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
Texas Toast
December 5th, 2010
12:52 am
But at least it’s not additive, so it’s not like 19 or anything. So if you can run off 14 SEC titles, you would then be ahead of Georgia AND tie Alabama.
Haters gonna Hate
December 5th, 2010
12:52 am
CONGREGATION TO YOU, TOO, Ireland.
smart dawg
December 5th, 2010
12:53 am
Like I said “haters”, you live in a small world.
Haters gonna Hate
December 5th, 2010
12:53 am
We all do, smart dawg. Some of us just know it, and have our priorities in order. Hate on!
Three Steps Mister
December 5th, 2010
12:54 am
Marino wasn’t nearly as good as Tebow. And yes, Tebow was one of the all time greats.
Slick
December 5th, 2010
12:55 am
Auburn is hands down the best team in college football. Newton is the best player and 2nd place isn’t even close. But ya’ll have a SMU-sized problem with Milton McGregor.
LakeDawg
December 5th, 2010
12:55 am
Huh? I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
Huh?
December 5th, 2010
12:55 am
lakedawg…ok
smart dawg
December 5th, 2010
12:56 am
Haters,
Sorry. Some of us live in a much larger world.
Haters gonna Hate
December 5th, 2010
12:57 am
I hope all of the “Death Penalty” people watch the 30 for 30 show on SMU tomorrow night, and remind themselves that there will never again be a situation like that. Ridiculous to imply.
Haters gonna Hate
December 5th, 2010
12:58 am
You have no idea what you’re saying, smart dawg. Have coffee with me sometimes and allow me to explain to you how small the world really is. It’s a tiny place, really.
Waste Not, Slip Knot
December 5th, 2010
1:00 am
I want Auburn to win it all so that my Alabama friend will change his story from
“you can’t pull for Auburn because they haven’t had a national championship since 1956,”
to
“____________________________insert asinine comment here _____________________.”
He needs a change of pace, but doesn’t know it.
smart dawg
December 5th, 2010
1:02 am
I understand the physical universe.
The contacts you cultivate and the ways you grow because of your exposure to them create a much larger intellectual existence.
To say all your heroes went to uga limits you to a small world.
Luis Polonia
December 5th, 2010
1:02 am
No, but the 1996 Braves were better than the ‘27 Yankees.
Haters gonna Hate
December 5th, 2010
1:06 am
You misunderstand my perspective and definition of hero.
War Eagle
December 5th, 2010
1:12 am
The Thuga fans are the biggest whiners in all of sports.
Slick
December 5th, 2010
1:16 am
I’m a UGA alumn but a fan of football first. C Newton is special and I’m glad to have seen him live. But the Milton McGregor deal is a Fed Investigation and that hammer falls hard.
Clemson Dude
December 5th, 2010
1:37 am
Even more serious question: Has any team ever sucked as much as usc? I was beginning to wonder if Auburn was going to put 100 points on your pathetic butts. At least we went into overtime against them. I can’t really think of any words to describe how much you suck.
Dr. Doom
December 5th, 2010
1:39 am
I hope Auburn enjoys their brief moment in the sun. All the wins of this counterfeit season will have to be vacated after the investigation is complete. What a mess this is going to be! Karma’s a bitch…
SickandTired
December 5th, 2010
1:41 am
The Georgia fans are aghast at anyone that could possibly form the conclusion that any player could be better than Hershel Walker. Why? Because he’s all they got. He’s the only thing they can hang their hat on in 50 years.
WAREAGLE!!
December 5th, 2010
1:50 am
Un Still wondering that shows how much you pay attention his dad, can not have any contact with the Auburn Program therefore he probably was not at the game
superDawg
December 5th, 2010
1:50 am
Scam will be the best to ever wear a orange prison uniform.
Greg
December 5th, 2010
1:55 am
superDawg,
Stop whacking off imagining yourself as his cellmate. You sick freak. And it’s “an orange prison uniform.”
RTW
December 5th, 2010
1:57 am
DEFINATELY the Heisman Trophy winner, hands down. Has the size, arm, legs and the head! Probably gone after this season though. Can you call him the best collegian football player after only one year? If they win the BCS and he wins the Heisman, he has to be considered. One of the best single seasons leading his team. I would waver on calling him the “best ever”. Like to see him follow it up (but may not get the chance if he goes to the NFL). I’m just saying but Herschel Walker had as just a good as year in 1980 and they won the National Championship after he rushed for 150 yards with a separated shoulder against Notre Dame. He was just a FRESHMAN and followed it up with two more stellar seasons. Won the Heisman as well. Cam IS great but doesn’t have the history yet.
