2010 Heisman Trophy Winner Cam Newton's Acceptance Speech

Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton delivered a speech after winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy, as is custom. Many people had expressed interest in hearing what Newton would say upon winning, considering Auburn’s tight media policy since the onset of the investigation into his recruitment at Mississippi State and elsewhere.

Newton, upon being awarded the Heisman by either the second-, third-, or fourth-biggest margin ever (the way ESPN described it REALLY CONFUSED ME) over Stanford’s Andrew Luck, Oregon’s LaMichael James, and Boise State’s Kellen Moore:

Oh my God. Oh my God. First, giving all the honor and glory to God, who is the head of my life. Without him we would not even be here right now … so thank you for that.

I also would like to thank my beautiful mother Jackie Newton and my father. This … [Previous Heisman winner on stage: "Take your time."]

Thank you. Thank you. [Crowd member: "WE LOVE YOU CAM!"]

My parents do a lot of things behind the scenes that go unnoticed, and this is not an award that in my opinion has been won by my play this year. This is an award that was won when I came out your womb. Thank you for everything you did for me.

I’d also like to thank my coaches and my players. Coach Chizik. I’d also like to thank the troops overseas that’s fighting for our freedom every single day.

Honestly from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving me the chance. Thank you for everything that you’ve done. Coach Chizik, coach Malzahn, coach Troop. Thank you to the Auburn family for all the support you’ve given me in these trying times. Thank you to the Heisman Trust and all these Heisman winners.

And also I want to give a special thanks to my teammates. Without those guys I wouldn’t be here getting this recognition.

Who would’ve ever thought a person from College Park, Georgia would get an award with such prestige and tradition? I thank god every day for waking em up this morning and letting me play football. I apologize if I havent said your name. And War Eagle.

Shout out to College Park.

via @bubbaprog's 30fps.mocksession.com

2010 Heisman Trophy Award: Cam Newton To Become First Heisman/Maxwell/Walter Camp Winner Since 1999

When Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton is handed the 2010 Heisman Trophy tonight, he’ll become the first player in over a decade to have won all three of college football’s major non-position-specific awards in a single season. Newton won the Maxwell and Walter Camp Thursday night.

Only two SEC players have pulled off a run of all three, and only five players from southeastern schools. Nineteen players have won all three. The Walter Camp is the youngest, first being handed out in 1967 to O.J. Simpson.

The following players have won both the Maxwell and Walter Camp, with asterisk’d players also winning the Heisman. Ron Dayne’s asterisk doubles as a reminder that Georgia Tech’s Joe Hamilton should’ve won any and all of the 1999 awards. As you can see, the three awards go through periods where they forget they’re supposed to disagree, then go out of their way to come up with differing results:

2009: Colt McCoy, Texas Longhorns
2002: Larry Johnson, Penn St. Nittany Lions
1999: Ron Dayne, Wisconsin Badgers *
1998: Ricky Williams, Texas *
1996: Danny Wuerffel, Florida Gators *
1995: Eddie George, Ohio St. Buckeyes *
1993: Charlie Ward, Florida St. Seminoles *
1992: Gino Torretta, Miami Hurricanes *
1991: Desmond Howard, Michigan Wolverines *
1989: Anthony Thompson, Indiana Hoosiers
1988: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma St. Cowboys *
1986: Vinny Testaverde, Miami *
1984: Doug Flutie, Boston College Eagles *
1983: Mike Rozier, Nebraska Cornhuskers *
1982: Herschel Walker, Georgia Bulldogs *
1981: Marcus Allen, USC Trojans *
1980: Hugh Green, Pittsburgh Panthers
1979: Charles White, USC *
1976: Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh *
1975: Archie Griffin, Ohio St. *
1973: John Cappaletti, Penn St. *
1970: Jim Plunkett, Stanford Cardinal *
1968: O.J. Simpson, USC *

2010 Heisman Trophy Finalists: Meet Cam Newton's Accompaniment

Four young men have been nominated for the 2010 Heisman Trophy. One candidate you already know — Cam Newton? The one who might be the best college football player ever? Yeah, that guy. But let’s take a moment to appreciate the other three finalists.

