Serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever?
Say what you will about him, but he can play the game. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
For a month, the question involving Cam Newton has been, “Did he or didn’t he?” Just for today, let’s try something different. Let’s ask instead: “Is he or isn’t he?”
As in, the greatest player in college football, and not just this year.
As in, the greatest ever.
Said Steve Spurrier, who won the Heisman and who has coached a Heisman winner: “That’s a good question. I don’t like putting anybody at the top, but he might be the best running quarterback probably ever to come through college ball.”
Gene Chizik coaches Auburn, so he doesn’t qualify as a disinterested party. But the same Gene Chizik was the defensive coordinator on a Texas team Vince Young willed to the 2005 BCS title, so he does have standing in the matter. And Chizik, asked if he’d ever seen a better college player than the one he has now, said this:
“No. It’s that simple. If you look over a 13-game span, I’ve never seen anything like it. And it’s running the ball, throwing the ball. Usually great quarterback usually do one or the other better … what God’s blessed Cameron with is the ability to be really, really good at both.”
Then: “We have one game left, so he can’t too big a head with one game left, but I can say he’s probably the best football player I’ve ever seen.”
Said Newton: “Wow.”
We might never know how Cam Newton came to be an Auburn Tiger, but let’s leave that for later. Let’s focus today on Cam Newton, Auburn Tiger. Let’s examine a quarterback who, in one SEC championship game Saturday, managed to replicate the best of what both Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow, Heisman winners from Florida, had done in this event on this field.
Against Spurrier’s Gamecocks, Newton passed for 335 yards and ran for 73. He accounted for six touchdowns — four passing, two running. He converted third-and-longs out of nothing.
The thinking was that South Carolina, having seen Newton in his game-of-arrival Sept. 25, might be better suited to get a hand on the irresistible Cam. Turned out the Gamecocks had no idea. They couldn’t sack him and couldn’t cover his receivers. They couldn’t even prevent him from — another Heisman reference! — pulling a Doug Flutie.
Sixteen seconds left, first half: The Gamecocks draw within 21-14. Newton throws two passes, the first for eight yards, the second for 51-yard deflected touchdown as time expired.
About here, you thought to yourself: “Tim Tebow never did that.”
Yeah, yeah. Nobody ever wondered if Tim Tebow’s daddy put him up for sale, either. But if we’re comparing the two quarterbacks — and it wouldn’t seem fanciful to do so, given that both played in the SEC and ran a spread offense — the sainted Tebow never worked the wonders in any of his four seasons that Newton has wrought in his one.
A year ago — to the day, Newton emphasized — this quarterback was winning a JUCO national championship with Blinn College of Texas. On Saturday he had won the SEC title and booked passage to the BCS title game and done it in his hometown to boot. “Words can’t explain it,” said Newton, meeting the media for the first time since Nov. 9.
Then: “It’s a wonder what God can do in a person’s life, in such quick fashion. I thank Him single every day. As soon as my feet touch [the floor] my knees touch … I can’t even be happier than I am right now.”
Newton began his postgame session by reading a statement: “I’ve done nothing wrong, and I’m only going to answer questions about football and this game.” And ordinarily we hard-nosed media types would have snorted with laughter at such a request. But such was the majesty of Newton’s play that the request seemed almost reasonable.
We can and will spend the month before Auburn plays Oregon in Glendale, Ariz., parsing the latest reports and allegations — and you just know some will be forthcoming — but for this night it was possible to revel in a performer and his performance. And we would like, so as not to leave the question posed above unanswered, to offer this:
Cam Newton is the second-best college player I’ve ever seen. Herschel Walker, and only Herschel Walker, was better. And not by much.
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995 comments Add your comment
WHY WON'T AJC POST
December 5th, 2010
4:10 am
I am getting tired of trying to post why $cam Newton ias much less superior to Courtney Kupets…AJC stop censoring me
WHY WON'T AJC POST
December 5th, 2010
4:11 am
Courtney Anne Kupets (born July 27, 1986 in Bedford, Texas[1]) is an American gymnast. She is best known for her 2003 and 2004 all-around national championships (with Carly Patterson as co-champion in 2004); her membership on the 2002 and 2003 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and 2004 Olympic teams; and her individual bronze medal on the uneven bars at the 2004 Olympics.
During her elite career, Kupets resided in Gaithersburg, Maryland and trained at Hill’s Gymnastics, former gym of Olympians Dominique Dawes and Elise Ray, for 35 hours each week. She Graduated from the University of Georgia, where her older sister, Ashley Kupets, was a former gymnast. Her father was a college football player at Indiana State University and her younger brother Chris recently became a college basketball player at Boise State University. Her older brother Mark lives in the Washington, DC area.
