The stats are of the video game variety: 1,122 yards rushing and 1,573 passing; 14 rushing touchdowns, 15 TD passes and for good measure a leaping 20-yard catch in the corner of the end zone last week at Ole Miss.
In the words of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is “making the SEC look stupid.”
Newton, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior, leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 124.7 yards per game. He also leads the SEC with a pass efficiency rating of 172.6.
Saturday, the No. 2-ranked Tigers (9-0) will host Huesman’s Mocs (5-3) at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Newton is the latest Heisman Trophy front-runner to face UTC on his way to New York.
Last season it was Alabama running back Mark Ingram, in 2008 it was Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and in 2007 UTC faced Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
Ingram and Bradford both won the Heisman, while McFadden finished second behind Tim Tebow.
The Mocs’ Heisman streak could continue next season. For several months UTC has had a verbal agreement with Nebraska to play next season – no contract has been signed – and the Huskers have their own dynamic quarterback in Taylor Martinez.
“He’ll win it,” Huesman said of Martinez, “because we’re playing him.”
It’s easy to get caught up in Cam-Mania, to focus solely on Newton, who could be described as the full-sized, SEC version of former Appalachian State great Armanti Edwards.
But Newton isn’t the Tigers’ only offensive weapon – just ask Ole Miss. In Oxford last week, Michael Dyer rushed for 180 yards, Onterio McCalebb scored on a 68-yard run and five receivers caught at least five balls as Newton completed 18 of 24 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Dyer, a true freshman, is fifth in the SEC in rushing at 80.3 yards per game.
“There’s a lot more than Cam Newton to worry about,” Huesman said.
Mocs defensive coordinator Adam Fuller said UTC can’t afford to designate one man to spy on Newton every play because of Auburn’s other weapons. All the Mocs can do, Fuller said, is be where they’re supposed to be and get the Tigers on the ground as quickly as possible.
“We’re just trying to make it as simple as possible so our guys can go play,” Fuller said. “They just run an unbelievable amount of formations and they have really good players. Up front, they’re as good as I’ve ever seen.”
During his weekly news conference Tuesday, Auburn coach Gene Chizik said the Tigers’ coaching staff is still exploring ways to make the most of Newton’s abilities.
“Every week, it’s been kind of an educational thing as far as what he can or can’t do,” Chizik said. “We know he can catch. We know he can run. We know he can throw. There’s not a lot he can’t do. It leaves us options to consider.”
Extra points
Mocs linebacker Gunner Miller, who left the Elon game with a shoulder stinger, did not practice Tuesday and could be out Saturday. … Cornerback Chaz Moore and defensive tackle Nick Davison sat out practice because of concussions but should be cleared this week.
Contact John Frierson at jfrierson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6268. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mocsbeat.