Cam Newton sends strong warning to next LSU football coach, candidates in SEC

LSU was the latest job to come open, and is now the third to open just this season already in the SEC, with Sunday’s firing of Brian Kelly. With that, Cam Newton is warning any candidate, whether in Baton Rouge, Gainesville, Fayetteville, or elsewhere in jobs that could also come available in the league, who is considering coming into the Southeastern Conference.

Newton shared that this morning on ‘First Take’, as Paul Finebaum and Stephen A. Smith also discussed Kelly’s firing, on Monday. He says anyone looking at one of these jobs, namely one at the level of LSU, better be ready to come in and compete because, as is the conference’s tagline, it just means more in the SEC.

“This is not necessarily a message or a discussion point about Brian Kelly, more so than it is a warning for the next person that takes this job. You must understand, when you go to the top tier, or a tier one team in the SEC? And, I’m not talking about a tier one team by merely talent, skillset, or anything like that. I’m talking about tier one as far as budget allocations. When you talk about an LSU, when you talk about a University of Florida, when you’re talking about an Alabama, when you’re talking about a UGA? Those tier-one budgeted schools in the SEC, and there are more? Mediocrity, or mediocre coaching, will not be tolerated,” said Newton. “You must understand that. So, anybody who wants to insert their resumé for a potential job interview, you must understand, if you don’t have intentions to win, and I mean win yesterday, do not take that job.”

“When you look at Brian Kelly’s overall record? 34-14. Now, some would say, ‘Well, he was okay’. That’s mediocre! The thing that Coach DeBoer has really figured out over at Alabama is we have to win football games. It’s not even, we got to win. We have to win. It’s life or death, and we have to start playing with a sense of urgency,” Newton continued. “Brian Kelly’s demeanor, ever since walking in to the Bayou State, had always been a little lax, a little eh. That’s not what the SEC represents, especially when you look at the likes of a Nick Saban who’s coached there, an Ed Orgeron who’s coached there, a Les Miles. They had attitude. Their teams were violent, and they stood on something.”

Newton called it like he sees it as far as having a job in the SEC. He knows it’s deeper than just win or lose, and he suggests any candidates to come into the conference for next year understand that before taking one of those gigs.

“The next person who thinks about coaching LSU, or any tier one team in the SEC? You can’t play around,” said Newton. “You have to be intentional, and you have to win fast.”