"Plain and simple: The race belongs to Newton" - ESPN Heisman Watch

[AUChizad]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/heisman/

Plain and simple: The race belongs to Newton
By Dari Nowkhah
ESPN TV

Editor's note: Each Sunday this season, Dari Nowkhah will offer his take on the Heisman Trophy race. Please note that the "Tracking The Candidates" section reflects voting based upon Week 6 results. An updated poll based upon Week 7 results will appear on Tuesday.

Is it supposed to be this easy? College football is difficult, right? I mean, if it wasn't, everybody could play it.

Then why is it so easy for Auburn quarterback Cam Newton? Maybe it's not. Maybe he just makes it look easy.

Last week, I was in the minority. When 15 of us ESPN.com experts submitted our top five in the Heisman Trophy race, I was one of two who put Newton at No. 1. Just a hunch here, but that number will rise when Tuesday's updated poll is published. That number may be 15.

The Heisman Trophy goes to the most outstanding player in college football. That's Newton. And it's not even close.

What was that noise? Did you hear it? Sounds like it came from Florida. Yep, it's a Gators fan crying because Newton left. OK, so I didn't really hear anything, but can you imagine how Florida fans must feel watching the former heir apparent to Tim Tebow play for an SEC rival. And run. And throw. And lead. And win.

On Saturday against Arkansas, while his defense gave up big play after big play, Newton answered every bell, bailing out the D with his typically fantastic O. His arm, his legs, his head … those are the three (well, four) reasons Auburn remains undefeated.

Newton is 6-foot-6 and weighs around 250 pounds. He uses every inch and every pound. Did you see his first touchdown of the game? With powerful legs churning, Newton put his head down and sent a Razorbacks defender backward onto his back into the end zone. Newton followed him in for his 10th rushing touchdown of the season. Time after time Saturday, just like the week before at Kentucky and earlier in the season against South Carolina, Newton lifted his team and carried it on his shoulders. Third-and-long in a tight game, who made the play? Newton. In a shotgun formation, Newton took the snap, tucked the ball and ran. At least I think he ran. He must, right? It only looks as though he's jogging with ease, past, around and over defenders for first down after first down. He's patient with the football. When he runs, he calmly searches for and finds every hole. He led Auburn to a 65-43 win over the Hogs, running for 188 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a touchdown pass, too.

So good on the ground, Newton makes it easy for Auburn coaches to let him take care of business with those legs. But make no mistake, he can throw the rock, too. His passing numbers against Arkansas: 10-of-14 for 170 yards and a touchdown. Add it up: Newton accounted for four touchdowns on the day, giving him 25 touchdowns (13 passing, 12 rushing) on the season.

Although the stats are jaw-dropping, they alone do not make a Heisman Trophy winner. Don't get caught up in the numbers. Just watch Newton, and it's easy to see, there is nobody in college football right now more outstanding than Auburn's starting quarterback.

Although Saturday allowed one quarterback to extend his lead in the race for the Heisman Trophy, it saw two quarterbacks fall out of it.

Firmly in the lead just two weeks ago, Michigan's Denard Robinson has dropped out of contention, although the quarterback's performance in Saturday's loss to Iowa was worthy of some level of praise. If nothing else, props should go his way after he ran for more than 100 yards against a Hawkeyes defense that entered Saturday ranked second nationally against the run. But for the second straight week, Robinson hurt his team with a costly turnover (a second-quarter interception as Michigan was driving to take the lead). In addition to Robinson's decision-making as a passer, his durability continues to warrant concern. Again, he got knocked out of a game with an injury. It's tough to win a Heisman Trophy when you can't consistently get through 60 minutes of football. For now, Robinson is off my Heisman Watch list.

For good, Taylor Martinez is off that list. Texas not only contained the Huskers' freshman quarterback but even rendered him so ineffective that the Longhorns knocked him out of the game. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini benched the man Huskers fans call T-Magic in the third quarter of the Huskers' 20-13 home loss to Texas. Martinez mustered just 84 yards of total offense (63 passing, 21 rushing) in his two-plus quarters on the field. Although it's tough to blame him entirely for what happened at Memorial Stadium, it's tough to win a Heisman Trophy when your head coach decides even once that you're not the guy to lead your team back when times are tough.

