In one of the least surprising developments in a long time, Cam Newton has won the 2010 Walter Camp Award and the 2010 Davey O’Brien Award. Stanford QB Andrew Luck was a finalist for both awards. Although the Heisman Trophy winner is not announced until tomorrow, these wins only increase the likelihood that Cam Newton will strike the Heisman pose tomorrow night.
The Walter Camp Award goes to the best player in college football. This is distinguished from the Heisman going to the most outstanding player, if that is in fact actually distinguishing. The Davey O’Brien Award is awarded to the nation’s best QB. Cam Newton is a phenomenal athlete and arguably the best player in college football this year. However, I would make the argument that he’s not the best QB in the country. He can be the best athlete and best player, but that does not necessarily mean he was the best quarterback.
I suppose that argument could depend in part on the definition of a quarterback. In college football there are so many different styles of quarterbacking that I suppose the more athletic version can be qualified as the best. We’ll see how well that works out at the NFL level next year.