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Cam Newton’s college recruitment was one of the craziest we’ve seen. The superstar quarterback, who’d played his first season at Florida, became one of the top JUCO prospects before his national championship campaign at Auburn.
Newton’s decision impacted not only the Tigers, but a number of others around the SEC.
After leaving Gainesville as a sophomore amid controversy, Newton landed at Blinn Community College. Blossoming into a highly sought-after recruit, his (second) college decision would come down to Mississippi State and Auburn.
Auburn would ultimately be the choice, though it was later discovered that the passer’s father had been shopping his son to the highest bidder. The rest is history.
Newton posted one of the best seasons in college football history, throwing for 2,854 yards and rushing for 1,473 more. In all, he accounted for 51 touchdowns in his junior year, leading an Auburn team with very little star power to the title game.
The Tigers would take down Oregon in one of the more entertaining championship games in recent memory.
But what if things had turned out differently? How close was Mississippi State to landing that commitment, and would it have resulted in a similar run on the football field?
Newton sat down on The Yak to discuss his college decision. Unfortunately for him, not many are buying his latest explanation.
Cam Newton quotes bogus Bible verse when telling why he chose Auburn.
Today Cam Newton told Brandon why he didn’t go to Mississippi State @BarstoolYak @BFW @HailStateStool pic.twitter.com/0cvhtCvSd9
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 28, 2023
He says that running back Anthony Dixon’s uncle actually turned him away with some negative comments.
“On my [Mississippi State] visit, it was a lot of like, ‘Man, F— Cam Newton,'” the passer said. “It was like, ‘We’re gonna stick with Chris Relf.’ This was a couple of Hennessey shots in, Miller Lites in.
“As the Bible says, ‘A drunken tongue tells the truth.’ I didn’t let that derail me from making my decision, but it was just like, ‘Damn.'”
A lot to take in, there.
First, the fact that the family was shopping the quarterback around would lead one to believe money was the main incentive, not what was said on his visit.
Second, the Bible typically discourages overindulging with alcohol, let alone props it up as a truth serum. Newton appears to have gotten his references swapped when quoting that line.
Of course, no one actually buys the notion that a player’s drunk uncle deterred Cam Newton from picking Mississippi State. His explanation united both Bulldogs and Southern Baptists.
“No chance that’s the real reason.”
“The Bible most definitely does not say that.”
“Yeah, that’s not the reason he chose Auburn.”
“What Bible verse is that my boy?”
Cam Newton would go on to win the Heisman and become the No. 1 overall pick. Mississippi State went 9-4 with quarterback Chris Relf.