Friday’s Jump Starts: Cam Newton Part 2

Cam Newton on parade to advance his NFL draft position — and other assorted goodies

1. I don’t think it was a bad idea for Cam Newton to do his “workout” for the media, even if it did sort of skirt the NFL rules. Odd, though, that the same thing which seemed to plague Tim Tebow has already cropped up in the early reports on Newton: Taking snaps under center. Given that it’s a basic fundamental of every junior high quarterback, can it be that tough to grasp?

2. Don’t want to rain on any Auburn fan’s parade here, and can’t say as I blame the Newton family for the decision to come out, but isn’t that exactly what we all predicted would happen last fall when all the rumblings about Cecil Newton’s shenanigans began to surface?

3. And the final irony is that the guy who played behind Tim Tebow at Florida will no doubt be taken higher in the NFL draft — maybe even in the Top 10.

4. Some people are surprised that Steve Addazio hired former Gator quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler to be his offensive assistant at Temple because of the fractured relationship alleged on the UF offensive staff. I think there were some issues on the cohesion of the staff between the running game (Addazio) and the passing game (Loeffler), but I never got the idea it was personal.

5. One rumor going around on another site is that Urban Meyer reportedly told a friend over dinner than he’d never coach in the SEC again because of all the illicit activities in some of the programs. I do know that Urban seemed concerned about some of the competitive edges of other SEC schools, but never heard that he’s had hard evidence of other schools cheating.

7. It’s nice that Billy Donovan says quarterback Jacoby Brissett could play at the level needed to compete on the Gator basketball if he “devoted himself full time,” but that’s not going to happen. In fact, don’t look for Brissett to get any encouragement from either Charlie Weis or Will Muschamp to be a “two-sport” star at Florida.

8. I did love the quote attributed to Brissett as reported by the Palm Beach Post about competing against Jeff Driskel: “I’m not moving no positions; I’m a quarterback,” Brissett said. “He’s got to prove to me every day, every year, that he earned that starting spot. He’s just got to show he’s better than me. That’s all it is.”

9. BTW, it appears all is well between Muschamp and Brissett’s mom, who wanted her son to go to Miami because she felt slighted that she’d never met the new Gator coach. It apparently had to do with NCAA regulations which wouldn’t allow Muschamp to revisit Dwyer or its athletes a second time.

10. One of the other sites (Gainesville Sun) started a list of former Gator players who are now coaching in high school, college or pro. This is a partial list. Feel free to add to it. Remember, this is just a work in progress and we will continue to correct it and add to it.

(Updated Friday, Feb. 11)

(Updated again 1 p.m. Friday Feb. 11

Steve Spurrier, South Carolina

Gene Chizik, Auburn

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills

Kerwin Bell, Jacksonville University

Adrian White, Buffalo Bills assistant

Ike Hilliard, Miami Dolphins assistant

Joe Wickline, Oklahoma St. assistant

Noah Brindise, (former) Washington Redskins, UNLV assistant

Jerry Odom, Jacksonville University assistant

Kim Helton, Alabama-Birmingham assistant

Robert Gillespie, West Virginia assistant

Mike Mularkey, Atlanta Falcons assistant

Jimmy Ray Stephens, Middle Tennessee assistant

Dwanye Dixon, Ohio U. assistant

Brian Schottenheimer, New York Jets assistant

Cheston Blackshear,t New Mexico assistant

John Brantley, Ocala Trinity

Reidel Anthony, Ocala Trinity assistant

Jacquez Green, Tallahassee Lincoln assistant

Wayne Peace, Lakeland Christian

Jack Daniels, Palm Beach Dwyer

Jemalle Cornelius, Fort Meade

Rob Fraiser Manatee High School

Buc Gurley, Lake Mary Prep

Demetrius Jackson, Ft. White High