UGA sports blog Georgia saw Cam Newton as ‘more of a tight end prospect’

[sdogg]

UGA sports blog

Georgia saw Cam Newton as ‘more of a tight end prospect’

1:52 pm November 9, 2010, by Tim Tucker

ATHENS – Sound bites from Mark Richt’s news conference today:

• On Auburn quarterback Cam Newton: “Just when you thought [Tim] Tebow left town, he showed up again in another jersey.”

• On recruiting Newton as a high school player: “I remember him. A very talented guy, a guy we did look at. We actually had him pegged as more of a tight end prospect. And lot of it had to do with what we like to do offensively . . . [not] any type of disrespect of his ability to play quarterback. He’s proven to be pretty darn good there.”

• On whether he expects Newton to be distracted by all the controversy swirling around him: “It was swirling last week. Didn’t seem to bother him last week. . . . Usually, when you start playing ball, no matter what’s going on around you, it’s a haven for an athlete be in his element and shut the world out and go have some fun and play ball.”

• On who will simulate Newton in Georgia’s practices this week: “Well, we’ve got Parker Welch, just because he’s been our scout-team quarterback all along. And one of the best similarities I guess I could say he has to Cam is he wears No. 2 this week. Parker, he’s a great scout-team quarterback. He throws the ball real good. He’s doing great for us. But he’s not 6-6, 250. It’s just a little different.”

• On Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley: “I’ve not really seen any one man block him. I rarely have seen two guys block him very well. I’ve seen him get a sack without even touching the quarterback –- he knocked a guard into the running back and then the running back into the quarterback and the quarterback got knocked down. . . . And then when he sacks guys, he tends to like to body slam them. It makes me real nervous. Hopefully, [Aaron] Murray won’t see this press conference.”

• On whether Georgia figures it can get the ball downfield to A.J. Green vs. Auburn: “You know what the biggest problem is? The biggest problem in my opinion is Nick Fairley. Because when you’re talking about getting the ball downfield to A.J., to do that you’ve got to hold the ball a little while. And it’s hard to hold the ball a little while when that guy is coming. Because he is relentless. I think Ben Jones is a pretty good center, and I think Cordy [Glenn] is a pretty good guard, but I tell you: This guy, he’s a lot to handle. . . . Fifteen quarterback hurries, 18 tackles for loss, 7 ½ sacks — those are huge numbers for an interior defensive linemen. Those are [Warren] Sapp type of numbers. . . . Nick, he’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Warren Sapp in all the years I’ve been coaching.

• On the high profile of Saturday’s game: “We know everybody in the country is going to watch the game, but they’re probably tuning in to watch Auburn. Hopefully we’ll show up and give them something to watch.”

• On Arkansas’ victory over South Carolina last week, an outcome that would have boosted Georgia’s chances of reaching the SEC title game IF the Bulldogs had beaten Florida on Oct. 30: “I was sick. I’ll be honest with you; I was sick. . . . If we had won the Florida game, we’d have been in position to go to Atlanta depending on what happens this Saturday in Florida vs. South Carolina. And it would have been a wonderful story. But it’s not.”

[aPureTerror]

Probably could be a great TE too.

[Mr Pickle1]

Well, lets be honest, he fits better as a TE for UGA's system than he does a qb.

He's an okay passer. HOwever, his passing effectiveness is VERY high because teams are forced to defend his running.

In UGA's system, qb running is more of a play breakdown than a gameplan.

If you wanted Newton to drop back and throw 30 times a game, he wouldn't be nearly as effective as he was.

Newton IS good enough to change your offensive system for, that's pretty clear. The problem is...it wasn't clear when he was coming out of HS. He had great tools, but I'd be shocked if a single person saw him as the kind of absurdly dominant force he has been this year.

Can't really blame the UGA coaching staff. He didn't fit the system, and most teams thought he wasn't worth changing schemes for.

[aPureTerror]

Well, lets be honest, he fits better as a TE for UGA's system than he does a qb.

He's an okay passer. HOwever, his passing effectiveness is VERY high because teams are forced to defend his running.

In UGA's system, qb running is more of a play breakdown than a gameplan.

If you wanted Newton to drop back and throw 30 times a game, he wouldn't be nearly as effective as he was.

Newton IS good enough to change your offensive system for, that's pretty clear. The problem is...it wasn't clear when he was coming out of HS. He had great tools, but I'd be shocked if a single person saw him as the kind of absurdly dominant force he has been this year.

Can't really blame the UGA coaching staff. He didn't fit the system, and most teams thought he wasn't worth changing schemes for.

Yup, well said.

[Gritzblitz 2.0]

After watching what Newton has done in carrying Auburn, I believe I would have found a way to make him fit into whatever offense I ran.

[kicker_jesus]

After watching what Newton has done in carrying Auburn, I believe I would have found a way to make him fit into whatever offense I ran.

Agree to an extent, but he couldn't even beat-out John Brantley for the #2 spot behind Tim Tebow. I think the whole year at JUCO really helped him to get his mind right and he looks like a completely different player out their this year.

