Auburn defends its quarterback

Associated Press

AUBURN, Ala.

The Auburn Tigers found themselves defending quarterback Cam Newton for the second time in five days, this time adamantly sticking up for the Heisman hopeful in the wake of allegations of academic cheating when he was at Florida.

The second-ranked Tigers’ coach Gene Chizik dismissed the latest report as “pure garbage” Tuesday in an emotional 4-minute, 25-second rant.

“I’m standing up here on a very important week trying to defend something that’s garbage,” Chizik said. The Tigers face rival Georgia on Saturday, and that’s where Newton insists his focus lies.

Foxsports.com reported Monday that Newton was caught cheating three times and was to appear for a hearing in front of Florida’s Student Committee facing possible expulsion during the spring semester of 2009.

Newton transferred to Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas, where he played last season. He declined to discuss the latest report, which came on the heels of former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond saying someone claiming to represent the Newton family sought money during his recruitment by the school.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” Newton said. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat a dead horse talking about it. It’s not going to affect me any way, shape or fashion.”

It didn’t against FCS opponent Chattanooga last weekend, when he passed for four touchdowns and 317 yards, all in the first half. Georgia coach Mark Richt is expecting Newton’s best again.

“All that stuff was swirling last week and it didn’t bother him,” Richt said. “Usually when a guy starts playing ball or even practicing ball, it doesn’t matter what’s going on away from the field. That’s a haven for an athlete. He gets a chance to be in his element and shut everything out, shut the world out, just go have fun and play some ball.”

Newton has denied doing anything wrong in his recruitment. The Associated Press has learned that the university has received no letter of inquiry from the NCAA and that an internal review of phone and e-mail records showed no contact with Kenny Rogers, who ESPN.com cited as the man who approached Bond.

Minutes before Newton addressed the media, Chizik used his opening statement for a lengthy defense of his biggest star.