Byrum Brown didn’t need much from Cam Newton to understand the assignment.
When the two quarterbacks crossed paths during Auburn’s spring scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the moment itself carried the weight. Newton is the kind of name that still echoes around the Plains - Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, one of the program’s defining figures. Brown, meanwhile, is arriving with something to prove after helping South Florida flip its recent trajectory and now trying to do the same at Auburn.
At SEC Media Days on Tuesday, July 21, Brown revealed the message Newton delivered in that brief exchange.
"It was just go out there and be you," Brown said Tuesday, July 21. "Be a dog, and that's really it. Just go out there and be a dog and, like, you did at the past institution, will this team to victory."
Brown spent four seasons with the Bulls and was their starting quarterback for all three years under coach Alex Golesh. In that stretch, South Florida went 23-16 and picked up a pair of bowl wins, with Brown doing plenty of the heavy lifting.
His final season there was his most productive: 3,158 passing yards and 1,008 rushing yards.
It’s hard not to notice the resemblance between Brown and Newton, even if saying it out loud can feel a little bold. Both are big, physical quarterbacks who can hurt defenses with their arms and legs. And when Newton powered Auburn to a national title, he did it by piling up more than 100 yards both passing and rushing.
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Auburn Fans Wont Love Whos Already Raving About Cam Coleman
Cam Colemans departure already left Auburn fans with plenty to process, and now the former Tigers standout is becoming a talking point for a different reason. At SEC Media Days, Arch Manning was asked about the receiver hell be leaning on this fall, and the Texas quarterback had nothing but praise for Colemans athleticism and work ethic, a sign that the two have already started building the kind of chemistry that matters when a passing game is trying to take shape.
For Auburn supporters, the frustrating part is hearing how quickly Coleman has fit into his new setting and how naturally he seems to be meshing with Manning and Steve Sarkisians offense. Manning said the relationship has grown through offseason work and that Coleman has made a strong impression beyond just his talent, which is exactly the sort of endorsement that makes a receiver sound like he could be a featured piece right away. [Read more 🡒]
Why Auburns New Offense Is Suddenly Turning Heads In The SEC
Auburns offense is drawing attention in a hurry under new coach Alex Golesh, and it is not hard to see why. On3 has the Tigers slotted No. 9 in the SEC, a notable place for a unit that is trying to reintroduce itself with a new quarterback, a revived run game and a handful of familiar faces from Goleshs previous stop at USF.
Byrum Brown gives the offense a dynamic centerpiece, while Jeremiah Cobb and Bryson Washington should help keep defenses honest on the ground. The receiver room also has a built-in advantage with several newcomers who already know Goleshs system, but the real test may come up front, where the line situation remains the biggest variable as Auburn tries to turn all that potential into something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]