Cameron Newton talks about his weaknesses, an injury roundup and more
Sorry, Auburn fans. Cameron Newton has weaknesses and he’s even willing to admit he has them.
The junior-college transfer quarterback, who many expect to be named Auburn’s starting quarterback sometime in the near future, said Monday that he has a few bad habits, none of which escape the eyes of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.
“I’m gaining confidence daily,” Newton said. “That’s due to coach Malzahn every day just working out with all the quarterbacks, watching film myself, seeing my mistakes and trying not to make the same mistake twice.”
Despite Malzahn saying Saturday he hoped to establish a quarterback hierarchy as soon as possible, coach Gene Chizik said Monday there had been no changes since the weekend scrimmage.
Neil Caudle, meanwhile, said Newton and redshirt sophomore Barrett Trotter received added repetitions Monday.
“I think it’s just another chance for me to prove—first to myself and then my teammates—what I can do, especially to the coaches,” Newton said. “I got more reps today but it really wasn’t a big deal. Evaluation time is here and everyone knows it.”
Newton’s focus has quickly gone from the big picture of understanding Malzahn’s fast-paced offense to the smaller things, such as selling handoffs and honing in too much on particular receivers.
“Coach Malzahn repeatedly tells me about that. I got to get that put into my repertoire as soon as possible,” Newton said. “I have a tendency to look where I’m throwing. That’s a bad habit but so do other quarterbacks.”
Newton said he has also had difficulty throwing the ball – when he’s not gripping the laces.
“That’s a big thing coach Malzahn has installed into all the quarterbacks,” Newton said. “That was kind of new to me because all my life I’ve been taught to feel for the laces, that’s where you get the spiral from. Of course it’s going to be awkward, but I think I’m getting comfortable.”
Caudle said fans aren’t the only people itching for Chizik and Malzahn to name a starter, something they did not do until the ninth practice of the fall in 2009.
The four candidates are just as antsy, he said.
“We would all like to be named the quarterback as soon as we could but we know that’s not reality or anything,” Caudle said. “It’s not going to happen until they can make a decision.”
Injury roundup
Chizik went as far to acknowledge that Philip Pierre-Louis, had, in fact, sustained a knee injury in Saturday’s scrimmage, but was short on details.
“The degree of the injury, I’m not at liberty to say right now,” Chizik said. “We’re just planning to play it by ear. Probably in the next 48 hours we’ll know exactly.”
Pierre-Louis missed all of his freshman season when he tore his ACL on the season opener’s opening kickoff. He struggled through 2009 and appeared nowhere near 100 percent throughout the redshirt freshman season.
Walk-on offensive lineman Jorrell Bostrom is out for the spring with an injured arm, offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said. Along with Bart Eddins (knee), Grimes is now without two potential fill-ins for Mike Berry, who will miss the spring with an injured knee.
That leaves Auburn native John Sullen as one of the few remaining men standing.
“He’s doing a better job than he did last year,” Grimes said.
No upcoming decision
Grimes said he’s in no rush to make a choice between junior-college transfers Brandon Mosley or Roszell Gayden for the open spot at right tackle.
“I don’t really care when the time comes. Once the answer presents itself, we’ll say what it is and more forward,” Grimes said. “Competition makes everybody better. If we still feel like the position is up for grabs, there still is a lot of work than can be done throughout the summer.”
Chizik said Gayden was “dinged up a little bit,” but had praise for both players.
“They’ve got to be there mentally first. I think they’ve done a good job of that,” Chizik said. “Physically, they have to get used to the speed of this game, at this level. And I think that’s happening.”
(Photo credit: Todd Van Emst)
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