There is no denying Cam Newton is a special player.
He deserves all the recognition and midseason accolades.
He deserves every SportsCenter anchor's "Cam Newton, baby!" and Lebron James' "MONSTER" Tweet.
He definitely deserves the Heisman buzz and legend talk.
Through only eight games, he has passed every Auburn player not named Bo in the hearts of many Auburn faithful. And he gets better every week.
He's already accounted for more touchdowns in a season than any player in Auburn history and rushed for more yards than any quarterback in single-season SEC history.
Yes, including Tim Tebow during his Heisman season in 2007.
If the Heisman Trophy was awarded today, Newton would win by a wide, wide margin.
And that's after only eight games of Division I competition as a starting quarterback running basically a version of the old time veer offense.
Newton up the middle, left and right.
Clemson and South Carolina both knew what to expect in the second half. Didn't matter.
Kentucky knew the ball was staying in No. 2's hands during the game-winning drive. Didn't matter.
LSU was prepared for Newton's scrambling shenanigans, or at least thought it was.
More than 200 yards later, and 440 by Auburn collectively, the most rushing yards gained by an opponent of LSU in its history, and Newton is No. 1 in every Heisman ballot.
His passing numbers are relatively mediocre because no one can stop him or Auburn's rushing attack.
And if last Saturday's game against LSU, the then No. 1 rush defense in the SEC, is a proper measuring stick, no future opponent will be able to flummox Newton and Auburn's cadre of capable backs. (Fannin fumble issues aside. We still love you, Mario. Hang in there.)
But this Auburn team is composed of more than one man, large and spectacular though he may be.
This Auburn team is special.
This Auburn team has the same aura of undefeated Auburn teams of recent history.
The 2010 Tigers might not have the attitude of '93 or the top-to-bottom talent of '04, but it's got a similar feel, a similar drive and look about it.
The credit for Auburn's surprising success should start with Gene Chizik, who arrived in Auburn to boos and cries of "Gene Chizik... 5-19... Really?"
He has surrounded himself with coaches who coach and recruit as well as any in the SEC.
He hired Gus Malzahn who recruited Cam Newton who is the Godzilla of SEC football.
Chizik has rekindled the idea of the Auburn family, bringing back great players from years past, as well as repeatedly reminding players that "Auburn was great before they got here."
Auburn is No. 1 in the BCS because of Cam Newton, no doubt. But that's not the whole story.
He can't do it alone.
He needs the experienced offensive line to open holes.
He needs Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachery and Kodi Burns to make plays and block downfield.
He needs Michael Dyer and Onterrio McCalebb to break runs and keep defenses honest.
He needs Nick Fairley and Josh Bynes and the rest of the maligned Auburn defense to keep Auburn in games.
Auburn needs Cam Newton, but Newton needs Auburn to do what he does.
One week at a time.
Just beat Ole Miss.
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