There won’t be many players, if any, who will have a better season in college football than Cam Newton in 2010. The quarterback led Auburn to a national title, sometimes by pure will, while making defenses wonder if the guy was a mortal human being.
That makes his snub of being elected into the College Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot so mysterious, and frankly, quite appalling.
In his only season on the Plains, Newton lit up college football, putting up 51 touchdowns (30 passes, 20 rushing and one receiving) as the Tigers quickly climbed up the ranks, all the way to No. 1 following the Cam-Back, when Gene Chizik’s squad erased a 24-3 deficit to Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium to win 28-27 in one of the most memorable Iron Bowls in series history.
Cam Newton was the most dominant force college football has seen
But it wasn’t just how productive Newton was. It was how he made defenses almost quit, especially when they tried to tackle him, as he used his 6-foot-5 frame to pound his way over defenders while his speed allowed him to outpace even the fastest players in the SEC.
The most memorable play came against LSU, when Newton zigged and zagged through the Bayou Bengals’ defense and then beat two future NFL stars – Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson – on the way to the end zone.
It would be remiss not to mention the controversy that surrounded Newton during the last part of the season, as it was rumored that Auburn had paid him up to $180,000 to come play for the Tigers before the season. While the NCAA never found any proof and Newton remained eligible, the rumors never went away and somewhat tarnished what should have been a celebratory time for him.
There’s no question that Newton will one day be inducted into the Hall of Fame, both the college and NFL, but after the season and the impact he had in his one season on the Plains, there’s absolutely no reason that he deserves to be in on the first ballot.
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