While the uneven bars is considered to be Kupets’ best apparatus, she excels on the other events as well. During her elite career, her balance beam routine was valued at a 10.0 start value, the same as her bars routine. Her lowest-valued skill was her Podkopayeva vault, which had a 9.7. start value under the 2001-2005 Code of Points. Kupet’s floor exercise routine was valued at a 9.9 usually – until 2004, where she had a 9.8 Start Value routine. She also had a reputation as one of the USA’s most versatile tumblers, performing, at various points in her career, the double layout, triple twist, double Arabian, double front, double pike and various combination tumbling passes.
WHY WON'T AJC POST
December 5th, 2010
4:12 am
Courtney Anne Kupets (born July 27, 1986 in Bedford, Texas[1]) is an American gymnast. She is best known for her 2003 and 2004 all-around national championships (with Carly Patterson as co-champion in 2004); her membership on the 2002 and 2003 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and 2004 Olympic teams; and her individual bronze medal on the uneven bars at the 2004 Olympics.
During her elite career, Kupets resided in Gaithersburg, Maryland and trained at Hill’s Gymnastics, former gym of Olympians Dominique Dawes and Elise Ray, for 35 hours each week. She Graduated from the University of Georgia, where her older sister, Ashley Kupets, was a former gymnast. Her father was a college football player at Indiana State University and her younger brother Chris recently became a college basketball player at Boise State University. Her older brother Mark lives in the Washington, DC area.
While the uneven bars is considered to be Kupets’ best apparatus, she excels on the other events as well. During her elite career, her balance beam routine was valued at a 10.0 start value, the same as her bars routine. Her lowest-valued skill was her Podkopayeva vault, which had a 9.7. start value under the 2001-2005 Code of Points. Kupet’s floor exercise routine was valued at a 9.9 usually – until 2004, where she had a 9.8 Start Value routine. She also had a reputation as one of the USA’s most versatile tumblers, performing, at various points in her career, the double layout, triple twist, double Arabian, double front, double pike and various combination tumbling passes
NYCDAWGFAN
December 5th, 2010
4:12 am
Here is my top ten all time. Cam makes the list but, I’m sorry folks, it takes more than one year to be “the greatest”. It’s like saying that Derrick Rose is the greatest collegiate basketball player ever… Does he have the potential to be one of the greats? Sure. But, just like Mr. Rose in Memphis (remember, his SAT score was the free points for putting your name on the test), he will be out of the plains before the walls cave in. And for the comment that Spurrier and others have made calling him the best running quarterback, aren’t we forgetting about a guy that played at Va. Tech? I know he didn’t win a national title, but Vick carried the Hokies by himself to the National Championship Game. As much as I hate Vick we have to be honest. He was definitely the best. Look at Vince Young’s Team, loaded with all of that great recruiting class talent on both sides. True, Young was the catalyst and leader but he had help. Look at Newton’s team. A young stud running back, very talented receiving core, along with a possible All-American on D in Fairley… See what I mean? Vick was the Hokies. Regardless, Newton will never be Herschell or Tebow. Sorry people, it ain’t possible. I agree with what others have said. It’s true that talent and athletic ability are the large part, but to be a great college athlete I feel you have to really shine a great light on your University. Herschell, soft spoken, respectful of others til it hurt sometimes, and really an everyman type when you saw the person behind the mythic figure. Tebow…. Need I say more, we all know bout the saint.. I mean for like 5 minutes I actually believed Urban Meyer had morals because of that kid. Which brings us to Newton. Warranted or not, the Newton saga makes no one look good, Cam, Cecil “Pimpin in Hell” Newton, Mississippi State, or Auburn (Chizik I can’t wait to laugh at your down fall). Without further ado here is my list. I tried to be as unbiased as possible and I really tried to think about players that changed the game and completely dominated when they touched the field (As you will see those who played longer left more of an indelible impression). You guys are my peeps so give me feedback. Oh Yeah, I’m a man about it, Props to Carrollton High for laying the smack down on my beloved Burke County Bears. You guys were the better team.
1. Herschell Walker
2. Tim Tebow
3. Vince Young
4. Barry Sanders
5. O.J.
6. Michael Vick
7. Charles Woodson
8. Peyton Manning
9. Cam Newton
10. Lavar Arrington
ANSWER PLEASE
December 5th, 2010
4:12 am
WHY
Pay the Man...or his Pop
December 5th, 2010
4:18 am
So, is $cam’s daddy gonna shop him to an NFL agent before the mythical title game?? I guess he won’t be declared ineligible until after the farce/mythical title game. Gotta luv the hypocrites at the SEC and NCAA…..
