Trent Dilfer on Cam Newton Transcript

[fieryprophet]

I did a full transcript of the radio interview Dilfer did with Colin Cowherd the other day, and just wanted to share it for those who don't listen to ESPN Radio.

My favorite part: "He's just a puppy!"

Colin

Let's move onto Cam Newton. What do you see? You liked him the first workout, and I said on the air "Oh, man, Dilfer's going crazy! He's sees him in his shorts! Dilfer, settle down!" What do you see?

Trent

March, I'm out there in March I think it was for his pro media day thing. And, I watched all the film, I liked a lot of what I saw, but I wasn't sure. I mean, you just weren't sure on who the kid was, if he could really throw it, if it was a product of teams always playing him as a runner. Being around him from that day, and spending some time with him after, you knew there was something special. I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but you knew you were around a special guy. It was obvious you were around a special athlete. As a thrower, what blew me away, and the reason I spoke so highly about what I saw, was. . .you just know when guys are born to throw a football, when it just pops off their hand.

Colin

Aaron Rodgers.

Trent

Yeah, we go, Steve Young and I, will go throw the ball on Monday nights, we're on site, and we'll throw it around with guys, and certain guys just can throw and certain guys can't. Cam Newton was born to throw. I mean, the way the ball comes off his hand is remarkable. The other thing I saw that day, and I think this is really why I'm most excited about him: any coach will tell you, to be a great player, you've got to be coachable. Not just "hey, do what I say" but you've got to be able to change, have the ability to change the next snap. So, a coach points something out, a flaw that you have, you have to have the ability on the next snap to change it. We're throwing that day, and Cam's throwing the ball, and he misses a couple high, which has always been his miss, and Warren Moon and I kinda look at each other and talk a couple of things, and Warren Moon goes up to him and says "Cam, your left shoulder's a little high," tells him about his feet, takes about forty-five seconds out of his time. Cam never misses another ball high after it. Goes to the combine, starts missing high again, we talk over the phone, he says "Yeah, I got sloppy, I know it happens, I'm going to address it, I'm going to fix it." Doesn't miss high very often anymore. The ability to change, going back to fundamentals. He's got a very sound fundamental platform, his mechanics are solid, allows him to change, and get better down-per-down basis.

Colin

(And he does so) quickly! Which is what The Golden Calf of Bristol, by the way, struggles with: bad mechanics. He's just trying to figure out the basics.

Trent

Yes, so I think that my biggest thing for Cam Newton is: please don't make the mistake, at home right now, or when you watch him, of trying to compare him to any player you've ever seen. Don't just take out the old running quarterbacks and so "oh, Cam Newton's like this guy." No, he's not. He's better. He's as good a runner as all the guys you're thinking about, and he's twice the thrower. And don't say "OK, well, is he Dan Marino, or John Elway, or Aaron Rodgers?" No, he's not. He doesn't have to be. He's a completely different person, but yet can throw. His best throws, are that of Marino, and Rodgers, and whatnot. I think he's gonna redefine the position.

Colin

Holy moly!

Trent

Because, I don't know if he'll ever be as surgical as a Brees, a Brady, a Rodgers, but he's never gonna have to be, because he's so physical, this man is so big and so strong. And he's just a puppy! He's still a puppy with big ol' paws, and he doesn't know where to put them all the time. . .

Colin

(laughs)

Trent

When he becomes a show dog, and when he grows into this body, and he puts on another ten pounds of muscle, there's no fear of being tackled in the pocket.

Colin

Oh, man, he's got none.

Trent

None. Zero. So he can hold the ball a little bit longer, like Ben Roethlisberger. Now talk about making throws: there is not a throw, that's ever been created, that he can't make. Just yesterday, he made three or four throws that (were) of a Rodgers, a Brady, a Manning. Incredible, high level of difficulty, throws he makes with ease. Talk about is he smart enough? I've been with the kid, the kid loves football. He loves studying, and he loves being challenged. When George Whitfield in San Diego got him as a personal quarterback tutor, he didn't understand that a 18 yard route took a seven step drop. I mean, that's the remedial level he was at in quarterbacking. He's now, just in what he's advanced in, in the last eight months, is remarkable. He dives into the film room, he dives into the book, he is like these guys you talk about all the time that are so invested in getting great. When we text, he texts about "I want to be like Manning, I want like Brady, I want to be like Brees, I want to be like Rodgers." He uses his physicality as a bailout, not his foundation.

Colin

Right. That was always the difference with Vince Young, just the opposite with him.

Trent

Exactly. This is a special..talk about intangibles! Right? Everyone wants to talk about the The Golden Calf of Bristol magic. This dude has that too! He walks into a room, and people like, stand at attention. So, he's gonna have some rough spots. It's ridiculous to think he's not. But his ceiling for success, as I said in March when I saw him in shorts, is the highest I've ever seen, because he's gonna. . .there's so many kids he's gonna redefine the position for, there's so many kids who are in seventh, eighth grade, that are the biggest, strongest, fastest kid in their Little League program, that now can go play quarterback, because Cam Newton's made it all right now for that kid to go play quarterback. When they get developed right, they're going to change the position.

Colin

Wow.

[Sapper]

Thanks!

[Cyberjag]

And he's just a puppy! He's still a puppy with big ol' paws, and he doesn't know where to put them all the time. . .

Best Cam quote ever... :D

[Gazi]

We don't even realize how lucky we are

[chknwing]

Trent

March, I'm out there in March I think it was for his pro media day thing. And, I watched all the film, I liked a lot of what I saw, but I wasn't sure. I mean, you just weren't sure on who the kid was

Translation: "he looks good, but hes a black quarterback. I'm not getting my hopes up."

[fieryprophet]

Trent

March, I'm out there in March I think it was for his pro media day thing. And, I watched all the film, I liked a lot of what I saw, but I wasn't sure. I mean, you just weren't sure on who the kid was

Translation: "he looks good, but hes a black quarterback. I'm not getting my hopes up."

I wouldn't make that statement at all. Auburn's offensive system did not utilize enough pro-style throws for any scout to get a good handle on his capabilities, and the difference Cam has made since leaving college and being tutored this summer is one reason so many people have been blown away.

It's truly a credit to Cam (and Trent addresses this in his interview) and an incredibly good sign going forward that he can absorb coaching and instruction at a rate I've never seen from any quarterback, black, white or purple.

[tiger7_88]

I wouldn't make that statement at all. Auburn's offensive system did not utilize enough pro-style throws for any scout to get a good handle on his capabilities, and the difference Cam has made since leaving college and being tutored this summer is one reason so many people have been blown away.

True dat.

At Auburn (my alma mater) and Florida, he had no need to know that an 18-yd route took a 7-step drop. Because he was already 4-step dropped before even taking the snap.

Chud and Shula did and are doing a great job coaching him that though.

[chknwing]

cmon no one gave Cam a chance because he is a minority at his position. I guarentee u if Cam was white when he came out of college, there wouldnt have been much speculation on taking him #1 etc.

[teeray]

Uh oh. This is getting right into KT's wheelhouse. Come set these fools straight KT!!!

[Camdemonium]

:lol: If he was white KT would want us to take Pryor

[GamecockSmitty4]

[Xrated]

Wait Cam Newton's black???? Gonna return my jersey!!!! JK

[Stroupe-a-loop]

Dilfer gushes about every quarterback. It's like Skip Bayless saying something annoying. It's cool he said all that stuff, but he was just as excited if not more about Mark Sanchez. Dude just loves quarterbacks.

[CLTPanther]

Mark Sanchez couldn't hold Cam's jock strap