved by the communities he impacts - from the youth programs to high school athletes - and is admired for both his football acumen and his kindness.   Frankly, it's difficult to establish what stands out more: his character or his football resume.   So, when legendary coach Jon Eagle announced this would be his final year coaching many assumed the heir apparent would be Newman.   But it wasn't that easy.   Newman was once viewed as the obvious choice to replace Chris Miller.   At the time, however, it wasn't something Newman wanted.   “When Chris called me and said he was leaving, he told me I would be the new head coach,” Newman said. “And I said I didn't want the job.”   The reasoning behind that isn't that complicated, but it might be rare in an achievement-oriented world.   Newman preferred coaching his players and game-planning to the administrative responsibilities that come with the "head coach" title.   “When you're the head coach you are doing more than just football,” Newman said. “I didn't want to do that. I wanted to do the X's and O's compared to dealing with a parent after the game. As a DC, I would just direct them to the head coach.”   That changed in West Linn.   “In this community - I can do this,” he said. “I have a great staff around me, a community who believes in me and this will be fun. I think the community in West Linn gave me the confidence to say I could be the head coach in this community and program because of the support I've received.”   That support was something he felt immediately upon stepping into his defensive coordinator role in 2020, but the timing is right.   “I'm closer to the end of my coaching career (than the beginning), but if I get out of this game I need to at least have tried being a head coach before I stop coaching,” Newman said. “It's a perfect fit and I enjoy the heck out of it.”   Sprinkled into his answers, Newman can't help but talk about his players, including former linebacker Earl Ingle, who stopped by to see him this week with a big hug that lifted Newman off his feet.    “We were just so happy to see each other,” he said. “That right there is the best feeling in the world.”   That closeness has been a staple of the West Linn football community for years, and it was something Eagle continued to cultivate during his short tenure.   Newman insists it will be a staple of his “homegrown” program.    “That's huge,” he said. “We're all about the youth, because they are our future. Coach Jon Eagle started this and we all bought in… making sure that we understand the community is a part of us. And we want to reach out to the community, which includes the youth football players, because we are going to coach those young kids in high school. When we hire somebody we tell them that we hope they plan on staying five or six years. This is home. The reason why we do that is that we want the kids to know that when they get to high school their coach is still going to be there. That's a family connection we built in West Linn.”    Newman will be tasked with keeping that winning community together.    Most will tell you there's no better man for the job — even if it took some coaxing.

Bring up the name “Anthony Newman” to most in the state of Oregon and his playing career immediately comes to mind.