Newfound controversy surround Heisman hopeful Cam Newton
Cameron ‘Cam’ Newton’s play this year has undoubtedly made him one of the top candidates for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to college football’s most outstanding player. However, the Auburn Tigers quarterback has been mired in controversy recently,
after it was alleged that he had improper contact with an agent while considering which potential school to transfer to after leaving the University of Florida in 2008.
On Thursday 4 November, ESPN.com reported that former Mississippi State player Kenny Rogers attempted to solicit a six-figure deal from his alma mater to sign Newton while the current Auburn play-caller weighed his potential collegiate selections. Although
he said that Newton was being shopped around to other schools for $200,000, John Bond, a quarterback for the Bulldogs in the early 1980s, told ESPN.com that his former team-mate (who was purportedly acting on Newton’s behalf without Cam’s knowledge) could
get the highly touted quarterback to sign with Mississippi State for $180,000.
“[Rogers] said it would take some cash to get Cam,” Bond told The Associated Press earlier this week. “I called our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and he took it from there. That was pretty much it.”
According to a report made by The Associated Press (AP) on Friday 5 November, Auburn has had “no contact whatsoever” with Rogers. Furthermore, the AP confirmed that the university has yet to receive a letter of inquiry from the NCAA, nor is Newton’s eligibility
in limbo.
“We have been made aware of the allegation,” Kirk Sampson, Auburn’s assistant athletic director, media relations, said Thursday. “Unfortunately, we cannot comment at this time. However, Cam Newton is eligible to play football at Auburn.”
Cameron’s father, Cecil Newton, explained the facets of his son’s situation in a recent interview with ESPN.com. “If Rogers tried to solicit money from Mississippi State,” the elder Newton stated, “he did it on his own, without our knowledge.”
Still, Newton’s father realizes that the acclaim and success his son has garnered with his extraordinary play this season can all be jeopardized and potentially stripped with the discovery of such a serious allegation. “I’m just trying to protect my son’s interests,”
Cecil said, “because he’s fought very hard to get back where he is.”
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