Kellen Moore, Boise St. Broncos QB. Among all 2010 players who threw seven or fewer interceptions, Moore is the only one to also throw for over 3,050 yards. He threw only five picks, thank you very much, and for way more yards than that — seventh in the land in yards per game, matter of fact. I’m having a hard time justifying Moore’s selection over Nevada Wolf Pack QB Colin Kaepernick. Well, over other players besides just Kaepernick too, dozens of whom play defense or offensive line, but if we need a WAC QB, why not take the one who contributed the conference's second-most total yards per game (behind Hawaii Warriors QB Bryant Moniz -- wait, why not Moniz too?) and led the conference’s best offense?

LaMichael James, Oregon Ducks RB: Somebody from the nation’s most explosive offense had to be nominated, and James’ numbers are the most eye-popping. He led the country in yards from scrimmage by almost ten per game, and did it against a tougher schedule than anybody else in the top 13. The only guy to beat Newton in rushing touchdowns, too. And the last BCS conference guy to beat his yards-per-game total? 2005 Heisman winner Reggie Bush.

Andrew Luck, Stanford Cardinal QB: Any mention of Luck’s name must include the term future No. 1 draft pick. It’s in his contract (Stanford guys are crafty). In any other season, Luck would be the front-runner, though not a runaway favorite. His stats lag a bit behind Moore’s across the board, but keep in mind Luck has lit up the nation’s tenth-toughest schedule, not the 70th. And it’s not like his numbers are anything to be ashamed of. Seventh in quarterback rating and right near the top ten in everything else, he’s the biggest single reason for Stanford’s best season since 1940 and what could go down as the Cardinal’s second-best season in 90 years of football.

College Football Awards: Drew Butler Loses Ray Guy To Chas Henry, Cam Newton Wins Everything Else

Georgia Bulldogs punter Drew Butler is not your punter of the year, as the honor has gone to Todd Grantham nemesis Chas Henry. He deserves it, so let’s not get all indignant.

Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton won the Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien, and will probably win the Maxwell in just a few. Other Auburn winners: Gene Chizik won the Home Depot Coach of the Year, Nick Fairley the Lombardi, and Gus Malzahn the Frank Broyles.

Around the SEC, Arkansas Razorbacks TE won the John Mackey, while LSU Tigers CB took home the Jim Thorpe. Clemson DE Da’Quan Bowers reps the ACC, bringing home the Ted Hendricks and Bronko Nagurski.

Here’s a complete list of college football awards winners.

College Football Awards: Auburn Coach Gene Chizik Named Coach Of The Year

Auburn Tigers coach Gene Chizik has been named the Home Depot Coach of the Year, which I’m terribly embarrassed to say I predicted way back before Cam Newton took the field in a regulation Tigers game. Chizik’s offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, was also named the Frank Broyles Award winner, given to the nation’s top assistant.

Decatur native Broyles is most famous for his work at Arkansas, but he also played and coached at Georgia Tech. /tangent

Chizik helped steer Auburn to its first undefeated regular season since … well, only since 2004. But this time the Tigers are playing in the BCS National Championship Game after going 5-7 just two years ago in Tommy Tuberville’s last season.

There’s also the Bobby Dodd Award, named for the legendary Tech head coach, which strives to be more of an all-around deal that acknowledges excellence in the classroom and community as well. It isn’t handed out until Dec. 31 at halftime of each Chick-fil-A Bowl, though I can guarantee you Chizik won’t be winning it, for reasons.

College Football Awards: SEC Nominees Include Nick Fairley And Patrick Peterson

Auburn Tigers DT Nick Fairley is up for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation’s best defensive player, and the Lombardi, given to the nation’s best lineman alongside Clemson Tigers DE Da’Quan Bowers, to whom he’s already lost the Nagurski.

UPDATE: Fairley has won the Lombardi.

LSU Tigers CB Patrick Peterson has also been nominated for the Bednarik, plus the Jim Thorpe defensive back award. He’s up against Prince Amukamara of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Tejay Johnson of the TCU Horned Frogs.

South Carolina Gamecocks WR Alshon Jeffery is in the running for the Fred Biletnikoff against Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon and Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles. Arkansas Razorbacks TE D.J. Williams has a chance at the John Mackey Award, with Wisconsin’s Lance Kendricks and Missouri’s Michael Egnew up as well. Auburn’s Ryan Pugh is a Rimington finalist alongside a bunch of other centers. You don’t care to read about centers.

And, of course, Cam Newton will win just about everything else, and Georgia’s Drew Butler is a Ray Guy finalist.

