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
Cecil Newton
December 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
Enter your comments here
BnB
December 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
Correct that it is hard to compare people across eras. I think Peyton will always carry the albatross of losing the big games which, ironically, has dogged him in the NFL. My perspective is limited as I’ve only followed college ball since the late 60s. Suffice to say, I’d like to see a player who had a better single year than the one Newton just completed. I think the cloak-and- dagger-my-school-is-better-than-your-school stuff has been beaten to death. How about a realistic response to Mark’s supposition?
Boca Baby
December 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
And whoever does not take Ryan Mallet as the first QB taken in the draft will live to regret it.
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
Caddy Lattamore! You could have had one too!
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:15 pm
Bishop Newton. AAAAAHHHHH YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!
Mombebes
December 4th, 2010
10:15 pm
Really, Ack? One of seven children in a blue collar family? Do you really tnink they were able to buy Herschel that car? What is Santa bringing you this year?
Georgia2012
December 4th, 2010
10:15 pm
Bardley are you really this dumb?
Cam Newton Joins Tim Tebow In Elite College Football Category – SB Nation Denver
December 4th, 2010
10:15 pm
[...] Tim Tebow's 20-20 Club, Threatens …SB Nation (blog)Cam Newton makes historyESPN (blog)Serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Bleacher Report -Bleacher Report -NOLA.comall 295 news [...]
TheItalianDawg
December 4th, 2010
10:15 pm
its not all about Cam Newton, he has a great OL and very lucky to have excellent OC
Najeh Davenpoop
December 4th, 2010
10:16 pm
“Cam Newton in the NFL = Vince Young”
Nah. Vince Young had major questions about his throwing motion, and to a lesser extent his accuracy, coming out of college. Cam Newton’s throwing motion is much closer to where it needs to be, and his accuracy is better too.
Like Young, though, Newton plays in a non-pro style offense, which means his NFL learning curve is going to be much steeper than a guy like Andrew Luck who plays in a more pro-style scheme.
SWGADAWG
December 4th, 2010
10:16 pm
Scam is a great Pro athlete. Get off his back,
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:17 pm
Dannggg! Shizzziikk only offered me a KIA. Guess they couldn’t afford me after Cam.
Mike
December 4th, 2010
10:17 pm
Oh, come on Mark. Ask 20 people who is the greatest, you’ll get 20 different answers. The kid is good. Very good. The best certainly this year. That silly question is unanswerable. What IS fun, is watching all these whiney a** UGA fans bad mouth and trash him. I love it. What sorry excuse for sports fans. Get over it, dawggies, he whipped your tails.
BnB
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
Agree ItalianDawg and also agree his game may not really translate to the NFL. He is always in the shot gun and the speed up there will negate the runs. Does remind me of Young who I have not written off. Mental toughness is hard to quantify and VY seems lacking in this area. Cam has certainly dealt with adversity pretty well but I don’t know about study habits, etc. NFL is a whole other ball of wax.
Ole Yeller Dawg
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
We have all heard the statement ” you can’t see the forest, for looking at the tree’s” Well for Mark Richt it’s “you can’t see the quarterback, for looking at the tight end”.
Congrats to UA for the win! I am looking forward to an awesome NCG!
Jackson, Bo
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
I got wun yeer of elajabllitity lepht. Maaybi Cheznuk dednt speend al ov hes muny on Caam Nootun
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
Latta you done talked to the wrong folk, Shizzziikk aint the one you get yo stuff from. It’s called the “All In” family discount connection.
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
On a serious note, the AU hostesses were butt ugly!
SickandTired
December 4th, 2010
10:19 pm
Herschel Walker? Heck all Herschel did was run the football. Cam Newton is the best college football player of all time. Herschel Walker indeed. Joe Hamilton was a better football player than Hersehl Walker.
Aubie's Denial
December 4th, 2010
10:20 pm
Cam is one of the best three qb’s, not even close to Hershell or Bo. WDE, I thought you checked out a while back. Is Auburn Man still on here? I was enjoying the dialogue. One thing about all the venom towards UGA fans, I’m a UGA fan, have loved the AU-UGA rivalry, which, I now believe, AU leads by two games. Great fans to tailgate with, win or lose. If I were an AU fan I’d be really pissed at Newton’s dad, and, IF it comes out that Cam knew, I’d be pissed at Newton. This team is good enough to win without cheating and I hope this doesn’t turn out to be a black eye for SEC and all of College Football.
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:21 pm
Why do they all wear Waffle House uniforms?
SoCal Dawg
December 4th, 2010
10:21 pm
Not sure. I didn’t see them all, but he’s better than Tebow.
tim
December 4th, 2010
10:21 pm
We DO know that Newton cheated at classes while at Florida, threw a stolen computer out a window and lied about it, and has a father who is a cheat AND a liar.
