By Dan Harralson
Last Thursday the college football world was shocked as it was announced allegedly that Auburn's superstar, Cam Newton, was placed in a major scandal. We quickly talked to Brian Hazlewood (former MSU kicker) regarding the scandal from a Mississippi State perspective (click here for the interview.) I quickly praised Dan Mullen, in which I applaud, for handling an unfortunate situation. I raised the recruiting wars question, to Coach Mullen this summer, outlining how hostile recruiting is within the SEC and in-state against Ole Miss:
Coach Mullen is very passionate about obtaining the recruiting battles, as he eluded to above. I firmly believe he and Mississippi State did the correct move in reporting the Cecil Newton offer to the SEC office. As we all know, Joe Schad reported last night that Cecil and Cam Newton were both recorded on separate occasions regarding college football and money wagering. Back in January of this year, Cecil Newton's comments were much different than November of this year (take a peak:)
On how they chose Auburn: ``We both decided what to do a few days before we went to Gene Chizik, but Cam was apprehensive. He was leaning toward Starkville. He had that relationship with Dan Mullen and there was a comfort level there. I didn't think that was the right place for Cam. They just don't have all the moving parts. Cam was going to have to be the star. He'd have to do everything himself. I didn't want him to be a rented mule. Auburn has far more varsity players returning, they have more skill players, they're attracting more highly recruited players and it's right down the street."
On if MSU was the early leader: ``Absolutely they were. Auburn came on strong at the end. A lot of people pre-supposed that (Cam) would hook up with Dan Mullen. He made an official visit around Thanksgiving and that went really well. I just wasn't sure about it. I like Dan Mullen and I think he has a very bright offensive mind. He's just having to go against the odds in Starkville. I just didn't want Cam to be blinded by an affiliation. It was important for us to study Auburn, to study Malzahn and Chizik. Auburn has bright minds, too."
I do not have any concrete evidence proving Auburn paid Cam Newton to play collegiate football for the Tigers, but the answers provided to me at SEC Media Days gives me the knowledge of my own theory. The reason I asked Coach Mullen and Coach Chizik these recruiting questions (in the midst of every reporter asking about agents in July) is how did such a big time name in Cam Newton fly under the radar as smoothly as he did to Auburn? I asked Coach Chizik about the quickly banned Tiger Prowl and if he needed added incentives such as this to keep up with Nick Saban's fast paced recruiting. Below is Chizik informing me that he is very adamant about selling the Auburn product to stay up to pace against the Nick Saban's of the SEC and nationally:
Back to my theory on the entire Scamgate; I believe Cam was let go from the University of Florida regarding his academic cheating issues rather than just a depth chart issue as Urban Meyer relates it. According to FoxSports.com, Newton violated the university's honor code by putting his name on another student's paper and turning it in. Newton was caught after the instructor asked the real author of the paper why he had not turned in his work. Newton turned in a second paper to the instructor, but that paper was later found to have been purchased off the Internet, according to FoxSports.com. He was to appear for a hearing in front of Florida's Student Conduct Committee during the spring semester of 2009 but instead transferred to Blinn College.
With Mullen taking over at Mississippi State, Urban was primarily allowing Mullen to have a quarterback (after having to go JUCO for one season) and help lay the foundation down for a successful program in Starkville. So that brings us to why is Cam Newton at Auburn? I firmly believe the Auburn individuals that threw money at Chris Porter and also went behind Tommy Tuberville's back (aka Jetgate) are the same individuals that probably threw wagering money to Cecil Newton. All in all the real innocent people of this scandal, are Cam, Dan Mullen, and Urban Meyer. I am not the biggest Urban Meyer fan, but I firmly believe he was helping Mullen out since Cam was kicked out of UF for academic reasons. The real losers of this ordeal are simply the Auburn scapegoats that went behind Chizik's back and Cecil Newton who destroyed his son's life. Also the Auburn fan base who keeps talking down to Joe Schad. Schad is just merely doing his job and reporting the accurate truth. The NCAA is the last real disappointing chapter in this scandal. The NCAA quickly pointed the gun at North Carolina, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Clemson making innocent student athletes sit out games for not breaking any NCAA violations. The NCAA is not following correct and fair protocol they handed out to these schools mentioned. The NCAA quickly gave understanding for players to sit out of games then and would not reinstate these individuals until proven innocent; they should do the same now and make Cam Newton sit while they investigate.
For one last piece of enjoyment, here is Coach Saban at media days. Every reporter wanted to talk agents, I just wanted to simply talk Cam Newton recruiting to Mullen and Chizik; but most importantly the kicking game with Saint Nick...
NOTE TO AUBURN UNIVERSITY: PLEASE COME ON FOR AN INTERVIEW AND STRESS THE AUBURN POINTS IN RELATION TO THE ABOVE