Right now, times are tough for everybody not named Cam Newton when it comes to the race for this season's Heisman Trophy.

[AUChizad]

The college football section of ESPN.com might as well be CamNewton.com right now.

http://espn.go.com/blog/SEC/post/_/id/15563/newton-auburn-get-it-done-again

Newton, Auburn get it done again
By Chris Low
AUBURN, Ala. -- The way this Auburn football team insists on living dangerously may be entertaining to watch, but it’s hard on the old ticker.

Josh Bynes ought to know. He’s lived it now for seven straight weeks.

“Yeah, it’s nerve-racking, because we know we can’t keep putting ourselves in this position,” said Bynes, the Tigers’ senior linebacker. “But there’s just something about this team. When we have to have it in the fourth quarter, somebody’s always there to make it happen.”

That somebody Saturday on defense was Bynes, who had interceptions on back-to-back possessions to send Arkansas packing for good in a 65-43 score-a-thon that marked the most points ever scored in a non-overtime SEC game.

Here’s something else it marked: The official Cam Newton for Heisman Trophy campaign.

If there’s anybody playing better football right now than Newton, he’s not on this planet.

“All I know is that I’m glad he’s on our team. I don’t know where we’d be without him,” said Auburn safety Zac Etheridge, who contributed to the No. 7-ranked Tigers’ 28-point blitzkrieg in the fourth quarter with a 47-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Newton accounted for four touchdowns against the No. 12-ranked Hogs. He churned out 328 yards of total offense, including 188 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Emory Blake.

For the season, Newton has now rushed for 170 yards or more in four different games and has accounted for 25 touchdowns -- 13 passing and 12 rushing.

To put those numbers into perspective, former Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan holds the school record with 26 touchdowns -- and he did that during his Heisman Trophy-winning 1971 season.

“I don’t have the opportunity to watch everybody in America, but I can tell you this: Number 2 (Newton) is one spectacular football player … and I’m not one to go out on a limb,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “But everybody in the world sees it. It’s not like I’m telling anybody anything new.”

The 6-6, 250-pound Newton was magical in the open field, making Arkansas defenders miss, and showing the moves of a tailback. But when the Tigers needed him in the passing game, he also delivered and finished 10-of-14 for 140 yards.

“A guy that big isn’t supposed to be that shifty, but he is,” said Bynes, shaking his head in amazement.

For three quarters, Newton and the Auburn offense bailed out a defense that was shredded by Arkansas’ passing game. Most of the damage was done by Arkansas backup quarterback Tyler Wilson, who played brilliantly in relief of Ryan Mallett, who was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with a concussion.

Wilson hit 15 of his first 16 passes and finished with 332 passing yards and four touchdowns.

His 23-yard touchdown pass to Greg Childs less than a minute into the fourth quarter and ensuing two-point conversion pass to Childs gave the Hogs a 43-37 lead.

The Tigers were on their heels defensively and looked like they were in trouble.

“That’s the thing about this team that’s different than a lot of the ones I’ve been around,” said Trooper Taylor, Auburn’s assistant head coach and receivers coach. “When things go wrong or we start giving up some plays, you don’t get any of this, ‘Oh man, here we go again.’

“Instead, you have the offensive guys coming up to the defensive guys and vice versa and they’re telling each other, ‘I’ve got your back, or I’m going to make this play, or we’re going to get this stop.’ That’s the way it is with this team.

“We are truly one.”

The Tigers (7-0, 4-0) have also been the truth in the fourth quarter.

They’ve outscored their opponents this season 69-21 after the third quarter, which includes the overtime period against South Carolina.

And in their last two games against nationally ranked foes -- the other one being South Carolina -- they’ve forced seven turnovers in the fourth quarter.

“Our football team is resilient. Our defense is resilient,” Chizik said. “We know we didn’t play well all night, and there are probably numerous reasons why. We will see that tomorrow on film. But when it was the fourth quarter and we had to make plays, and when we had to get turnovers, we got three.”

That’s not a bad trait to have, even when you do give up 566 yards of total offense.

And having Newton at quarterback is the quintessential equalizer.