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:21 pm
Latta you gotz to go to teenKneeCee for the good lookn HOEstessess
Jackson, Bo
December 4th, 2010
10:22 pm
Pate Die saz hee wile git mey a shayr uf cloniul banke stokc
A Former Auburn Fan
December 4th, 2010
10:23 pm
His physical prowess aside, he will always be remembered as the athlete who put a permanent stain on a once honest and proud university.
Cecil Newton
December 4th, 2010
10:23 pm
Marcus , Amen Brutha
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:24 pm
Bo,
If you get yo Colonial stock will u tell me where they atm be
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:24 pm
ummmm yeaahhh dose vol girz wuz niiiizzee.
Cecil Newton
December 4th, 2010
10:24 pm
Tim you betta watcho mouth fool
chickenman
December 4th, 2010
10:25 pm
Wow, i guess you will write anything to get a hit.
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:26 pm
Tim u be treadin on thin water.
Cecil Newton
December 4th, 2010
10:26 pm
Drinks are on me. Hey Cam, bring the Hummer around. Let’s head to Buckhead and find out where the white women at.
Jackson, Bo
December 4th, 2010
10:27 pm
Bo noze atm. thates tha bom wey dropt own japunez peepul
Aubie's Denial
December 4th, 2010
10:27 pm
IF you’re for real, Former Auburn Fan, that shows a ton of class. When asked earlier what I’d do/think if this were UGA, I said I’d be embarassed, but, as was pointed out quickly, I mispelled “embarassed” then as well.
Dawg A
December 4th, 2010
10:27 pm
Well it worked…. post something to rile the troops! You have to do some homework before posting something so far out there as saying someone that has one good season and not even won the national championship yet is a huge reach!!
The following players for different reasons easily are better than Scam Newton and ALL of these players while in college were good character guys…. Billy Sims, Bo Jackson( notice I am not being anti Auburn), Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Marcus Allen, Archie Griffin, Tim Tebow, O.J. Simpson(I said while in college) Vince Young and Tommy Frazier. Check out their stats and the impact they made on college football and Scam IS NOT CLOSE TO ANY OF THEM!!!!
There you go… you wanted some names!! Come on Mark I agree with you so often but you are WAY OFF HERE!
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:27 pm
Yeah Tim, u be talkn smack u fool
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:27 pm
Day be at da intacontinetal
Former Auburn Fan
December 4th, 2010
10:29 pm
I meant every word I said. I go back to the early 80’s and lived and died with Coach Dye’s teams. To see what has happened on the plains makes me sick to my stomach.
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:29 pm
Bo,
U knowzzz i dont like wipeons of mast destruckn
Cecil Newton
December 4th, 2010
10:30 pm
Lets go to Pat Dye’s house . He got some good smoke . Did yall see how tore up that fool was at the game
Former Auburn Fan
December 4th, 2010
10:30 pm
To: Aubie’s Denial
My spelling isnt so great sometimes either. Its the thought that counts. I just hate the cloud that this has put over the Auburn program. I dont think the chase for a national championship in football is worth trashing a school’s reputation for years to come.
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:31 pm
I had to help Dye get outta my Escalade befo the game
BnB
December 4th, 2010
10:31 pm
FormerAuburnFan…Coach Dye’s teams?? Really? And you think somehow now they are more corrupt? Please explain.
M.Lattamor
December 4th, 2010
10:31 pm
Maybe Dye gave Bo the munchies dang he be fat.
Former Auburn Fan
December 4th, 2010
10:32 pm
@Aubie’s Denial. Unfortunately I’m real. I just hate what this has done to the Auburn program.
Aubie's Denial
December 4th, 2010
10:32 pm
I ALWAYS pull for the SEC Champ, even when its UF, but its hard this year Former Auburn Fan. I hear you. And, I’m glad to see that blind loyalty and the desire to win doesn’t replace integrity with all AU fans. I remember Bo running all over us, and yall beating us on that 4th down thing on the last play when we had Shockley and won the SEC. What a great rivalry its been. You are the first AU fan I’ve heard, no, the second, express this type of concern. Kudos. I hope, for your sake, and, for the sake of those guys that blocked for Newton all year, that this turns out to be nothing more than it is today.
Jackson, Bo
December 4th, 2010
10:32 pm
Dem wepunz iz danjuruz Markuz. Momuh saad dunt plae wite em
Marcus Dupree
December 4th, 2010
10:32 pm
Bo being know’em energy bars he be tryn to sell
bullwinkle
December 4th, 2010
10:33 pm
As a longtime Auburn fan, I’m thrilled by this team’s run and Newton’s incredible play. That said, I much preferred the way Jason Campbell carried himself while leading the team his undefeated year.
War Eagle