BCS National Championship: Who Will Step Up for Auburn If Cam Newton Struggles?
The Auburn Tigers will meet the Oregon Ducks in the BCS National Championship game on January 10th in which should be an exciting game.
Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton has been the most exciting player in college football and what better stage to see him perform on than the BCS National Championship?
Newton has been outstanding this year and he is what gets the Auburn offense clicking.
One must wonder, if Newton struggles against Oregon, who will step and be the hero for the Tigers?
Here are reasons Newton might struggle in the title game and who will step up if he does.
Curse of The Heisman?
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Cam Newton had an incredible season with 49 total touchdowns, 20 of those coming on the ground.
Newton has been a big play maker for Auburn all season long, so is it possible that Newton will struggle in the BCS Nation Championship game?
Can winning the Heisman Trophy possibly affect Newton in a negative way?
Maybe Newton feels an extra amount of pressure on top of being in the championship game.
This is something to take into account.
Will The Allegations Get To Him?
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We have all heard the allegations against Cam Newton and he has said that he is innocent.
Accusations were made that a man representing Newton was demanding payments from Mississippi State during Newton's recruitment process.
Newton has stated that he is innocent and he does not seem affected by the reports.
One has to wonder if thoughts of these allegations are lingering in his head.
With Newton's ability, this should not be an issue.
If Newton Struggles, Someone Has to Step Up
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Cam Newton is the heart and soul of the Auburn Tigers, and if he struggles, the team may lose any hope of winning the National Championship.
There are other talents on the Auburn football team and if Newton struggles, they must pick up the slack and step up for their Heisman Trophy winner.
Players such as running backs Onterio McCalebb, Michael Dyer and defensive tackle Nick Fairley must be the ones to step up if Newton is not at his best.
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Onterio McCalebb Can Be a Key Factor
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The 5-10, 171-pound running back can play a key role for the Auburn Tigers in the BCS National Championship.
McCalebb 763 yards on just 89 carries, a tremendous 8.9 yards per carry. McCalebb also had nine rushing touchdowns.
McCalebb helped lead Auburn to have the sixth rank rushing attack in the nation and his speed will play a huge role in the title game.
McCalebb certainly has the big play ability. He broke a 70-yard touchdown run during the season so keep an eye out for him.
Michael Dyer Will Need to Have Success On The Ground
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Michael Dyer will be an important key to victory if Cam Newton struggles during the BCS National Championship.
Dyer was the second leading rusher on Auburn behind Newton with 950 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Dyer nearly averaged six yards per carry.
Dyer, about 45 pounds heavier than McCalebb, will need to use that to his advantage to slow the game down and win the battle of time of possession.
Don't Forget About Mario Fannin
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Running back Mario Fannin is the biggest of the three backs, being 5-11 and 226 pounds.
Fannin had the least attempts out of the three backs, but he does contain the ability to make big plays.
Fannin has had games of 89 and 96 rushing yards during the season and reached the end zone five times.
Being the biggest back, Fannin can be big around the goal line and short yardage situations to extend drives for Auburn.
If Cam Newton Struggles, Can Darvin Adams Still Be a Factor?
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Darvin Adams has been the best wide receiver for Auburn this season and if Newton struggles, he may struggle as well.
Adams caught 48 passes 909 yards and seven touchdowns. Adams also averaged an impressive 18.9 yards a reception.
Adams can still be affective if Newton does not play well.
He can serve as a decoy to the Oregon defense and due to that, they may focus less on Michael Dyer and the Auburn running game.
Tight End Philip Lutzenkirchen Can Be Important
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Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen is just another weapon for the Auburn offense.
In just seven games, Lutzenkirchen was a touchdown machine with five receptions going for scores.
The tight end only had 11 receptions but he did have a knack for the end zone during the season so look for Newton to look for him on third down situations and in the red zone.
Nick Fairley and The Defensive Line
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Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley is going to play a huge role in the BCS National Championship game.
The Oregon offense has many weapons such as quarterback Darron Thomas and explosive running back LaMichael James.
Stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback is going to be key for the Auburn defense.
Fairley had 10.5 sacks during the season, tied for 10th in the country,
It is going to be exciting to see if Fairly and the Auburn defense can step up if Cam Newton is not getting it done on offense.
Overview
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As you can see, the Auburn fans love their quarterback, and he must perform on the big stage.
Cam Newton has had a spectacular year and that must carry over into the BCS title game.
Newton must make plays with his arm and feet in order to defeat the Oregon Ducks.
If Newton does not play well, he has the supporting cast that can step up and lead Auburn to victory. The Auburn running game has three solid running backs and the defense is lead by a sack machine in Nick Fairley.
Auburn's success rides on the shoulders of their Heisman Trophy winner, and he must come to play on January 10th.
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