Florida's Newton earns backup QB job
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Freshman Cameron Newton was named Florida's backup quarterback Saturday, reclaiming the job he earned in the spring and putting himself in position to play this season.
Coach Urban Meyer, who likes to use a change-of-pace quarterback, announced the decision a week before the sixth-ranked and defending national champion Gators open the season against Western Kentucky.
Cameron Newton, a highly touted recruit from Georgia, enrolled at Florida in January and stepped into the No. 2 spot behind starter Tim Tebow during spring practice. But a back injury and then academic issues kept him off the field to start fall drills earlier this month.
His absence -- Cameron Newton missed a week of practice -- opened up the position for freshman John Brantley and junior college transfer Bryan Waggener.
Waggener dropped out of the picture this week after having knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He will be out at least three more weeks.
Meyer said Brantley still will prepare to contribute if needed.
"I think he's going to be a great player here," Meyer said. "We're preparing him to be a starting quarterback at Florida. We don't just say you're redshirting. I know some people might want to hear that, but he's got to be ready to play as well. We won't play Johnny in a mop-up role. We're developing Johnny into a starting quarterback."
Cameron Newton's role probably won't be as defined or significant as Tebow's was last season. Florida used Tebow, a powerful runner who played behind Chris Leak, in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
"(Cameron Newton is) not as far advanced as Tim was last year," Meyer said. "Tim had that unique skill to drop his pads and run over someone. ... Cameron is not that much different than Tim."
Meyer also named freshman cornerback Joe Haden a starter Saturday. Haden beat out former running back Markus Manson, sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis and redshirt freshman Jacques Rickerson for the spot opposite Markihe Anderson.
"He's one of the top-five fastest guys on the team," Meyer said. "He's a competitor, and he's just outperformed the other guys right now."
The Gators also announced team captains Saturday. Right tackle Phil Trautwine, center Drew Miller, receiver Andre Caldwell, defensive end Derrick Harvey and safety Tony Joiner were named captains for 2007.
Freshman defensive tackle John Brown, meanwhile, remained sidelined because the NCAA has not cleared him academically. Meyer said even if Brown got cleared next week, he would not play in the opener.
Meyer had been optimistic Brown would be cleared. But he's less convinced now.
I'm concerned," he said. "I don't want to say I've lost confidence. We're at the mercy of other stuff. ... I don't know. I just don't know enough about it."
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