AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn Tigers found themselves defending quarterback Cam Newton for the second time in five days, this time sticking up for the Heisman hopeful in the wake of allegations of academic cheating when he was at Florida.
More accusations surfaced Tuesday night when ESPN reported on its website that Newton and his father each had a phone conversation with a Mississippi State recruiter that acknowledged a pay-for-play arrangement for the prized recruit.
Hours before ESPN posted the story, Tigers coach Gene Chizik dismissed the academic cheating report as “pure garbage” in an emotional 4-minute, 25-second rant.
reported Monday that Newton was caught cheating three times and was to appear for a hearing in front of Florida’s Student Committee facing possible expulsion during the spring semester of 2009.
According to the ESPN report, one of the recruiters said Cecil Newton told him before Cam Newton committed to Auburn that it would take “more than a scholarship” for his son to attend Mississippi State. An unidentified source told ESPN that another recruiter received a phone call from an emotional Cam Newton after he committed to the Tigers, when he said his father selected Auburn for him because “the money was too much.”
Mecham now starter.
Kansas coach Turner Gill says Quinn Mecham is his new starting quarterback after helping engineer the Jayhawks’ 35-point comeback win over Colorado on Saturday.
Mecham started the past two games due to injuries to Jordan Webb and Kale Pick.
Footnotes.
Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder (right elbow) did not throw for the second consecutive practice.
• Oregon backup quarterback Nate Costa will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury that will require surgery.
The Associated Press
