Cam Newton says South Carolina games were personal because of recruiting snub
Cam Newton didn’t look or play like a traditional quarterback. Throughout his career, that led to skepticism about his fit at the game’s most important position.
Among his doubters: South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier.
Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, Newton revealed that South Carolina and Spurrier were among the colleges who recruited him as an athlete/tight end instead of a quarterback coming out of high school. That snub made games against USC “personal” when Newton was at Auburn, he said.
On an Oct. 9 episode of the “4th&1 Podcast with Cam Newton,” the former NFL MVP answered a fan question about what schools he enjoyed playing against the most in college and highlighted Georgia and South Carolina.
“Old Ball Coach Steve Spurrier sat me down in his office and told me that they’re strongly considering (me) and all bets are on a recruit by the name of Stephen Garcia. And if Stephen Garcia does not come, we will recruit you at quarterback,” Newton said on his podcast. “But if you decide to come to South Carolina, your priority will be as an athlete, similar to some of the other receivers that had converted from quarterback to receiver that Coach Spurrier had coached.”
Newton, a five-star recruit from Atlanta, ultimately signed with Florida out of high school. He backed up Tim Tebow for two seasons, transferred after being suspended for stealing a laptop, then played the 2009 season at the JUCO level and committed to Auburn for the 2010 season.
During Newton’s 2010 Heisman Trophy winning season at Auburn, the Tigers beat South Carolina and Spurrier twice: 35-27 during the regular season and 56-17 in the 2010 SEC championship game. Auburn went 12-0 and won the BCS national title.
“It was good to give ’em two elbows that year,” Newton said of South Carolina.
Garcia, like Newton, was a Class of 2007 high school recruit. He played for USC and Spurrier from 2008-11, won 20 games — tied for the third most in program history — and helped the Gamecocks reach their only SEC championship game to date during the 2010 season. He remains a fan favorite and active alum on social media.
Garcia was a good sport, replying to a clip of Newton’s podcast clip on X (formerly Twitter) with laughing emojis and adding: “2 elbows was brutal.”
Cam Newton’s historic college, pro career
It’s worth noting South Carolina wasn’t the only school that didn’t prioritize Newton as a quarterback recruit. As a Georgia native, Newton said he was also irked that UGA and coach Mark Richt only wanted him as an athlete/tight end.
“Me being from Georgia, that was personal,” Newton said on his podcast. “But, to their defense, they had Matthew Stafford still there, so it was like, ‘OK.’”
Newton, 36, was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and played 11 years in the league. He was the first Black quarterback to win the league’s NFL MVP award outright in 2015, led the Panthers to an undefeated regular season and Super Bowl appearance that season and still holds various league quarterback rushing records.
Former South Carolina football player Syvelle Newton — who started games at wide receiver and quarterback under Spurrier from 2003-06 — lamented the fact the Gamecocks hadn’t prioritized Cam Newton as a QB recruit.
Syvelle Newton wrote: “Seeeeeee I have told this story a million times! @CameronNewton was told he would play TE at Carolina and they would use (him) similar to how they USED me. Then he whipped us twice! Nothing against my boy @StephenGarcia … but TE is crazy work!”
