Jay G. Tate on Cam Newton

[AUChizad]

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100129/SPORTS0402/1290311/Defying-gravity-Fallen-QB-prospect-Newton-on-the-rise-again-at-Auburn

Defying gravity: Fallen QB prospect Newton on the rise again at Auburn



By Jay G. Tate
jgtate@gannett.com

AUBURN -- Cameron Newton spent the first 19 years of his life hearing people rave about his greatness and the dominating player he'd someday become.

The adulation disappeared on Friday, Nov. 22, 2008.

That's when Newton, then a redshirt freshman at University of Florida, found himself in jail facing charges of burglary, larceny and obstruction. He made promises that day. The most prescient was this: Newton vowed to become the player he always wanted to be.

Fourteen months later, the Auburn quarterback is back on track.

"He was forced to stand alone in a way that changed him and this family forever," said Cecil Newton, the player's father. "He started again from zero. He had to prove himself all over again. It was hell for him -- a nightmare for all of us -- but I believe with all my heart that this story is going to have a great ending. He's a new person, and he's better than ever."

Athletic ability never was a problem for Newton, who graduated from Westlake High in suburban Atlanta as the nation's No. 2 prep quarterback three years ago.

Florida coach Urban Meyer looked at Newton's 6-foot-6 frame, marveled at his competitive spirit and hand-picked him to become Tim Tebow's heir apparent.

That plan unfolded awkwardly.

Newton played sparingly as Tebow's backup in 2007. Expected to fimrly establish himself as the Gators' next quarterback during the 2008 season, Newton instead was redshirted after the team's season-opening game against Hawaii.

Another second-year quarterback, John Brantley, moved into the No. 2 position. Newton's forgettable season ended when Gainesville police arrested him after he allegedly stole a fellow student's laptop computer.

Cecil Newton categorized the situation as a misunderstanding. The Florida State Attorney's Office agreed, at least in part, dropping all charges after the quarterback completed a pre-trial program for first-time offenders.

Still, Newton's days in Gainesville were done. He needed a quick exit and found one when Blinn (Texas) College coach Brad Franchione called. He offered a year in Brenham to regain his footing and allure.

"Cam was humbled," Cecil Newton said. "He had come from the Hollywood of East Coast football, and now he was in the middle of cow pastures. That changes you profoundly."

The situation at Blinn was nearly ideal.

He was 1,500 miles from Florida, playing ball for one of the nation's most accomplished junior-college coaches on a team loaded with talent. The Buccaneers stormed through the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, winning their first seven games by an average of 38 points.

The most competitive game came against Northeastern Oklahoma. Newton, who missed the first quarter because of a suspension, completed 17 of 29 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Blinn won 55-42.

"You could tell he had tons and tons of potential. I'm talking about raw talent you just don't see at this level," Northeastern Oklahoma head coach Donnie Bigby said. "He created a lot of problems."

The Buccaneers lost their eighth game to Navarro College, but earned revenge a month later in the national final.

Newton's season was a rousing success. He completed 65 percent of his passes, threw for 2,833 yards, rushed for another 655 yards, and was responsible for 38 touchdowns.

Rivals.com and Scout.com deemed him the nation's top junior college prospect. College coaches from across the country made their pitches. Cecil Newton heard from at least a dozen Bowl Championship Series-conference schools, including Mississippi State, now guided by former Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen.

Cameron Newton trusted Mullen. He liked Mullen.

"Everyone thought Newton was going to Mississippi State because he had such a long-standing relationship with Dan Mullen," Scout.com recruiting expert Chad Simmons said.

Auburn wasn't dissuaded.

Offensive coordinator Guz Malzahn told Newton that his diverse skill set -- he's big enough to break tackles in the open field -- would work perfectly on the Plains. Auburn pointed to its highly rated recruiting class, its superior depth along the offensive front and the program's overall improvement as reasons to pick the Tigers over Mississippi State.

Cecil Newton was persuaded.

"He was leaning toward Starkville. I didn't think that was the right place for Cam," he said. "They just don't have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He'd have to do everything himself. I didn't want him to be a rented mule."

On Dec. 31, hours before the Tigers' Outback Bowl game against Northwestern, Newton announced that he had signed with Auburn.

The decision resonated throughout the recruiting world. Prospects read message boards, Bessemer linebacker LaDarius Owens said, and pass along information to fellow prospects.

"That changed some stuff right there," said Owens, who committed to Auburn in September. "You have to know Auburn is for real when they're signing the No. 1 guy. You want to go to the school where the good players are going. It's that simple."

Newton enrolled earlier this month and has begun winter workouts, though Auburn hasn't yet made him available for interviews with reporters. He's expected to challenge senior Neil Caudle in a quarterback battle that already has begun with the graduation of the Tigers' 2009 starter, Chris Todd.

Malzahn believes Newton has the skills to improve Auburn immediately. Exhibiting those skills in pressure situations is the next step.

"The job is open, just like when we first got here," Malzahn said. "Whoever's the best will be out there."

Still, Newton's success isn't a foregone conclusion.

He spent most of his high-school career as a runner and earned little meaningful playing time at Florida. Though he was excellent throwing the ball at Blinn -- 22 touchdowns against four interceptions seems to indicate significant improvement -- Southeastern Conference defenses provide a far greater challenge.

Simmons, the Scout.com analyst who has been tracking Newton since 2005, said questions remain.

