MADISON, Miss. — The N.C.A.A. is investigating Auburn University’s recruitment of Cam Newton, a star quarterback and front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. John Bond, a former Mississippi State quarterback, said on Thursday that he was approached by a former teammate about a “specified payment” that would be required to secure Newton.
Auburn’s Cam Newton is a double threat, rushing for 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns and passing for 1,573 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“He told me that Cam Newton wanted to play at Mississippi State, but that a specified payment would have to be made,” Bond said of
Kenny Rogers, a former teammate who has financial ties to the
N.F.L. agent Ian Greengross. Bond said that Rogers claimed he represented the Newton camp.
“I reported the conversation to the Mississippi State Athletic Department,” Bond said in a statement given to The New York Times. “I was told by the Athletic Department that Mississippi State would not respond to the overture.”
Greg Sankey, the Southeastern Conference associate commissioner, acknowledged Thursday in a phone interview that he forwarded information about Rogers months ago and shared it with Auburn.
A person briefed on the offer said it would have taken “low six figures” to secure Newton’s services. ESPN.com reported Thursday that, according to Bond, Rogers said it would have taken $180,000 and that other universities had already offered $200,000.
Both Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen and Greg Byrne, the athletic director at the time, rejected Rogers’s offers, cut off communication with him and made the SEC aware of the offer. Calls to Rogers went unreturned. Newton eventually selected Auburn over Mississippi State. It is unknown if Rogers attempted to cut a deal with Auburn.
Auburn Coach Gene Chizik addressed the situation Thursday night on his weekly radio show: “I will say this, very loud and very clear: Cameron Newton is eligible at Auburn University. Period. End of story.”
There is a possibility that the N.C.A.A. investigation could jeopardize Newton’s eligibility this season. Also, in the aftermath of an N.C.A.A. investigation into U.S.C. that prompted Reggie Bush to return his Heisman Trophy, voters may cast a skeptical eye on a candidate with off-field issues.
The Tigers are ranked No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, No. 2 in the coaches poll and No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.
Newton left the University of Florida for Blinn College, a junior college in Texas, after the 2008 season and in the wake of his being charged with burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice. Newton has said that he left Florida because Tim Tebow was returning for his senior year.
While Newton was at Florida, Mullen served as his offensive coordinator and his quarterback coach. Newton said he wanted to attend Mississippi State because of his relationship with Mullen, but also told Sports Illustrated that he ultimately left the decision to his father. Cecil Newton told The Montgomery Advertiser that he didn’t want his son to attend Mississippi State “to be a rented mule.”
Mullen declined comment via text message Thursday night, but told Rivals.com Radio in a recent interview about Newton, “That’s a long, long, long story for another day, I’m sure.”
Mullen said after a follow-up question, “I’ll hold off on that, it’ll be in the book.”
When reached by telephone Thursday night, Mississippi State Athletic Director Scott Stricklin referred a reporter to the athletic department’s statement.
“We are comfortable that representatives of Mississippi State University’s interests conducted themselves appropriately and in compliance with all N.C.A.A. bylaws,” the statement said. “Mississippi State is committed to operating our athletics programs within the rules of the N.C.A.A. and Southeastern Conference, and we expect those affiliated with our program to continue to do the same.”
Rogers runs a business that matches football prospects with college programs. He also conducts camps in Illinois, Georgia and Alabama for potential prospects through a company called Elite Football Preparation that helps pair athletes with college programs. He told ESPNChicago.com that he specializes in transfers and players who have been kicked out of college.
Cecil Newton acknowledged to ESPN.com that he knew Rogers, but denied knowing that Rogers solicited money from Mississippi State.
Court records obtained by The New York Times showed that Rogers and Greengross share a joint bank account under the name “Greengross Athletic Management Enterprises.” (The account was overdrawn by $11,664 in April.) Rogers told ESPNChicago.com in September that Greengross pays him $2,000 a month. Greengross has not been linked to the Newton investigation.
The N.F.L. Players Association, which monitors N.F.L. agents, is investigating Rogers’s posing as an N.F.L.P.A. employee, said George Atallah, the players association assistant executive director of external affairs. ESPNChicago.com reported that Rogers said he worked for the players association while recruiting clients for Greengross.
The elder Newton is the pastor of the Holy Zion Center of Deliverance, a church in Newnan, Ga., not far from College Park, where Cam Newton grew up. He played football at Savannah State.
Over the past year, he has struggled with Newnan officials about the condition of his church. The city has threatened to demolish it because it did not comply with building codes. Last week, a local newspaper, The Times-Herald, reported that the church had completed its work and was in compliance.
According to ESPN.com, the N.C.A.A. contacted Cecil Newton about a month ago, requesting financial documents. He told the news outlet that he submitted bank statements and other records related to the church. Newton also owns a construction company, according to news reports.
Calls to Greengross and Cecil Newton went unreturned.
