There’s something special about it when a legend comes home. At Auburn, that moment arrived last week when Cam Newton stepped back onto the Plains. This time, not as the unstoppable QB but as an honored Tiger whose No. 2 jersey will soon be retired. Back in 2010, Newton was the heartbeat of an undefeated season. Although Hugh Freeze wasn’t coaching at Auburn during Cam Newton’s unforgettable run in 2010, the way Freeze talked, you could tell he still can’t stop raving about Cam.
So, last Thursday, when Newton returned to the campus, Freeze made it clear how much the former Heisman winner still means to the program. “This team is starting to build some true community like y’all have your year,” Freeze said. “I tell everybody all the time, he’s one of the top five that’s ever played college football in my book.” It’s high praise, but well-earned. The current athletes were elated to meet the Auburn star, and they still speak about Newton with the reverence of a fan. The players’ enthusiasm made it clear that Cam Newton is the standard Auburn continues to chase. And rightfully so.
His comeback against Alabama in the Iron Bowl is Auburn folklore. The Tigers were down 24-0, and Cam led one of the biggest comebacks in college football history. He threw three touchdowns and rushed for another as Auburn stunned the top-ranked Crimson Tide 28-27. That victory was a statement that Cam was a game-changer who lifted his entire team. Then came the SEC Championship, where he personally accounted for six touchdowns, blasting South Carolina 56-17. And, of course, he capped it all by leading Auburn to its first national championship since 1957, narrowly beating Oregon in a tight 22-19 game. But the conversation between Cam Newton and Hugh Freeze didn’t just hang on past glory.
Freeze quickly shifted gears to the now, hyping his freshman quarterback, Deuce Knight. As he has been quietly making waves behind Jackson Arnold. “Deuce is going to be a freak,” Freeze said. He even made comparisons of Deuce’s running ability and the kind of dynamic athleticism Cam brought to the field. Like Newton in his prime, Deuce is no stranger to scrambling and using his legs to extend plays or break off game-changing runs. Knight might not have landed the starting job at Auburn, but the excitement around him hasn’t faded for a second. First off, Deuce is showing he’s way ahead of the curve for a freshman. Analyst Lindsay Crosby called the QB competition legit back in spring, and now, with Knight drawing attention for his arm strength and overall athleticism, the quarterback room feels more like a launchpad than a waiting room.
Phillip Dukes couldn’t hide his admiration on his podcast, “Deuce Knight had a good camp. It’s just that it’s gonna be finding his fit in the offense. You got a guy who can make the throws that he can. He can hit all the spots on the field that he can.” That’s not something you hear every day about a guy who just finished high school. Deuce is already proving he can make throws with zip and velocity. One viral camp moment saw him fire off a bomb at Eric Singleton, sending fans into a frenzy. Coaches are using him with both the second and third teams, testing him in different scenarios. Knight just feels like a “specimen” in every way Dukes described. Now the challenge for Freeze and his staff is selling Deuce on the future. By promising him a chance to run the offense and become the centerpiece.
Why No. 2 isn’t Deuce Knight’s jersey this year?
Deuce Knight won’t be wearing the No. 2 jersey at Auburn anytime soon. But it’s not just about tradition, it’s about respect. The No. 2 is famously tied to Auburn legend Cam Newton, who not only put that number on the map but forever etched it in Auburn football history with his Heisman-winning, national championship season back in 2010. While Auburn hasn’t officially retired the jersey yet, no one’s worn that number since Cam left. And it’s clear that Auburn, and especially Cam himself, want to preserve its special legacy.
Deuce, a five-star freshman quarterback from the class of 2025, naturally wanted to don the No. 2 that matched his nickname. He even wore it all through high school. But when news came out that he’d be assigned No. 9 for his first season, it wasn’t a surprise to many who followed the story closely. Cam Newton publicly shut down the idea of Deuce wearing his number early on. And Cam made it crystal clear.
“It’s a f— no for me,” Newton said on a podcast last year. “You will not be wearing No. 2, especially not your first year … I just don’t want to nuke my product like that.” Cam’s reasoning was about not putting impossible pressure on a young quarterback to live up to a legacy he hasn’t yet earned. Cam even said that if his son went to Auburn, he wouldn’t let him wear No. 2 either. Cam told Deuce to “create your own legacy,” which is powerful advice coming from one of Auburn’s greatest players. This decision is more of a passing of the torch than a block.
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