Dixon

Position Breakdown - Quarterback Outlook

After a stellar season from Chris Todd, the final season of a short but tumultuous career in an Auburn Tiger uniform, the tigers find themselves in an increasingly familiar position going into the 2010-2011 football season. That being the uncomfortable position of having an inexperienced quarterback under center to start the a new season off. While the Tigers are a step ahead of a year ago with Cameron Newton being named the starter after spring practice. There still sits a bit of uncomfortable awkwardness at the pit of my stomach when I begin thinking about the prospects of this season.

Cameron Newton is truly a gifted athlete and from everything I have heard from him in interviews and from people around campus a smart young man I have to raise the question that has been nagging at the corner of my mind. How much of the offense has he picked up in such a small window of time. Picking up a playbook with as much motion and detail a Coach Malzahns is quite a large task. I continue to ask myself if the offense will be limited by the amount of the playbook Cameron Newton is able to digest going into the season.

However, all this may pale in comparison to what he brings to the table in athleticism and leadership. It was no coincidence that when players were chosen to go down on mission work in the Dominican Republic he was selected to go even though he was basically fresh off the plane from Texas. Newton has showed a humble confidence that mirrors somewhat that of a man he played behind at Florida briefly (Tim Tebow). Do not get me wrong he is not even in the same breath as Tebow right now if you look at the laundry list of accomplishments Tebow, but you can see a bit of that same kind of swagger that Newton may have picked up while working behind him. Newton also compares favorably with Tebow when you compare them physically. Both are natural runners and have big strong builds that can absorb the hits an SEC Football schedule is promises. Both have questions about their accuracy throwing the football but have ample arm strength to make the throws. If Newton can develop an understanding of the offense and gel with the offensive personnel before this season starts he may even grab a few accolades for himself in the next two seasons at Auburn.
The backup role on this season is a bit more cloudy than the starter now with two viable options in veteran Neil Caudle and younger Barrett Trotter. Both of which have now been in Malzahns system for over a year and looked good at times during a very vanilla A-Day. In my opinion the back up job probably belongs to Caudle, but do not be surprised if in the ladder half of games this season if you see Trotter coming out for the live snaps to close out the cake walk games. The reason being of course that Trotter is the presumed back up and possible starter as a senior while Caudle is finishing his last trip around the track of his career. All that being said if a serious injury puts Newton out or he is not ready be prepared to see the veteran Caudle come out to take the reigns of the offense.
 
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