Newton, Indiana's Mr. Football and a prep All-American, led Carmel to three straight state championship games. He threw for 1,938 yards and 22 touchdowns last year while also running for 1,664 yards and 26 more scores.
"Lots of folks in Kentucky have not seen him play. What you see on tape and on the field is just a little bit of what he can do," his father said. "He has not played his best game of football yet. The SEC will be the right challenge for him."
His basketball team lost in the sectional, but Newton averaged 18 points and nine rebounds per game. He led his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
"We played against a pretty decent schedule. Not as strong as football, but he played against good athletes," his father said.
Morgan Newton hopes to make the Indiana all-star team that will play against Kentucky in June
"They have to try out for the all-star team. I am not sure what he is going to do, but I am pretty sure he will want to try out," John Newton said. "He is a competitor. It has been one of his goals to make the all-star team. He wanted to be Mr. Basketball, too. He wants to be Mr. Everything. That is the competitor in him."
Morgan Newton, though, is concentrating on football. His father said the basketball tryout would be a "sideline thing" compared to his football preparations.
He's planning to work out at a performance center similar to what Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning does in the offseason. He's even consulting a nutritionist.
"The coaches will be surprised when he gets there that he will be in top shape," John Newton said. "When he hits the ground rolling, everybody else needs to be rolling, too.
"It is going to be great. If he can stay healthy, he is going to be something a lot of folks have not seen before."
