BRENHAM – Before Cam Newton led his team to a berth in Super Bowl 50, the Carolina Panthers quarterback had an unconventional college career—part of which was spent at Blinn College.
Cam came to Blinn in 2009 after running into trouble at the University of Florida, but Brenham was Newton's new beginning.
"I remember telling people in the community, 'Hey you got to come see this guy play football, he'll be playing on Sundays one day.' Now, did we know that it was going to be the level that Cam is at today? No, I don't think I anybody could have predicted," said Jeff Tilley, marketing and communications director at Blinn. "He was the first one out to practice every day, he was the last one to leave. He had a work ethic like I've never seen in my life before."
What did his former head coach think?
"He was always competing. We would race to the bathroom, that's how ridiculous it got. He wanted to be a better passer, he wanted to do what he needed to do academically to get back to Division 1 (football), and he wanted to win," said Brad Franchione, Blinn's head coach from 2005-2011.
Cam accomplished those goals. He improved himself as a player, he helped Blinn win a junior college championship in 2009 and he made academics a top priority.
"He was always on time and he never slept in my class either, which is really good to point out being an English class at 8 o'clock in the morning," said Amy Winningham, Newton's former English professor.
Cam has conquered far more than an early-morning English class at this point, and his Blinn family couldn't be more proud to call him a Buccaneer.
"The kind of accomplishment that he's had, he's just progressed so far in his career and that's just amazing that he was just the student at Blinn College, but then to see him progress this far it's just amazing," said Winningham.
Even though current Blinn head football coach Keith Thomas didn't coach Cam, he still benefits from Cam's time at Blinn and the impact he had on the school's reputation.
"Every time we have a recruit come in or anything, it's great because all the kids want to be like Cam Newton," Thomas said. "So it's a great story, and it's a great recruiting tool. Plus, he loves Blinn College and he backs us a lot."
"I can't even put it on paper or even describe what he's done for this college. We had an excellent football program before Cam was here, storied football history, but since Cam has come and left Blinn, and accomplished what he's accomplished in his life, he really has put Blinn on the map," Tilley said.
Franchione says he's enjoyed watching Cam grow from his time at Blinn, especially knowing how hard he's worked for all his accomplishments.
"It's fun to see his progress, because he wasn't always that guy that could be awesome, and to see all the hard work he's put in, and to see where he's taken it to now … I hope he wins, because what a terrific story," Franchione said.
From a campus of 2,400 to an audience of millions, it's apparent Cam's hard work has paid off.