Roy Wood
December 5th, 2010
2:06 am
Suggestion for AJ Green have his father Do his contract with a NFL team if they go on strike say you know nothing of it and play your last season at UGA.Sorry last yr it was TEBOW I say It was Walker.Opinions are like A–holes everyone has one.I dont think I will watch the championship game.I hate to say it I have never pulled againts SEC team but I will Pull for oregon.
Ted Striker
December 5th, 2010
2:14 am
Go Oregon Ducks.
Fighting OWL!
December 5th, 2010
2:21 am
Not even close
Camenstein
December 5th, 2010
2:27 am
I know that people are going to hate against whatever they can find, but I know that all true college football fans are truly in awe of what just happened in the Ga Dome this evening. Like it or not, you witnessed history, take a moment to sit back and actually digest what you just saw. Its something you arently likely to see for a while, if ever again.
Aubie-won-knobi
December 5th, 2010
2:28 am
So Dawgs and Bammers are back to hating on the Gators and Tim Tebow? The boy has gone on to NFL and has made some spectacular plays already. Stop being so frickin envious. You think because you blog in the AJC as the gruesome twosome that ALL the SEC teams think like you do and hate Auburn and Florida? I hope Florida soon returns just to shut up you whiny-a$$ losers.
Camenstein
December 5th, 2010
2:32 am
I know that alot of people are going to attempt to divert the focus away from what just happened. But the true college football fans should sit back and truly digest what they just witnessed this evening. An amazing performance by an amazing player, likely the best player that you will ever see in your lifetime.
So you can spew your venom about whatever you wish, but what happened on the field this lukewarm december saturday evening in atlanta was not illegal, it was awesome.
A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever …
December 5th, 2010
2:32 am
[...] the original post: A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever … Tagged with: ajc • brant • brant-sanderlin • collegian-ever • game • [...]
SatillaDawg
December 5th, 2010
2:34 am
Go Ducks!
Billyboy
December 5th, 2010
2:48 am
Mark, you have really showed your lack of football knowledge here. It looks like this is your first year to ever watch football (other than old UGA films from the 80s). You are not only one of the worst sport journalist, you now have proven you should stop writing about football. Please to help your paper . . . you should resign.
50 yd. Line
December 5th, 2010
2:55 am
Let’s see, UGA and Florida thought he was a TE. And Tech didn’t think he was their type of player . . . I see why they are struggling! You folks just might as well get over it, colleges paying for stars is what really happns. In all Conferences. If this blows the lid a lot of shools will go down like the Dawgs, Ala. Kentucky basketball etc. Just give it up, UGA and Tech let him get out of the State with their great evaluations
yearofthedawg
December 5th, 2010
3:00 am
Who cares? 3 times caught cheating in school. steals a laptop and throws it our the window to try to prevent getting caught, then claims to know nothing about it. dad says its gonna cost $180K to sign him, then he himself says the money wasn’t good enough to sign with another school. THIS is the guy we want to give the heisman to? Beautiful. Why not just give it to Fairley? He’s a jerk anyway, so why not let him rejoice with the other jerks.
My Tennis Circle » A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever …
December 5th, 2010
3:06 am
[...] Read the original post: A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever … [...]
P. Bull Terrier
December 5th, 2010
3:10 am
Cam Newton is college football’s version of Lebron James. Both are extremely talented, but their attitude makes it impossible for anyone but the most die hard home town fans to tolerate them.
Wheather the Newtons got paid, or not, I wouldn’t put the word great. And Cam Newton in the same sentence.
A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever … « Tennis Community
December 5th, 2010
3:30 am
[...] Excerpt from: A serious question: Is Cam Newton the greatest collegian ever … [...]
