David Pollack Doesn't Hesitate When Naming the Best College Football Player of All Time

Former ESPN broadcaster David Pollack during the Rose Bowl. | USA TODAY Sports

The Auburn Tigers have hit one of the worst stretches in the program's history. The Tigers have had five straight losing seasons and six straight seasons with six wins or fewer.

Auburn Needs to Get Back to Glory Days

That led them to make a big change, moving on from head coach Hugh Freeze and replacing him with Alex Golesh. As the coach of the South Florida Bulls, Golesh had a 23-15 record in three seasons. His best season came last year when the team went 9-3.

He's tasked with getting Auburn back to being one of the best programs in the history of the SEC, like they were when Cam Newton was behind the center. Newton had an incredible single season at Auburn, throwing for 2,854 yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 1,473 yards and 20 scores. He won the Heisman Trophy, led Auburn to a 14-0 record and won the Tigers' last national championship.

Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is stopped by Mississippi State's Corey Broomfield. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

David Pollack Calls Cam Newton Best College Football Player Ever

That lone season has college football analyst David Pollack saying on "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack" that he's the best player he's ever seen, even recalling a story about Newton and Tim Tebow from Newton's time as a freshman at Florida.

"Cam Newton is the best I have ever seen with my eye balls," Pollack said. "He's the best college football player. And the story I go back to by the way, is the story that Dan Mullen told us as a freshman Cam Newton vs Tim Tebow in tug of war, he drug Tebow like 10 yards on the ground. He said he walked him like a dog. That is incredible."

Newton and Tebow were teammates at Florida before their careers took dramatically different paths. Tebow was already one of the biggest stars in college football when Newton arrived in Gainesville, but Pollack's story highlights the extraordinary physical talent Newton possessed even as a young player.

Newton ultimately transferred to Blinn College before joining Auburn and producing one of the most dominant seasons in college football history. His combination of size, athleticism and arm talent made him nearly impossible to defend.

That 2010 season remains the defining example of Newton's ability and is a major reason he remains so highly regarded by those who watched him play.

Newton Remains the Standard for Auburn Football

Auburn has spent more than a decade trying to recapture the magic of the Newton era. The Tigers have struggled to establish sustained success since winning the national championship in 2010, with their recent five-year losing streak representing an especially difficult period.

Golesh now has the opportunity to change that trajectory. While expecting another Newton-level season would be unrealistic, Auburn needs its new coach to build a program capable of competing consistently in the SEC.

For Pollack, however, Newton's place in college football history is already settled. His 2010 season remains the benchmark for Auburn greatness and one of the most dominant individual campaigns the sport has ever seen.