'Law Firm' pushing each other's success

INDIANAPOLIS — Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. shared a quick moment not long after they got to field level at Lucas Oil Stadium on Wednesday morning to coordinate Big Ten media day schedules.
Not that the Illinois defensive tackles would be separated all that often.
The occasional individual interviews happened. Newton and Randolph had their own platforms — more dais than podium — for 30 minutes worth of back-and-forth with the Big Ten media day contingent Wednesday afternoon. But more media opportunities than not paired the two together.
It’s inevitable at this point.
Bret Bielema dubbed his pair of defensive tackles the “Law Firm” following Illinois’ nine-overtime upset at Penn State in 2021. The Illini coach liked how their last names sounded together. Like they’d be the ones you would call to get out of trouble.
Not quite two years later, the “Law Firm” is still going strong. The idea launched name, image and likeness opportunities for the pair, including limited edition T-shirts last fall with another batch coming this season.
On the field, Newton is projected by some as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Randolph, whose long-term potential at that level might even be higher, will likely also hear his name called next April in Detroit.
Newton and Randolph continue to push each toward that goal. They might have different playing styles, different strengths on the defensive line and different personalities, but they’ve melded into a pairing that will be be at the heart of Illinois’ attempts to stay on top of the college football world when it comes to stingy defenses.
“I think they get a natural pairing just because of their position,” Bielema said. “Their personalities are huge. I did it, right? Literally, in a press conference, I called them the ‘Law Firm’ because I liked the jingle of Newton and Randolph.
“They’ve been together and are good friends, but I also think they have their own unique relationships and their own unique personalities. And when the NFL calls, they’re probably not going to be on the same team anymore. But I think when they both get that opportunity, they’re going to have a tremendous amount of success.”
Newton and Randolph’s success at Illinois was a slow burn.
Newton played as a true freshman in 2020 — mostly as a backup — before jumping into the starting lineup in 2021 and turning into an All-American in 2022. Randolph redshirted in 2019, didn’t play much more in 2020 and turned a real opportunity in 2021 into an All-Big Ten caliber season in 2022.
Ask either of them, and that growing success probably doesn’t happen in the same way if they didn’t have each other to lean on. To push one another.
“He pushes me to be a better Keith, and I push him to be a better Johnny,” Randolph said. “Just showing up every day. Any time I’m like, ‘Oh man, I’m tired,’ he’s like, ‘No, bro, you can’t do that.’ If one of our hands are on our hips, we come over and knock the hands off. We know the standard. We don’t want young guys seeing us do that either.”
Newton and Randolph both want to be the best defensive tackle in the country. There’s competition for that title. Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State), Ruke Orhorhoro (Clemson), Maason Smith (LSU) and Leonard Taylor III (Miami) are a few others who might want to have a say in who’s best.
But there might not be many better duos than the one Illinois boasts up front. That Randolph wants to be at that level as much as Newton — and vice versa — pleases the latter.
“I wish everybody wanted to be the best rather than like, ‘Oh, Johnny is a great player. He’s our best defensive lineman,’” Newton said. “I want you to be the best because I feel like if you want to be the best, then you will be the best. If you dream it, if you work toward it, then you’ll make it happen. If we had everybody on the defensive line working that way and having that mindset, we’d be unstoppable as a team.”
As much as they have in common and as often as they’re paired together, Newton and Randolph are different. Newton on his own is quieter, not as comfortable in a crowd or in the spotlight. Randolph boasts that classic larger-than-life personality.
“(Newton) is probably one of the most hard-working and consistent dudes I know,” Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams said. “Coach B. preaches tough, smart and dependable, and Johnny matches those things. You just always know what you’re going to get from Johnny. Keith is that goofy guy, but there’s a serious side to him, too. Keith’s got high expectations for this year. He knows he can do some great things, and he knew that this offseason he had to take it to the next level when it came to things like the weight room. He did that.
“When I’m around them, when they’re solo, both of them are great. But when they’re together, it’s just different. It’s a different aspect when they’re together. It’s special. They’ve got a special chemistry to them. They just take over a room.”
That Newton and Randolph complement each other both on the field and off is what makes the “Law Firm” work.
Randolph brought Newton out of his shell.
“Having him by my side doing interviews or going places always comforts me,” Newton said. “I’ve never been the social type person, and as you can see with Keith, he’s the big guru with stuff like that.”
Newton showed Randolph what it was like to lead by example.
“I wouldn’t want my name to connected to anyone else,” Randolph said. “That’s who I want my named connected to — a hard worker, great football player, great person, funny guy. He comes to work every day and is a leader.”
Newton and Randolph’s path did diverge a bit recently when the former became a father. Just consider Newton’s daughter, Jovianne, who was born last November, a junior partner in the “Law Firm.”
“I’ve seen him mature from it, man,” Randolph said. “I just see a different hunger out of him now that he’s got a baby to provide for. He works like he’s got to feed his kid, which he actually does.”
“I love every second of it,” Newton added. “It’s just been very tiring, but that’s, of course, raising a baby and being a college student and athlete. I love being with my daughter. Even on my worst days at football or with school, I can go home and see my daughter, and all that will go out the window.”
Babysitting duties for “Uncle Keith” are still a work in progress, though.
“He’d probably have my daughter doing TikTok dances,” Newton said. “I think Keith has some training to go through before he could babysit.”