Auburn mum on Newton
Won’t say if he’ll play today against Georgia
AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn officials aren’t talking about embattled quarterback Cam Newton’s status for the second-ranked Tigers’ football game today with Georgia.
Athletic department spokesman Kirk Sampson said Friday the school had “no comment” when asked about Newton’s status. Coach Gene Chizik had said Wednesday the Heisman Trophy front-runner “will be playing Saturday,” but hasn’t spoken publicly on the issue since.
Newton boarded the team bus Friday evening to head to the hotel in Montgomery, where the Tigers stay the night before home games. Dozens of fans attended the send-off, with one group holding up signs spelling out, “Lean on us Cam (nbr)2.”
Newton and his father, Cecil, have both said they did nothing wrong during the player’s recruitment. Two former Mississippi State players – Kenny Rogers and Bill Bell – say Cecil Newton sought money during that school’s recruitment of Newton.
NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said in an e-mail Friday to the Associated Press that the governing body doesn’t talk about “current, pending or potential investigations” when asked if the NCAA had advised Auburn of eligibility questions involving Newton.
Rogers’ attorney, Doug Zeit, told the AP that the NCAA wants to meet with his client, but that the meeting had not taken place. Zeit said Rogers hopes the meeting “will happen sooner rather than later.” Zeit said Rogers has not been contacted by the FBI.
Former Mississippi State quarterback John Bond is scheduled to meet with the FBI on Tuesday. Bond told Mississippi State officials in January that he had been approached by a man – identified by ESPN.com as Rogers – who said it would take up to $180,000 to secure Cam Newton’s signature.
On a radio show in Dallas on Thursday, Rogers said that Cecil Newton wanted between $100,000 and $180,000 for his son to sign with Mississippi State. Rogers said he, Cecil Newton and two MSU assistants met at a Starkville hotel on Nov. 27, 2009, and that one of the coaches responded, “No, no I don’t want to hear that.”
Rogers denies he spoke with Bond, a statement his attorney reiterated to the AP on Friday. Bond told ESPN.com he has phone records that prove the two men spoke.