Apparently Auburn Tigers freshman quarterback Deuce Knight was listening when Cam Newton ranted about wearing the No. 2 jersey.
Cam Newton is an Auburn Tigers legend who won the school a BCS Championship and was its third Heisman Trophy winner. He’s as well known now for his brash commentary off the field as he was on it despite his accomplishments.
So when Newton said 5-star recruit Deuce Knight would have to earn the right to wear his No.2 jersey, the new Auburn prodigy was all ears. He sport the No. 9 during his debut season according to the Tigers’ new spring roster.
“It’s a f— no for me,” Newton said previously on his podcast about the No.2 jersey. “You will not be wearing No.2, especially not your first year … I just don’t want to nuke my product like that.
It’s like, create your own legacy. I did.”
Of course, Tigers fans are well aware how Newton is prone to lurching towards being self-obsessed – more toward the territory of displaying overtly narcissistic tendencies.
Furthermore, the repeated failures of the program to deliver consistent winning football since his departure for Carolina back in 2010, has always given Newton plenty of scope to vent.
In particular, the succession of quarterbacks who have followed in his footsteps and failed has never escaped Newton’s critical eye.
Hope springs eternal these days, Knight may well have to sit tight behind transfer portal addition Jackson Arnold in 2025, but the vast potential he has is undoubtedly there to be tapped.
Perhaps Knight being at least partly unencumbered by carrying Superman’s cape is entirely the best policy to adopt in the short term.
In the best case scenario, could it even allow him to find his own feet in Auburn colors and help facilitate the process of carving out his own legacy?
If we can take Newton on his always colorful and prickly word; apparently he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I really hope that you’re good,” Newton declared previously on his podcast. “I really hope that you can stay at Auburn. I really hope that you can do everything that you’re gonna say. But as an avid diehard Auburn fan, it’s easier said than done. Win the locker room first. F— numbers, f—entitlement, f— NIL, f—all that s—.”
If Knight can do all those things before his time is up at Auburn, he can walk out of there wearing whatever number he wants, including the deuce.
