No Cam news is good Cam news
Recap from beginning of the 2010 season- First nine weeks of the season: Newton becomes college football’s terminator, leading Auburn to an 9-0 start and becoming a dunk for the Heisman – if not Sainthood.- Last Thursday: Reports surface that someone approached Mississippi State during Newton’s recruitment claiming that for $180,000, Newton would go to Starkville.- Last Friday: Auburn and Newton denied the claims.- Last Saturday: Newton accounts for five touchdowns in less than 17 minutes in a 62-24 romp over UTC.- Monday: Reports surface that Newton was caught cheating and was on track to be disciplined for his academic improprieties during his time at Florida.- Tuesday: Hold on now. It starts with Newton and Auburn coach Gene Chizik emphatically denying the claims and allegations. But there is a growing number of stories that emerge throughout the day.
The only Cam Newton story listed on the major sports Websites through the night were about how the recent allegations may damage Newton’s Heisman campaign.
For Newton and Auburn, that has to be considered some sort of major accomplishment, right? I mean 20-or-so hours with no claims of payments or scandal (or Cam-dal, if you will). If if don’t think this has become wildfire on the Interwebs, well for the better part of Wednesday afternoon, “Cam Newton” and its variations were two of the top 15 Google searches worldwide.
Two quick thoughts: If you think we’ve heard the last of this -this week or even today- well, today isn’t over yet. Two, as for the Heisman claims check back at the 2:00 Drill this afternoon around 2 p.m. and we’ll have the Heisman opinion of the three Times Free Press staff members who will vote next month for the Heisman Trophy.
AP: Auburn’s Newton still runaway leader in Heisman poll
Still some Newton news
Late Wednesday afternoon Mississippi State issued a statement about its apparent shortcomings in the recruitment of Cam Newton.
Well, duh.
In truth, this has the equal feel of a middle-school break-up, a high-secruity espionage and a good-old-fashion family squabble. All at the same time, and happening on the big stage down at the County fair with everyone there to see.
It’s messy, and will be for the foreseeable future even if by some miracle SEC commissioner Mike Slive waves pixie dust over this entire affair and little to nothing comes of it.
AP: Auburn, Newton face an obstacle
Big Vols recruiting news
Wednesday started the early signing period for non-football sports, meaning players could sign athletic scholarships.
The Tennessee Vols football team also got some good recruiting news Wednesday when four-star receiver DeAnthony Arnett verbally committed to Derek Dooley’s Vols.
Arnett was believed to be headed to Michigan, but a late charge from UT – reportedly led by receivers coach Charlie Baggett – and the chance to play with a young quarterback (freshman Tyler Bray) and some talented young receivers (freshmen Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter) caught Arnett’s attention.
Here’s UT’s commitments so far (according to rivals.com):
WR DeAnthony Arnett (6-0/167)
DT Allan Carson (6-0/327)
DB Justin Coleman (5-11/175)
OL Mack Crowder (6-4/270)
ATH Vincent Dallas (6-0/180)
Link to DeAnthony Arnett’s Rivals profile page
TE Brendan Downs (6-6/224)
LB Christian Harris (6-2/230)
LB A.J. Johnson (6-3/226)
OL Kyler Kerbyson (6-5/290)
DB Pat Martin (5-11/196)
OL Alan Posey (6-6/305)
DB Brian Randolph (6-0/180)
DT Trevarris Saulsberry (6-4/252)
RB Tom Smith (5-10/205)
ATH Tino Thomas (6-0/190
DE Jordan Williams (6-4/240
QB Justin Worley (6-4/196)
RB Devrin Young (5-6/156)
Thursday night football
There is a serious football game to be played tonight. The Atlanta Falcons host the Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m., NFL Network)in a matchup of two teams that share a couple of interesting links.
First, each franchise reshaped itself by making shrewd draft picks at quarterback in 2008. The Falcons took Matt Ryan third overall, and the Ravens picked Joe Flacco with the 18th pick in the first round. Each became quick starters, and each has won playoff games.
And since each team has a solution at sports’ most important position, each team has to be considered a contender. In fact, the Falcons and Ravens are among the league’s upper-echelon teams.
Group the Ravens (6-2) among the Steelers, Patriots, Colts, Jets and Titans in a tough AFC. The Falcons (6-2) are right there with the Packers and maybe the Giants at the midpoint as NFC favorites.
AP: Falcons, Ravens face big test
ESPN’s strong suits
Love dapper Mel Kiper and stylish Todd McShay and all of their draft work at ESPN and espn.com (I even dig the tension between the two – Kiper the old-school draft guy and McShay’s youthful glibness).
Anyhoo, Kiper does a big board throughout the year of the college players that are the top 25 NFL draft prospects and there is always something interesting on the board. This week that interesting number is 3 – the number of Alabama players (Marcel Dareus, Julio Jones and Mark Ingram) on the board; it’s also the number of players that will be in Saturday’s Auburn-Georgia game (Auburn’s Nick Fairley and Georgia’s A.J. Green and Justin Houston).
Not to be outdone, McShay unloaded the earliest mock draft (first round only) in the history of the free world, and not surprisingly the SEC dominated with 12 projections of the 32 first-round picks.