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
3:40 am
NOT EVEN THE GREATEST SEC PLAYER….get real Mark. You have greats such as Jack Youngblood, Joe Namath, Bo Jackson, Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, CHARLEY TRIPPLI, Dominique Wilkens, David Pollack, FRAN TARKENTAN and HERACHEL WALKER. Right now, on a professional level I would rate Cameron Newton far below Courtney Kupets…Greatest Ever…NOW I KNOWATLANTA IS FAR TOO LIBERAL..GIVE ME SOME OF WHAT YOU ARE SMOKING
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
3:43 am
NOT EVEN THE GREATEST SEC PLAYER….get real Mark. You have greats such as Jack Youngblood, Joe Namath, Bo Jackson, Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, CHARLEY TRIPPLI, Dominique Wilkens, David Pollack, FRAN TARKENTAN and HERACHEL WALKER. Right now, on a professional level I would rate Cameron Newton far below Courtney Kupets…Greatest Ever…NOW I KNOW ATLANTA IS FAR TOO LIBERAL..GIVE ME SOME OF WHAT YOU ARE SMOKING
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
3:46 am
If it is a duplicate THEN POST IT
REPOST DodgerDAWG (cause AJC WILLNOT)
December 5th, 2010
3:48 am
Sad when the AJC will not let a person OBJECT to a Mark column>>>>>MIKE SLIVE selll out
REPOST DodgerDAWG (cause AJC WILLNOT)
December 5th, 2010
3:57 am
Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that! THANK YOU AJC I DID NOT… The greatest ever??? GET REAL MARK…you have memorable favorites much better than $cam Newton and his pastoral father….Names like JACK YOUNBLOOD, JOE NAMATH, Bo Jackson,k Peyton Manning, CHARLEY TRIPPOLI, Dominque Wilkens, DAVID POLLACK, FRAN TARKENTON, and HERSCHEL WALKER…based upon $cam’s performances in the SEC alone I would rank him FAR below COURTNEY KUPETS. GET REAL MARK….forget about picking up a CBS, ESPN column and be biased (for once)
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:01 am
FYI MARK….(copied from wikipedia)…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.
woodie
December 5th, 2010
4:02 am
Newton is the best ever…bigger,stronger,faster than Bo or Herschel. Oh, and he’s the field general also.
Why are you censoring DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:03 am
FYI MARK (copied from Wikipedia)…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.
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:04 am
Woodie????Stop Smoking AND GET REAL
DodgerDAWG
December 5th, 2010
4:06 am
fyiMark (in case yoiu need to know who is the greatest SEC much less the greatest COLLEGIAGTE EVER…copied from wikipedia)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
4:08 am
cAM CANNOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO COURTNEY….(COPIED FROM WIKIPEDIa) 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.
heeldawg
December 5th, 2010
4:08 am
Herschel Walker was the greatest college player in the modern era, hands down. He made other teams have to deal with him. He made his teammates better players. He did his thing despite the best efforts of opposing defenses to stop him. Most importantly, he did it for three years–and he did it with character and humility.
Cam Newton, this season, has been the single most important player for his team–more so than any other player I have seen since Herschel. He forces other teams to have to deal with him, and his skill makes his teammates better players. He does his thing despite the best efforts of other teams’ defenses to stop him. In my estimation, for this ONE SEASON, he’s had the single best on-the-field season of any college player ever; without him, Auburn is an 8-4 or 9-3 team at best. Character and humility? Not so much.
And, again, Herschel did it for three years. Newton’s one-and-done; he’ll be in the NFL next season without question. Even if there’s a lockout, he’ll declare. I mean, when one’s dad is shopping one around to the highest bidder, does anyone really think that the chance to have another magical college season will play any role in the decision-making process? This year was no more than a 13-game NFL audition for this mercenary.
I’m in awe of what Newton has done on the field, but the reason the rest of the SEC has not rallied behind him is because of the supposition that there has to be something dirty here. That may or may not be true, but one must recall that it is Auburn, a school well-known for bending the rules (and a school nailed by the NCAA for paying players not so very long ago) and it is Cam Newton, a guy who “thanked God” after his SEC title win–as hypocritical a move as I have ever seen from a guy whose hubris seems to know no bounds and who accumulated 13 traffic violations, stole a laptop (yes he did–don’t try to tell me that he “bought it from some guy” and then threw it out the window when the police came calling) and cheated in school enough to warrant an impending dismissal from UF. I couldn’t help but think that the god actually Cam Newton serves is likely the same one his greedy “bishop” father serves–the god of self-service, the god of anything-goes-as-long-as-I-get-mine. The apple does not fall far from the tree–and the apple and tree are invariably in close communication with one another, if you get my drift. The NCAA is going to trust Cam Newton’s word that he, in the words of Sergeant Schultz, “knew nothing?” Yeah, right. And it’s snowing in the Bahamas.
As I said, character and humility? Not so much.