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:19 am
Mark, I would be surprised if you did not get to your desk on Monday and not find a PINK SLIP…YOU SHOULD. Courtney Kupets is a better all around athlete than $cam Newton.
NYCDAWGFAN
December 5th, 2010
4:20 am
Not to sound arrogant Mark, but I think my piece was better this time.
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:23 am
and you can reply privately MARK or publically…..
Retired Clamson recruiter from 1979
December 5th, 2010
4:45 am
Mark Bradley said:
“Cam Newton is the second-best college player I’ve ever seen. Herschel Walker, and only Herschel Walker, was better. And not by much.”
Not by much? Try 2 million and 20 thousand dollars better!
Mombebes said on page one of comments:
“Oh, yes. And Herschel’s parents paid for the black Trans Am that he drove his freshman year. And Dan, you’re comparing Cam Newton to OJ? Jeez, you are desperate.”
You have to talk slower to these UGA fans, you see most are only 21 years old, they don’t know about all the corruption of their glory days, only that they’re 3-18 in their lifetime against the Gators and they’re tired of having to drive to Jacksonville every year to get beat and then drive home when they can just walk home and carry that “L” around campus another year!
Oh by the way, he totalled the Trans Am the very first day and the dealer gave him another new one the next day!
$Cam Newton was a bargain whatever the price, Hushel Walker cost UGA $2.3 mil, just ask Clempson, they were a mil 3 short and an hour late!
Jumbo Jimbo
December 5th, 2010
5:05 am
Mark: You have done it again. Your “Serious Question” which in itself is a joke has resulted in almost 450 responses as of now which makes for another successful blog. You are the best at what you do. Well done. What is next?
Dr. Warren
December 5th, 2010
5:07 am
I watched Reggie Bush for his whole career, from right there in the Coliseum. I’d say “best ever” is too subjective a thing to determine, especially among candidates who didn’t play more than 1 year.
Skilaufen
December 5th, 2010
5:13 am
You Georgia fans are the biggest whinners and losers ever! Stop all the “I am morally superior” crap. You led the nation in arrests this year! And if Hershel’s parents bought the trans am with their own money I’ll kiss your a…..!
TucsonTiger
December 5th, 2010
5:26 am
Envy and jealousy will tear you apart. All you boys, just settle down. You will get another chance next year. In the mean time, stop whining so much. You are nauseating. WDE!!!
Football Bat
December 5th, 2010
5:37 am
He’s a D!CK.
Jeff
December 5th, 2010
5:45 am
Auburn wins the SEC Title. Strike that with Auburn buys the SEC Title. Dirty players, coaching staff and overall program. Looking forward to the fallout that comes to Auburn from pretending Cam Newton is a good kid (Tim Tebow) and that no one at Auburn did anything wrong. Outside of Auburn who actually believes money was only requested from MSU. Auburn sold their integrity to the highest bidder and regardless of the talent of Cam Newton, he’ll be gone next year and Auburn’s reputation will forever be dirty. Where are you Mike Slive? Thanks to Auburn the opening bid for the next Cam Newton begins.
SavannahDawg
December 5th, 2010
5:58 am
Based on careers I feel that Herchel and Tebow were the greatest college players ever. But not even Herchel’s elevation of UGA his freshman year can match what Newton has done this single season for AU.
gagirl
December 5th, 2010
6:13 am
Cam Newton may not be the best, but is one of the best we’ve seen in a long time. WOW he is a beast. The more i see him play on the field, i am equally impressed with his exploits off the field – he has leadership, charisma, God blesesd talent and real appreciaton for his teammates and his coaches. Listen to him in his interviews. As for all the naysayers and scrutiny, yes he may have made some mistakes as a young man at 18-19 yrs of age and should have exercised better judgment, but im sure if you comb the background of many past players, you would find some less than honorable things. He is a phenomenal athlete that continues to rise in spite of everything. And for this – i am riding with you CAM. Congrats on taking the SEC baby to the National Championship again!. Continue to make Georgia proud. We look forward to seeing you accept the Heisman next week – because you accomplished everything on the field that you needed to deserve and win that trophy!!
autiger83
December 5th, 2010
6:14 am
Man, what a bunch of haters. The SEC East was a disappointment this year. With UGA, TN, FL all down, its like you people have a case of the blue balls. Frustrated to the point of pain.