"He could be a Daunte Culpepper-type quarterback or he could be an inconsistent guy who doesn't develop the way you'd expect," Simmons said. "If he can buy into what Auburn is doing for 12 months, blend in with the players, he could be extremely productive. He's a hot-and-cold kind of player who gets a little too emotional on the field. Maybe he figured it out at Blinn. People grow up. If he did, he could be a guy Auburn fans remember forever."

[Kaos]

How can an article simultaneously frighten, amuse and excite you? 

Fright:
* Expected to fimrly establish himself as the Gators' next quarterback during the 2008 season, Newton instead was redshirted after the team's season-opening game against Hawaii.  Why did he not progress?

* Newton, who missed the first quarter because of a suspension...  Suspended?  But I thought he had his shit together after fucking up at Florida.  Suspended why?

* Prospects read message boards, Bessemer linebacker LaDarius Owens said.  They really, really shouldn't.  People who post there are not sane.

* He spent most of his high-school career as a runner and earned little meaningful playing time at Florida.  Ugh.

* He's a hot-and-cold kind of player who gets a little too emotional on the field.  Booo.  Fucking BOOOOO on this.



Excitement

* Newton's season was a rousing success. He completed 65 percent of his passes, threw for 2,833 yards, rushed for another 655 yards, and was responsible for 38 touchdowns.

*  He was excellent throwing the ball at Blinn -- 22 touchdowns against four interceptions seems to indicate significant improvement

* People grow up. If he did, he could be a guy Auburn fans remember forever

Amusement

I didn't want him to be a rented mule.

[AWK]

How can an article simultaneously frighten, amuse and excite you? 

Fright:
* Expected to fimrly establish himself as the Gators' next quarterback during the 2008 season, Newton instead was redshirted after the team's season-opening game against Hawaii.  Why did he not progress?

* Newton, who missed the first quarter because of a suspension...  Suspended?  But I thought he had his shit together after fucking up at Florida.  Suspended why?

* Prospects read message boards, Bessemer linebacker LaDarius Owens said.  They really, really shouldn't.  People who post there are not sane.

* He spent most of his high-school career as a runner and earned little meaningful playing time at Florida.  Ugh.

* He's a hot-and-cold kind of player who gets a little too emotional on the field.  Booo.  Fucking BOOOOO on this.



Excitement

* Newton's season was a rousing success. He completed 65 percent of his passes, threw for 2,833 yards, rushed for another 655 yards, and was responsible for 38 touchdowns.

*  He was excellent throwing the ball at Blinn -- 22 touchdowns against four interceptions seems to indicate significant improvement

* People grow up. If he did, he could be a guy Auburn fans remember forever

Amusement

I didn't want him to be a rented mule.

I agree, but I think his suspension was because he missed a workout for a class. 

From what I've heard here and elsewhere, he has been non-stop in the athletic building working out, studying film, learning the playbook, and befriending all the current players.

[jmar]

Not to criticize, but the film that I have seen indicates to me that he has a talent for turning nothing into something positive mostly at the JC level. Yes his physicality is an overall step forward yet not the patient cool operating, check down, blitz reading, leader I expected. If I am wrong, say so. Prior to Newton's commit I anticipated that Caudle might get the final nod because Rollison might be the small version of what I just described above.But he is a definite talent and I think our man Malzahn can polish him up and get him SEC game ready; at least that is my hope. It is safe to say that very few would turn this guy down if only to keep from being on the wrong side of his highlight film.

[jadennis]

I thought the article was kind poorly done.  There are too many things that make you stop and say, "woah, woah, wait a minute, tell me more about that".

Lines like:

"Cecil Newton categorized the situation as a misunderstanding. The Florida State Attorney's Office agreed...".

 
Well, damn, care to share some details on this?

Expected to fimrly establish himself as the Gators' next quarterback during the 2008 season, Newton instead was redshirted

So he played some in 2007, but was redshirted in 08?  There has to be more detail to that story as well.

Newton, who missed the first quarter because of a suspension

Kaos, your question about this wasn't obvious to Tate?

He spent most of his high-school career as a runner

This one isn't as bad, but some numbers here would have been nice.  Did he throw for 900 yards and rush for 1900?  or did he have decent passing numbers and run a lot?

For what it's worth, Rivals shows his senior stat totals of 1000 yds rushing and 1400 passing.  For his junior year, it shows 638 yds rushing and 2500 yards passing on 62% completion, with 23 TDs and only 9 picks.  Maybe Tate left this out because it kind of devalues the "spent most of his time as a runner".  His junior stats surely don't reflect that.

[jmar]

I've read better from Tate and this was the weakest effort. Reads like a fitful dream.

[Mr. Sensible]

I've read better from Tate and this was the weakest effort. Reads like a fitful dream.

Jay G. Tate once wrote that Onterio McCalleb "changed geometry" when he ran. There's a difference between high-brow and just making shit up and Tate falls in the latter category often.

[The Prowler]

Offensive coordinator Guz Malzahn told Newton that his diverse skill set -- he's big enough to break tackles in the open field -- would work perfectly on the Plains. Auburn pointed to its highly rated recruiting class, its superior depth along the offensive front and the program's overall improvement as reasons to pick the Tigers over Mississippi State.

Damn, Coach Malzahn could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman wearing white gloves.