Report: Cam Newton's Father Admits to Pay-for-Play Talks with Ex-Mississippi State Player

According to WSB2 TV reports coming form Atlanta, Auburn University quarterback and Heisman frontrunner Cameron Newton's father, Cecil Newton, has admitted to discussing pay-for-play scenarios with an ex-Mississippi State football player.

The report says that Newton "has admitted having conversations with an ex-Mississippi State University player about the possibility of under-the-table money if Cam Newton signed to play football at Mississippi State, though he's steadfastly maintained that no money ever changed hands and said no official at Mississippi State ever made such an offer."

The article also says that Cecil Newton says that "his son's hands are clean" and that neither he nor Auburn University was made aware of the requests. However, according to NCAA rules, neither the university nor Cameron Newton himself need to be aware of the requests in order for Newton to be found ineligible. 

This latest report follows an ESPN source alleging that "an emotional Cam Newton phoned another recruiter to express regret that he wouldn't be going to Mississippi State, stating that his father, Cecil, had chosen Auburn for him because 'the money was too much.'"

A large part of the controversy is centered on the pastor Cecil Newton Sr.'s church, the Holy Zion Center of Deliverance, which dilapidated to the point of being condemned if improvements weren't made, suddenly received the financing for the necessary improvements at roughly the same time that Newton agreed to play for Auburn. It should be mentioned that it is possible that the financing came from Cam's brother, Cecil Jr., who is a rookie offensive lineman for Jacksonville.

If reports like this continue to emerge, the ice on which Newton's Heisman hopes—and Auburn's title dreams—skate may become too thin to last much longer.