The real SEC championship game was in Tuscaloosa the week previous (and Auburn won that one too.)
Yall hate on Cam or whatever all you want. We’ll wave to you punks as the Delta jets take off to Arizona in January.
autiger83
December 5th, 2010
6:18 am
NYCDAWGFAN you left one guy off your list…Vincent Bo Jackson. Bo Jackson and Herschel Walker are the two greatest running backs the SEC ever produced.
sowega tiger
December 5th, 2010
6:21 am
Cam Newton without doubt is the best college football player ever. I have heard that Bo Jackson was real good too but, who the hell is Hershel Walker?
Dawgbreath
December 5th, 2010
6:25 am
The best team in the SEC this year was Arky. At least they were they best clean team. SC should be commended for doing things every one said they couldn’t do. I dread playing them the next few years.
Stinger
December 5th, 2010
6:43 am
Character should be one of the things that we judge other people. Cam is a low-life and only Auburn people like Cam! 99 per cent of college fans are sick of Auburn and their classless attitude !
Born2Buzz
December 5th, 2010
6:50 am
Is he really a collegian? Can someone confirm that he has been going to class and maintaining his grades? Great football player, yes.
Tim Burray from Clemson
December 5th, 2010
7:08 am
Mark – I have to disagree with you on this one. CJ Spiller had a better career than Cam Newton. No doubt about it. He was a running back/kick returner who scored touchdowns while leaving the opposition in the dust. He’s also a fine example of what a college football player should be. He stayed at his school for four years, eschewing the riches of the NFL. Cam Newton will likely take the money from the NFL and leave Auburn searching for answers just a year after his great season. Spiller never did that. He stayed with Clemson through thick and thin and never wavered in his devotion despite thinking about transferring to Florida to be closer to his family. I submit that Spiller was a better collegiate player and an all-around better athlete than Cam Newton. what Cam Newton and the rest of the Auburn fans don’t realize is that he has a great supporting cast. Many of those players will be gone next year and Auburn fans will be suffering thinking that Cam Newton was the only reason they were good when they actually were good because of all the players that made Cam Newton look good. Do you get my drift? I think that Auburn is a great team. Yes, I said it, someone had to. Auburn is a great collection of players and not just one person. CJ Spiller was a great player that lifted Clemson up primarily by himself.
CarrolltonTrojans!
December 5th, 2010
7:08 am
Honestly one of the worst pieces you have written. He is a good or even great player this year and most likely deserves the Heisman but greatest collegian ever? Jim Thorpe? Archie Griffin won 2 Heisman’s if my memory serves correctly! Come on.
Pat Dye
December 5th, 2010
7:10 am
@Born2Buzz Yes, he is a collegian. When I was coach at Auburn, we paid our players twice as much as they pay this young man.
Beast from the East
December 5th, 2010
7:15 am
He’s up there near the top, that’s for sure. But I cannot crown someone the “greatest ever” based on a 13 game career. He would have to play college ball for at least 2 years to even be comsidered for that distinction.
Congrats, Barners, on a great season. Take care of business in the BCSCG.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!!
December 5th, 2010
7:16 am
i’m not sure the best team in the east could’ve beaten anyone in the west. maybe Ole Miss. UGA?? totally irrelevant
Beast from the East
December 5th, 2010
7:18 am
WAR DAMN EAGLE,
You might be correct, but why do you care? Enjoy the win and a magical season.
Paddy
December 5th, 2010
7:26 am
No one should say, write or type the name O J Simpson, ever
Michael
December 5th, 2010
7:27 am
All those DAWG fans crying about their spilled puppy milk (for they played like bullpups instead of bulldawgs this past season and could have been 5-7). Forget Cam’s past discretions…how many “hoodlums” has UGA’s fine coach Mark Richt had to kick off the team in the past year? I lost count at one dozen. No he has not played three years like Hershel but you are comparing apples and oranges… a QB should be compared with another QB (and it is not uncommon for a QB to only have 1-2 years because of someone starting ahead of him); on the other hand, you can play 5-7 running backs a game. Hershel was probably, along with a War Eagle name Bo Jackson arguably the two best RBs in the last 25 years of the 20th century.
2 ply guy
December 5th, 2010
7:29 am
Tony Dorsett was the greatest college player I have saw. He was surrounded by marginal talent and everyone in the stadium knew he was going to get the ball. He was undersized and took a physical beating every week. Despite all of that, he put his team on his back every week and delivered a national championship beating the Dawgs in the Sugar Bowl
Dr. J
December 5th, 2010
7:43 am
If he’d been an average player, Auburn would have declared him ineligible until the investigation is finished, and boasted “we stepped up and did the right thing”.
