Post Tagged with: "a day stats"

SZVETITZ COLUMN: Don’t give up on Newton just yet

Cam Newton makes his debut at the 2010 Auburn A day game.

The first time Cameron Newton dropped back to pass, he was sacked.

Not the start he –— or any of the 63, 217 fans in Jordan-Hare Stadium — wanted to see.

Maybe he isn’t made of steel.

Well, it wasn’t officially a sack. I mean, Antoine Carter never really touched him, let alone brought him to the ground. Maybe, Newton could have spun out of it, tucked the ball and flew into the end zone.

Maybe.

Or, maybe he would have been dropped to the Pat Dye Field turf like a 6-foot-6 sack of potatoes.

Maybe.

Who knows?

Reading too much into what would have happened on that play would be like trying to figure out a fortune cookie. It’s silly.

And, really, who cares?

A-Day redux Part 2: Notes and numbers

Numbers

63,217 – Saturday’s announced crowd, overwhelmingly good for the school record
30,000+ – Estimated crowd that visited the new Auburn Arena on Saturday.
18 – players who recorded at least one catch
50 – rushing yards compiled by Auburn, which ranked 13th in the nation in rushing offense last season

Notes

Roszell Gayden looked down at his bandaged left hand and shook his head.

This wasn’t how he envisioned his first appearance in front of thousands of Auburn fans to unfold.

Gayden, a junior-college transfer who is battling with fellow JUCO-transfer Brandon Mosley for the opening at right tackle, played just two series Saturday, both with the White team and both at left tackle.

Coaches opted to hold out Gayden for the entire second half after he dinged up his hand on a routine block.