A nose for the endzone

by Scott Sowers

DULUTH – They say that if you play defensive back in football, it means you can't catch.

Somebody hasn't told that to Cam Newton.

The sensational Georgia Force rookie has been delighting fans and terrorizing opposing quarterbacks with his knack for picking off passes at the right moment and taking them into the endzone.

As of week 8, the defensive back/linebacker is tied for first in the AFL with 3 interceptions returned for touchdowns. Newton has shown a great ability to go up and get the ball before his opponent can catch the intended pass.

But it's not just how he has gotten these interceptions, it's when. The first-year AFL player has been instrumental twice in helping spark comebacks at home with electrifying picks.

Newton's catch of an errant D Bryant pass and subsequent 45-yard scamper to the endzone at the opening of the third quarter gave his team its first lead against Kansas City after mounting a furious comeback from a 21-point deficit. Then, he gave his team a little insurance later when he ran back a 14-yard interception to seal the deal.

Newton's performance earned him the ADT Defensive Player of the Week for his 2-interception, 4.5 tackle effort.

Although they didn't defeat the Orlando Predators two weeks ago, a 12-yard interception return near the end of the second quarter knotted things up at 24, when the Force had previously trailed by 14 to start the game.

In his first year playing the arena game, Newton has made an easy transition from the version of football he'd known his entire life: the outdoor game.

"I've had the techniques of the outdoor game drilled into me my whole life," he said. "It wasn't working out at first – it took a few reps and some studying– but I've definitely got the hang of it now. It's much faster than the outdoor game, especially with people going into motion like they do."

Force coach Doug Plank has been amazed by the way his rookie has picked up arena football.

"Cam is like a sponge out there. He absorbs everything," Plank said. "Some players you have to tell them something many times, but not Cam. You tell him once and he gets it. He's a very intelligent football player."

Although he is technically considered a rookie, Newton is anything but. He brings with him NFL experience, having signed with the Falcons in May 2005. He played six games with the team that year, and three the following season. After being waived, he was picked up by the Falcons' NFC South division rivals, the hated Carolina Panthers.

Newtown made it to training camp, but never got the chance to get further than that in a Panthers uniform. He then found his calling in the AFL, signing with the younger brother of the Falcons, the Force.

So despite being a new face in the Force clubhouse, Newton hasn't been privy to the hazing and pranks other first year players might experience.

"They haven't treated me like a rookie," he said. "I've meshed with the players really well."

In addition to having a lot of pro experience under his belt in such a short time, Newton was also a distinguished college player at Furman. As a junior he was selected unanimously for the All-Southern Conference team.

When he is not terrorizing quarterbacks on the field, Newton is hard at work promoting and building his recently formed record label, Good Lyfe Entertainment. He said right now his role is primarily behind the scenes, but he could see himself getting into producing, or maybe even behind the mic one day.

"It's an R&B, Hip Hop and Rap label. We're going for a different sound right now, something that can make people feel good," he said. "We have a lot of South Carolina artists right now, but we're looking to get into North Carolina and Georgia." Things seem to be going very well for the man who now makes a home in Georgia with his girlfriend. He has racked up a lot of achievements on and off the field, but still says his greatest feat is earning his degree from a great school in Furman.

"I'll always cherish getting a full scholarship to college. It was very nice to not have to worry about paying for school. I made a great decision to attend Furman," he said.

While Cam Newton has found his feet in the AFL and come out with a lot of success after just seven games, he still says that one day he would like another shot with the outdoor game, but until then he knows what he needs to do: catch passes from a quarterback not wearing a blue and white Force jersey.

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