How many classes have Cam and Fairley taken in this little six month visit to Auburn?
Auburn: buy your t-shirts, bumper stickers, car tags and hang a flag on every car door (wait, you already do that), grin like Cam (Buzz Lightyear), and enjoy it until the NCAA takes it all away.
War Jacket
December 5th, 2010
7:43 am
Cam is the best player I have seen in my 40 years of watching college football. Walker was a great back, but a running back can’t influence a game the likes of a great quarterback. It’s like baseball. Babe Ruth was the greatest baseball player, not only because of what he did at the plate but also because he had almost 100 wins pitching. Running backs can’t throw the ball, so QB’s have opportunities RB’s don’t. My top five:
1. Cam Newton
2. Bo Jackson (yeah bulldog jerks look at the yards per carry stat)
3. OJ
4. Walker
5. Earl Campbell
DawgNation
December 5th, 2010
7:44 am
I’m wondering what was in the drink Cam gave that reporter to try and had his boys laughing their a$$es of when she did on TV last night. If you have a group of children giggling when you do something then there is a joke being played so what ever your name is from CBS I would get a check up. Oh and about being the greatest. I can’t wait to see NFL players light him up in two years after he sits out with the rest of the NFL next year.
Pat's Rockett
December 5th, 2010
7:46 am
Cam Newton meet Reggie Bush, Reggie Bush meet Cam Newton. Too bad everything is going to be vacated because in this day and age when information easily obtained, the NCAA takes its own sweet time , along with the FBI, of looking at information that is under their nose. Just like Bush’s folks, Newton’s folks broke NCAA rules. Auburn is going to hate the day and person who made the decision not only to sign Mr. Newton but to play him as well. Can anyone say SMU?
Pat's Rockett
December 5th, 2010
7:50 am
As far as the best college player of all time, i dont know on that one but i can give you the top five in my opinion.
1. Herschel Walker
2. Bo Jackson
3. Archie Griffin
4. Tim Tebow
5. Charlie Trippi
TybeeDawg
December 5th, 2010
7:51 am
Goooo Ducks! Sic ‘em! Quack Quack Quack
DawgNation
December 5th, 2010
7:54 am
Cam Newton is a one year wonder. He will be lit up by NFL players very soon and retire into mediocrity. He is a good football player but the novelty of him would soon be exposed if he played another year. We all have seen just how well the player that always beat him out is doing in Denver.
Nick Fairley
December 5th, 2010
7:56 am
What if the NCAA doesn’t take it all away? What then? If Cam and I played for UGA, you guys would be building statues.
CreekBoy
December 5th, 2010
7:58 am
He’s a great college player, but like Mark McGwire’s and Barry Bond’s professional careers, his college career will always have that * next to his name in the minds of most.
84AUGrad
December 5th, 2010
8:00 am
What if the NCAA doesn’t ever find anything? What will you talk about then? I guess you’ll shift back to Florida?
Big Dawg
December 5th, 2010
8:01 am
Five greatest college of all-time with the order interchangeable: Herschel, Cam, Bo, Marcus Dupree, and O.J.
gomdawg
December 5th, 2010
8:06 am
BEST MONEY CAN BUY. GOOD PLAYER YES , BUT MONEY DONT BUY EVERYTHING
SuperB
December 5th, 2010
8:09 am
I’ve covered CFB for more than 40 years. Herschel Walker was the best player I ever saw. Newton might be the best QB, but bo Jackson may be Auburn’s best player ever. Newton will be judged with Tebow– IF auburn wins the national championship.
Fairley Right
December 5th, 2010
8:15 am
“IF auburn wins .”
I see the Leg Humpers and Rammer Jammers are still in denial. You whiners started that about 6 games back when we played Arky. How’d that work out for ya?
Charles
December 5th, 2010
8:17 am
Silly question. He’s not even the greatest player ever from Auburn (Bo Jackson takes that title).
TURBO
December 5th, 2010
8:18 am
Wow… Bradley actually said something nice about auburn…. guess hell did freeze over…. Quick… Post a Youtube video of Fariley against GA so that I don’t think the world is coming to an end.
SuperB
December 5th, 2010
8:19 am
Memories here must be about two seconds long! Newton has played– count it– ONE year. and Mediocre Mark Bradley
wants to annoint him as the best ever? Walker was the best and there were a lot of CFB players ahead of Simpson’s two-year stint in the Pac-8.