“We play as a team, and we play all four quarters,” Newton said. “There’s nobody pointing fingers on this team, and there’s no selfishness on this team. Whatever it takes to win, we’re going to do.”

Until somebody figures out a way to stop Newton, the Tigers are probably going to keep on winning.

Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette summed it up best Saturday.

“You’ve got to give that guy a lot of credit,” Bequette said. “He’s a great player.

"He’s going to do that to a lot of people.”

[AUChizad]

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/30113/what-we-learned-in-the-sec-week-7-2

What We Learned In The SEC: Week 7

1. Newton for Heisman: As fate would have it, the seventh week of the season a year ago was when a player from the state of Alabama thrust his name to the top of the Heisman Trophy charts with a signature game. Alabama’s Mark Ingram had 246 yards rushing in a 20-6 win over South Carolina, a performance that announced to the college football world once and for all that Ingram was the real deal. We all know how that turned out. Fast forward to this past Saturday -- the seventh week of the 2010 season -- and it was Auburn’s Cam Newton making perhaps his strongest case yet why he’s college football’s most outstanding player with 328 yards of total offense, three rushing touchdowns and one passing. There’s nobody else in the country quite like Newton. For that matter, it’s debatable whether or not there’s ever been anybody quite like him in the SEC. You’re talking about a 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback with tailback speed, tailback moves and an NFL-caliber arm. But what sets him apart is his toughness. In his past two games, he’s carried the ball 53 times. Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said following the 65-43 win over Arkansas that there was really no way of knowing just how tough Newton was in the preseason because they didn’t allow him to be hit. Well, he’s doing the hitting now. Just ask Arkansas linebacker Jerico Nelson, who was flattened by Newton on his way to his first touchdown run.

[Token]

Agreed.  Right now he is the best in college football.  The Michigan kid has been stopped.  Ohio State's kid has been stopped.  Cam hasn't, and he's played better competition. 

[Saniflush]

Question to some of you recruiting gurus....

While watching the replay this afternoon Vern made the comment that Newton had originally wanted to come to Auburn out of high school but chose Florida due us putting all our eggs in the Burns basket. 

Does anyone remember this?  I personally do not but I also don't keep up with recruiting like some of you. 

Is this revisionist history by Cam or something inferred by Vern cause he could get no more of Cam's manmeat into his mouth?

[Token]

Vern made the comment

It hasn't been that long since Auburn played at 2:30. 

[AUChizad]

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Question to some of you recruiting gurus....

While watching the replay this afternoon Vern made the comment that Newton had originally wanted to come to Auburn out of high school but chose Florida due us putting all our eggs in the Burns basket. 

Does anyone remember this?  I personally do not but I also don't keep up with recruiting like some of you. 

Is this revisionist history by Cam or something inferred by Vern cause he could get no more of Cam's manmeat into his mouth?

I don't remember that, but it certainly doesn't say much for the talent evaluation of a certain group known for great BBQ.   If they'd only had the painted cat to identify the "it" factor FOR them....

He's here now though... 

[jmar]

I don't remember that, but it certainly doesn't say much for the talent evaluation of a certain group known for great BBQ.   If they'd only had the painted cat to identify the "it" factor FOR them....

He's here now though... 

...and what a talented young man he is.

[The Prowler]

I remember it....

Al Borges/Tommy Tubrville wanted Kodi Burns, he was their #1 QB on the board.  I think Cameron Newton committed to Florida before Kodi committed Auburn.  The Auburn coaching staff probably told Cam that Kodi was their top guy at QB.

I remember telling some people that Florida just signed Tebows replacement for when he leaves and that he was bigger and faster than Tebow.

But that's all I 'member.

[jmar]

I remember it....

Al Borges/Tommy Tubrville wanted Kodi Burns, he was their #1 QB on the board.  I think Cameron Newton committed to Florida before Kodi committed Auburn.  The Auburn coaching staff probably told Cam that Kodi was their top guy at QB.

I remember telling some people that Florida just signed Tebows replacement for when he leaves and that he was bigger and faster than Tebow.

But that's all I 'member.Damn-it Prowler that's not good enough. Think man think!

[Saniflush]

Paging Jumbo. 

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

Paging Jumbo.

Exacry...

[djsimp]

Can someone please get me outta here!!!!!!!!