As Newton grows, so does Malzahn’s offense
Newton is learning Malzahn's offense the more he plays.
Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn has tutored five different starting quarterbacks in his five years as a collegiate offensive coordinator.
In 2006, it was Arkansas’ Mitch Mustain or, if you prefer, Casey Dick. Malzahn got Tulsa’s Paul Smith the next year, who graduated and left the Golden Hurricane with David Johnson.
Last year, Chris Todd fell into Malzahn’s hands and this year is, of course, the year of the Cam.
Malzahn’s become adept at adjusting to a quarterback as the year goes on. But it’s something he wishes he didn’t have to do so often.
“Each game you learn a little bit more and you learn how they react in certain situations,” Malzahn said. “Somewhere down the line you’d like to have that guy back for a second year and you already know that.”
Cameron Newton appears headed down the same track as Malzahn’s other quarterbacks, and is on pace for 2,466 yards and 26 touchdowns passing — not to mention 1,456 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing — in a 13-game season.
And as Malzahn and Newton learn more about each other’s capabilities, they each get more dangerous to opposing defenses.
“I guess it goes back to my old high school background. I’m used to building the offense around the strengths of the quarterback,” Malzahn said. “I think we’ve got a good grasp of his strengths and what he does well and trying to build around the things he does well.”
Malzahn could see from the minute Newton stepped on campus that he was getting a big, physical quarterback, and he could probably infer from film that the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder was incredibly gifted.
Not until Newton hit the field, however, could Malzahn see just what he had in his new quarterback.
It probably hit him right around the time Newton glided for a 71-yard touchdown run against Arkansas State in the season opener.
Or maybe it struck about 3 minutes earlier, when Newton tossed a 48-yard strike to Quindarius Carr that traveled about 50 yards in the air.
This new guy’s got the arm of Todd mixed with the legs of Ben Tate or Darren McFadden.
“In the first couple games, we were trying to feel each other out and all that,” Malzahn said. “But I know how he’s going to respond in certain situations. He’s got a good grasp of the offense and it’s just like anything else: We’re trying to correct the things that need to be corrected.
“But he’s got a good, positive attitude. Very rarely does he make the same mistake twice.”
With that familiarity has come an evolution in play-calling from Malzahn.
The Tigers have experimented with Newton in the pocket, with some success. But they’ve also seen that he can be dynamic rolling out.
Like the time against Kentucky when he rolled all the way to the right sideline and fired a one-footed, 33-yarder to Kodi Burns with little more than his wrist.
“It was one of those plays that … you know … it was … I was right there by it,” Malzahn said with a smirk. “It was pretty … unusual.”
They’re also finding he can do major damage on read options and draws between the tackles, runs in which everyone in the stadium knows that Newton’s keeping the ball, but he still can’t be stopped.
Like his 10 carries for 48 yards in the Tigers’ back-breaking drive against Kentucky.
“The bar is raised for the offense every week and whether it’s to do this or do that, we’re just always trying to consistently put points on the board and that’s what we try to do each week,” Newton said. “No matter what the scheme is and no matter what play is called, our job as players is to execute whatever the given play is.”
As the season progresses, and Malzahn — not to mention opposing defenses — learn more about Newton, the process will continue.
“Sometimes you may not get the same looks you would against other teams in the same formations and all that,” Malzahn said. “That’s why we’re adjusting. And we’ve got to do a good job of adjusting our guys and putting them in successful situations.”
dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568
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