The Five I'm Watching: Part I

[AWK]

Hey everyone. With the World Cup all but completed, I'm back to the HABOTN where I belong.

Thanks for your patience.

We're starting a new series today we like to call The Five I'm Watching, which highlights ... exactly what you think it highlights. Media Days, the unofficial start to college football in my world, begins on July 21.

That's only 13 days.

So let's start assessing what the Auburn Tigers have in store for the 2010 season. We'll begin by examining Cameron Newton.



CAMERON NEWTON
Quarterback

    * Age: 21
    * Class: Junior
    * Size: 6-foot-6, approximately 250 pounds
    * Previous role: Starting JUCO quarterback
    * Theme song: ``I Am The Highway," Audioslave
    * Relevant lyric: "I am not your rolling wheels; I am the highway."



THE GOOD: The scouting reports we've all heard on Newton is that he's big and fast and commandeering. I haven't seen much of him because of Auburn's semi-restrictive access guidelines. I have seen enough to know he's faster than you'd expect from someone of his size. I know he has plus arm strength. I know he's bright and has the kind of fire one would expect from a top-tier college quarterback. He's in an offense that made a (compromised) Chris Todd pretty doggone effective. Imagine the kinds of numbers a healthy, thoughtful quarterback could amass. I don't say this often about athletes' parents, but Newton's father is a huge plus in my mind. He knows the game. He provides a certain thrust, I guess you'd say, that gives Newton proper large-scale vision.

THE BAD: His performance in the A-Day game did little to soothe questions about accuracy. To be fair, coaches asked almost nothing Newton in that game. It's a smart decision. A great game would have stoked expectations beyond where they are right now. I'm also wary of hype here. I'm not saying he's Greg Smith or even Eltoro Freeman, but the expectations being heaped upon Newton seem out of proportion given his lack of top-level experience. Was he good in junior college? Absolutely. Two rival JUCO coaches who spoke with me earlier this year made it clear, though, that Newton thrived primarily because of overwhelming play-making ability. Defenders at that level couldn't handle that. The Southeastern Conference is home to the best college defenders, pound for pound, in the world. Look at NFL rosters and tell me I'm wrong.

THE REALITY: He's going to be 80% of what you think he'll be -- at least initially. I expect his play-making ability to work well in this league. He'll create on the fly. He'll run away from some good linebackers, which will make you think: Damn, he's good. He'll improvise more often -- and more effectively -- than you think. I just get this sense that Newton's accuracy will wane beyond 20 yards. Gus Malzahn craves those long passes, too, so Newton will be forced to improve dramatically. My guess is that he will. It may take some time.

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

What you think?

[JR4AU]

http://jaygtate.blogspot.com/

What you think?

Standard fence straddling blog that says everything and nothing at the same time.  Good to read if you're craving football, but largely meaningless.

[Snaggletiger]

I have no idea if Newton will be the bomb or a bust either.  My guess, based on the little I saw in the spring, the fact that Florida got him initially and film I saw of him in JUCO....would be that he'll be as advertised.  I would counter the writers concern about him doing it at this level because these are SEC defenders, with the fact that Newton also has SEC offensive players on his side of the ball too.  He won't be on an island trying to create everything himself.  He'll be throwing behind senior linemen like Pugh, Isom and Ziemba.  He'll be throwing to top flight SEC receivers in Adams and Zachary etc. 

IMO, what Newton needs to do is stay within Malzahn's system like Todd did, but be able to add that extra dimension in taking off on designed runs and/or when the pocket breaks down.

[AWK]

I have no idea if Newton will be the bomb or a bust either.  My guess, based on the little I saw in the spring, the fact that Florida got him initially and film I saw of him in JUCO....would be that he'll be as advertised.  I would counter the writers concern about him doing it at this level because these are SEC defenders, with the fact that Newton also has SEC offensive players on his side of the ball too.  He won't be on an island trying to create everything himself.  He'll be throwing behind senior linemen like Pugh, Isom and Ziemba.  He'll be throwing to top flight SEC receivers in Adams and Zachary etc. 

IMO, what Newton needs to do is stay within Malzahn's system like Todd did, but be able to add that extra dimension in taking off on designed runs and/or when the pocket breaks down.

I agree.  I also like the idea of running the option more and having a disguised wildcat with the option to hand off to Newton via Kodi Burns. 

[JR4AU]

I agree.  I also like the idea of running the option more and having a disguised wildcat with the option to hand off to Newton via Kodi Burns. 

Newton will bring that extra dimension to the offense by being a run threat, but it will only be an extra dimension if we don't lose the passing dimension.  IF he can pass somewhat effectively, and IF he can run the offense anywhere near as effectively as Todd, then we'll be in great shape.

[Snaggletiger]

Speaking of the Mildcat....were we?  I'd love to see Fannin get a crack at running it since he was a QB in high school.  He has to be able to throw at least as good as Kobe Burns.  K-K-K-Kooooobee.

[AWK]

Speaking of the Mildcat....were we?  I'd love to see Fannin get a crack at running it since he was a QB in high school.  He has to be able to throw at least as good as Kobe Burns.  K-K-K-Kooooobee.

If not better, no offense Mr. Burns.

[Saniflush]

If not better, no offense Mr. Burns.

Your warn meter is skyrocketing.


They are just kids.

[Godfather]

If not better, no offense Mr. Burns.

Exxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcellent

[AWK]

Your warn meter is skyrocketing.


They are just kids.

That was a 60%er, fo sho.

[GH2001]

Standard fence straddling blog that says everything and nothing at the same time.  Good to read if you're craving football, but largely meaningless.

Yep - typical Jay G for ya.

[AWK]

Yep - typical Jay G for ya.

I'm going to start an anti-Cam Newton campaign, just on the off chance that I can say I told you so.  Also, so I don't feel disappointed if he is a bust.

CamNewton2ndstring.com

[JR4AU]

I'm going to start an anti-Cam Newton campaign, just on the off chance that I can say I told you so.  Also, so I don't feel disappointed if her is a bust.

CamNewton2ndstring.com

Hater!

[War Eagle!!!]

I'm going to start an anti-Cam Newton campaign, just on the off chance that I can say I told you so.  Also, so I don't feel disappointed if her is a bust.

CamNewton2ndstring.com

Follow it up with kissfuckingrocks.com

[wesfau2]

Follow it up with kissfuckingrocks.com

It's like you read my mind.

[Tiger Wench]

I have no idea if Newton will be the bomb or a bust either.  My guess, based on the little I saw in the spring, the fact that Florida got him initially and film I saw of him in JUCO....would be that he'll be as advertised.  I would counter the writers concern about him doing it at this level because these are SEC defenders, with the fact that Newton also has SEC offensive players on his side of the ball too.  He won't be on an island trying to create everything himself.  He'll be throwing behind senior linemen like Pugh, Isom and Ziemba.  He'll be throwing to top flight SEC receivers in Adams and Zachary etc. 

IMO, what Newton needs to do is stay within Malzahn's system like Todd did, but be able to add that extra dimension in taking off on designed runs and/or when the pocket breaks down.

I want Verne Lundquist to cream himself every time he says the words "Cam Newton" and for Gary Danielson to have to change clothes at halftime from the overspray. 

You know with Tebow gone, Verne will be looking for a replacement...

[djsimp]

I want Verne Lundquist to cream himself every time he says the words "Cam Newton" and for Gary Danielson to have to change clothes at halftime from the overspray. 

You know with Tebow gone, Verne will be looking for a replacement...

With Newtons connect to Florida, I think you may be on to something.