Cam Newton Reminding LSU fans of what could have been

As the LSU Tigers lick their wounds from the season’s first letdown at Jordan-Hare, there’s probably a dirty, filthy little thought that keeps creeping into fans minds…

God, that Newton kid is good.

The LSU fan base is as dedicated as any, but they are also incredibly savvy. The realized what they witnessed out there was nothing short of amazing, and more than anything are probably contemplating how fortunate they were to have a shot to pull out the victory so late.

Newton, the trigger man for Auburns spread option attack, gave LSU an up close lesson on what quality quarterback play can bring you in College Football. He demonstrated a Tebow-Esque command of Gus Malzhan’s scheme, and separated himself from the pack as the clear cut Heisman front runner.  A duel threat nuclear weapon, Newton showed he’s as capable of quick strike big plays as he is of wearing a defense down with his 6’6 250 pound frame. His ascension to national stardom is the primary reasons Auburn sits undefeated at 8-0.

For fans of the Purple and Gold, watching a player like Newton light it up must bring back some particularly stinging memories.

It wasn’t so long ago that LSU had its own dual threat messiah in Baton Rouge. In 2004, the nation’s best Quarterbacking talent was homegrown, located right in the small city of Reserve. His name was Ryan Perrilloux, an electrifying athlete who had schools all across the nation clamoring for his services. After initially committing to Texas, Perrilloux hooked the Horns’ by reneging and signing with the home state power. With his signing, fan expectation rocketed into the stratosphere. The collection of national awards he collected, including Gatorade National Player of the Year honors, made Tiger fans salivate with anticipation of him under center. He was thought to be the type of singular dynamic talent that LSU hasn’t had in a while and a key to national championship relevancy in the latter part of the decade.

Most of you know how the story went after that…

It began almost immediately, with the naive freshman brashly predicting a Heisman Trophy in his freshman year. Then came off field issues, including being a person of interest in a counterfeiting investigation, using a fake ID to gain entrance to a Baton Rouge Casino, and a fight at a local bar for which two of his teammates were dismissed from the program. Perriloux seemed to get it momentarily, long enough to contribute to the 2007 National Championship team, and snag MVP honors in that year’s SEC title game. But after another undisclosed transgression the following summer, LSU Coach Les Miles made the controversial decision to cut ties with the talented but troubled signal caller.

To some, the letting Perrilloux go was a breath of fresh air for major college football. In their opinion, Miles demonstrated the type of integrity and institutional control that some programs marginalize in order to win games. Others thought that Perrilloux was simply too special of a talent to be turned away. These are the fans and media who judge a coach by wins alone, no matter what they have to sweep under the rug to produce those victories. No matter which camp you’re in, one thing is for sure; the sudden dismissal of Perriloux created a void at quarterback that LSU has not yet recovered from. Perrilloux’s absence meant that Jarrett Lee was thrust into the spotlight prematurely (after beating out Andrew Hatch) and that season turned out as disastrous as it could for a first year starter. That season was also the one that saw Lee give way to Jordan Jefferson, who started fast, then stop developing altogether.

Coincidentally enough, Newton had his own issues to deal with on his way to being the College Football’s shining star. He was arrested on a litany of charges in 2008 after purchasing a stolen laptop from a classmate at the University of Florida and then comically chucking it out his window when the police came calling. After a suspension, Newton transferred to tiny Binn College and rebuilt his image while leading the school to a Junior College National Championship. Unlike Perriloux, when Cam Newton was given a second chance to live up to his prodigious talent, he chose realization over regression. He straightened up, rededicated himself to football and became what you see today.

Now LSU Tiger Nation has to wondering how long it’ll be until they get their shot at an elite signal caller. If the last couple seasons have taught LSU anything, it’s that you can’t compete for SEC and National Championships while simultaneously hiding your quarterback.  To anyone who watched Newton yesterday it was  obvious  that Auburn’s coaching staff has 100 percent faith in him to operate the offense. Meanwhile LSU does everything it can to minimize mistakes from its leader on the field. Trying to win in spite of the sub par play at the position. He’d be gone by now, but perhaps if Perriloux had stuck in Baton Rouge, the quarterback succession wouldn’t have been so disjointed, and things would be going better at that position right now.

Perhaps…