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| CAYLIN NEWTON HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
Despite putting up some gaudy offensive numbers (33 passing TDs his senior season) at Grady High School in Atlanta, Newton was essentially overlooked by college recruiters. He received offers from Savannah State, his father's alma mater, Hampton (a partial) and Howard.
The brother of Carolina Panthers standout quarterback Cam Newton, he visited the Howard campus and attended three of the home football games in 2017. That, along with his father, Cecil's counseling, ultimately convinced him that Howard was his choice.
"I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity that Howard was offering me," Newton explained, a sport management major of his choice. "My pops said 'pack your bags.' "I was preparing for just a visit but he said 'you're not coming back.' "
That was in January of 2017. Newton enrolled at Howard but his signing received little fanfare and was overshadowed by the signing of men's basketball's highly recruited guard, RJ Cole.
Adding to the obscurity, the Howard coaching staff that recruited Newton was let go and the University named Mike London to lead the program.
"I just sat back and took everything in," Newton recalled. "I researched Coach London and was impressed with his background. He had a meeting with each player individually and I knew I was in the right place when I met him. He said that the two main things that they expect in the program is to go class and to treat people with dignity. He established eye contact with me and it reminded me of my pops. And I trust my pops."
Newton went into spring practice third on the depth chart. But it did not take long for that to change. He began to take more and more snaps in the offense, named the "Go Go" offense by offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. By the spring game, Newton was handed over the reins of the offense.
"We began to notice his work ethic and his high football IQ," said London. "Competition breeds success and he met the challenge during spring practice. A combination of repetition and how his skills fit into the RPO (Run-Pass-Option) convinced us."
Newton admits that the speed of the game, transitioning from high school to college was a concern of his, especially going into the first game at FBS opponent, UNLV.
"I was actually not nervous," he explained. "I watched them (UNLV) in the warmups and although there was a difference in size and numbers, I liked the challenge. On the first play, I decided to keep the ball and run with it to test them. It was a big gainer and I think that when my teammates saw me take a hit and make that play, we became more comfortable with each other. I said to myself that they (UNLV) are beatable."
Newton used that first play as a catalyst for the Bison as they went on to pull off the biggest upset in school history and arguably, one of the tops in college football last year.
The Bison followed with a close loss to another FBS opponent, Kent State and then to nationally ranked FCS power University of Richmond, Coach London's alma mater and place where he won a national championship as a head coach.
Although the Bison lost, Newton used it as a learning experience. Following that stretch, he began to show accelerated progress. While his ability to run the ball kept defenses off balance, he began to show other aspects of his overall talent.
"When we played those tough early opponents, the game was moving fast for him," said Marion, who installed the "Go Go" offense and is regarded as one of the top young offensive minds on the rise. "But then through study and dedication, it began to slow down for him. He began to rely less on his legs and to find receivers in the passing game."
The Bison offense led the conference in total offense with almost 500 yards a game.
Newton is small in stature by most standards (listed as 6'0). But don't be fooled by the dimensions. He more than makes up for his height limitations with speed, toughness and a penchant for making the big play.
One play in particular stands out. Howard was playing Bethune Cookman in a tight contest at Greene Stadium. With his team trailing late in the fourth quarter and facing a key 3rd and 11, Newton wiggled, weaved and powered his way for 11 yards and some inches to give his team a first down. He later capped off the drive with one of 13 TD runs on the season to give the Bison the victory.
"He is a student of the game," said Marion. "He has the physical tools. With his legs, he was able to take a lot of hits and he began to see the receivers better as the season progressed. He became better at articulating the game plan. He is a special player. Whatever 'it' is, he's got it."
Newton led the Bison to a 7-4 overall record and a second place finish in the MEAC after the team was picked to finish 9th in the conference. He was named the MEAC Rookie of the Year.
Newton finished 11th in the nation in total offense at almost 300 yards per game, tops among all freshmen in the FCS (Football College Subdivision).
Howard has been picked to finish second in the MEAC in 2018, primarily because of Newton's experience, the return of two of the top receivers in the FCS in Jequez Ezzard and Kyle Anthony and some outstanding returnees to go along with one of the best recruiting seasons in recent years.
"Last year, we gave him the plays to call," said Marion. "But we feel now that we can give him more freedom to call plays. We challenge him to be a more vocal leader."
Added Newton, "The quarterback obviously plays an important role in the success of a team. It becomes a trust factor with your teammates. We have that chemistry this year. We hang out together. Our goal is to be in the driver's seat and everything else will take care of itself."
Derek W. Bryant, Howard University Athletics Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations & Sports Information, and Tiffany Hoyd, Senior Media Journalism and Film Communications major contributed to this story.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
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