[Billy Ocean]

Wedging Cam's skill set into Richt's offense woulda probably gone about as well as Mora trying to make Vick a west coast QB. For all Richt's alleged deficiencies evaluating QBs has never been one of them, at FSU or UGA. The man made Chris Weinke a Heisman winner for Christs sakes. Before somebody points out JT3 and Joe Cox, I'll do it for ya. Both were intended to be transitional QBs at best. If there weren't so many talented QBs on the roster during all but their senior seasons then perhaps other more competent guys mighta signed. Its just hard to keep recruiting high school kids when you have a Greene, Shockley or Stafford on the roster. So sometimes you have to turn to lesser QBs to bridge the gap. Ideally you wanta sign a topflight signal caller every 2 years. Luckily with LeMay on the way that's what we're doing.

[SacFalcFan]

anyone who says he was a qb prospect didn't see him in practice at florida. he was horrible while at florida. they were talking of moving him to TE. he turned into a great qb now, but there was plenty of reasons why he was thought of as a TE prospect. our coaches do a terrific job when it comes to scouting qbs.

[#1 pick]

The thing about playing QB in practice is they can't run. It makes guys like Doug Johnson equals to Michael Vick till the game starts and Vick can run like a chicken and created havoc on defenses while Doug looks like trash because he not that good of a thrower and defenses can easily game-plan for him. Guys like Newton and Vick look much better on gamedays than practice. All news out of Philly in training camp was Kolb>>>Vick, no doubt, once both played in games, it was Vick>>>Kolb, not even close.

Edited November 10, 2010 by #1 pick

[#1 pick]

Wedging Cam's skill set into Richt's offense woulda probably gone about as well as Mora trying to make Vick a west coast QB. For all Richt's alleged deficiencies evaluating QBs has never been one of them, at FSU or UGA. The man made Chris Weinke a Heisman winner for Christs sakes. Before somebody points out JT3 and Joe Cox, I'll do it for ya. Both were intended to be transitional QBs at best. If there weren't so many talented QBs on the roster during all but their senior seasons then perhaps other more competent guys mighta signed. Its just hard to keep recruiting high school kids when you have a Greene, Shockley or Stafford on the roster. So sometimes you have to turn to lesser QBs to bridge the gap. Ideally you wanta sign a topflight signal caller every 2 years. Luckily with LeMay on the way that's what we're doing.

I always thought A.J. Bryant could have been a great QB, choose the wrong school, never got a chance and move to a position he wasn't tough enough for, got hurt and there was his career. Could have been a great QB, one like Kordell Stewart.

[Billy Ocean]

I always thought A.J. Bryant could have been a great QB, choose the wrong school, never got a chance and move to a position he wasn't tough enough for, got hurt and there was his career. Could have been a great QB, one like Kordell Stewart.

A.J. Bryant came along right about the time I discovered online recruiting news and subsequently was one of the first guys whose potential I ever got excited about. It was a shame the way his playing career unfolded.

[SacFalcFan]

even in practice you still show your ability to pass the ball which cam could not do.. the joke was he couldn't hit the side of the barn and he couldn't. some guys are not good practice guys, but in cam's situation he was just terrible. i saw vick practice and doug johnson practice and that was not what separated them. vick was fine in practice. doug johnson was very good in preseason. you see that often where guys are loved in preseason, but they can't do the job when they are in there during the season. there is a big difference between in season play and preseason play.

[SacFalcFan]

A.J. Bryant came along right about the time I discovered online recruiting news and subsequently was one of the first guys whose potential I ever got excited about. It was a shame the way his playing career unfolded.

aj bryant should have been redshirted because he was learning a new position.. he was recruited as a wide receiver. he should have sat out, but due to depth he played. that was a big mistake and then he couldn't stay healthy at all. that was the theme to his career..

[sdogg]

After watching what Newton has done in carrying Auburn, I believe I would have found a way to make him fit into whatever offense I ran.

Exactly!

Richard Samuel, a LB moved to RB now back to LB. Wasted talent at UGA.

[Carter]

Exactly!

Richard Samuel, a LB moved to RB now back to LB. Wasted talent at UGA.

Well to be completely fair, Samuel was a 5 star ATH and looked to add greatly needed depth at RB when we brought him in. I think he's going to have much more of an impact as a LB, but it's kinda unfair to look back and say we wasted his talent. We needed the depth. Plus with the redshirt he has 2 more years after this to prove what he can do at LB.

Anyone who laughs about UGA looking at Cam Newton as more of a tight end needs to realize he (1) doesn't fit our offense or personnel as a QB and (2) was hot garbage prior to this year.

[SacFalcFan]

Well to be completely fair, Samuel was a 5 star ATH and looked to add greatly needed depth at RB when we brought him in. I think he's going to have much more of an impact as a LB, but it's kinda unfair to look back and say we wasted his talent. We needed the depth. Plus with the redshirt he has 2 more years after this to prove what he can do at LB.

Anyone who laughs about UGA looking at Cam Newton as more of a tight end needs to realize he (1) doesn't fit our offense or personnel as a QB and (2) was hot garbage prior to this year.

yep.. those two facts are pretty strong at that time..

[kingjamez]

Exactly!

Richard Samuel, a LB moved to RB now back to LB. Wasted talent at UGA.

Samuel is a young kid with a lot of playing time left in him. It's very premature to say he's a wasted talent at UGA.