College Football Awards: Nagurski Winner Da'Quan Bowers Leads ACC Nominees

Clemson Tigers DE Da’Quan Bowers has already won the Bronko Nagurski Award, given to the defensive player of the year, and is also nominated for the Chuck Bednarik, which claims the same criteria. He’s also up for the Ted Hendricks (best defensive end) and Lombardi (best lineman, offensive or defensive).

Florida St. Seminoles left guard Rodney Hudson is the only other ACC nominee for any major award, nominated for the Outland Trophy. The Outland goes to the nation’s most outstanding offensive or defensive interior lineman. He was named the conference’s best lineman last year.

Bowers leads the nation in sacks with 15, dropping quarterbacks for 24 more yards than any other defender. He’s also second in tackles for loss with 24, again accounting for more lost yardage than anybody else. He picked up a sack against Hudson’s Noles this year, though it’s unlikely the two were matched up against each other very often.

College Football Awards: Could Drew Butler Win Second Straight Ray Guy Award?

Georgia Bulldogs punter Drew Butler is a finalist for the 2010 Ray Guy Award. The junior won the 2009 award over Florida Gators punter Chas Henry and Michigan Wolverines punter Zoltan Mesko. Mesko is now a member of the New England Patriots, but Henry is nominated this year as well, in addition to Ryan Donahue of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Becoming the second-ever two-time Guy winner, after Daniel Sepulveda of the Baylor Bears, probably isn’t going to happen this year, though he could still compete for it next year. Last year he led the nation in net yards per punt by 2.24 yards, posting an absurd 48.1 average. That number fell by 3.4 yards this year, leaving him ranked 16th in the nation.

Henry tied for the national lead with 46.4 yards per punt, though he gained significant attention by taking over as the Gators kicker as well. He hit 24 of 25 extra points and four of eight field goals, including the game-winner against Butler’s Dawgs.

I have no idea what the Iowa guy is doing here. His stats are worse than Butler’s, and Butler was only nominated because he won it last year. So worked up about punter awards right now!

Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks won the thing in 2007.

College Football Awards: Cam Newton Up For Heisman, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell, Walter Camp...

If you have any ideas on the difference between the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and the Heisman Trophy, other than notoriety, please share them. One goes to the “most outstanding player,” another to the “best all-around player.” That’s usually the same guy, though there have been a few disagreements — Colt McCoy won the Maxwell over Heisman winner Mark Ingram last year, for instance.

Every 2010 Heisman nominee except Oregon Ducks RB LaMichael James is also up for the Maxwell and the Davey O’Brien, which goes to the best quarterback. Stanford Cardinal QB Andrew Luck, Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton, and Boise St. Broncos QB Kellen Moore are up for all three, but Newton will sweep. James is in instead of Moore on the Walter Camp list.

No Auburn player has ever won the Maxwell or O’Brien. In 1985 the Maxwell went to Iowa Hawkeyes QB Chuck Long over Bo Jackson, and in 1971 it went to Cornell RB Ed Marinaro over Pat Sullivan.

SEC schools have won only seven Maxwell awards since it debuted in 1937. Two Georgia Bulldogs, Charlie Trippi and Herschel Walker, won the Maxwell, and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets QB Joe Hamilton won the O’Brien.

Heisman Trophy 2010: Auburn's Cam Newton Leads Candidates

The Heisman Trophy's candidates list is now out in the wild, and as expected by everyone with electricity Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton made the cut. Also included: Oregon Ducks RB LaMichael James, Boise St. Broncos QB Kellen Moore, and Stanford Cardinal QB Andrew Luck. Newton and James will meet in the BCS National Championship Game.

Newton has been the odds-on favorite for weeks now, and his record-setting onslaught in the SEC Championship Game against South Carolina only increased his advantage. SEC players -- Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow and Alabama Crimson Tide RB Mark Ingram -- have won two of the last three Heisman Trophies, with Auburn players winning in 1971 (Pat Sullivan) and 1985 (Bo Jackson).

A swirling controversy aside, All-SEC First Teamer Newton is the easiest Heisman choice in years, perhaps even decades. The other three nominees are outstanding players, and Atlanta Falcons fans just might get to see Luck twice a year since the Carolina Panthers should have the first pick in next year's NFL Draft, but the Heisman has belonged to Newton since midseason.