Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Hall of Fame: Newson joins teammates in hall
11/4/2020 6:05:00 PM | Football, General
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee experienced immediate success when it moved to Division I-A in football in 1999, and wide receiver Kendall Newson is one of the reasons why.
Newson, quarterback Wes Counts and running back Dwone Hicks helped the Blue Raider offense hit the ground running in the FBS. Now, the trio is once again connected, as this year Newson joined Counts and Hicks as Blue Raiders Sports Hall of Fame members.
"It's a life-changing moment," Newson said. "It's one of those moments that you pray would happen or thought could happen, but you don't know when it's going to happen or how it's going to happen. It's just a life-changing moment."
Fans can watch the virtual induction in a number of ways, including on Facebook.com/BlueRaiderAthletics, Twitter (@MTAthletics), and YouTube (Middle Tennessee Athletics).
Newson quickly ascended the wide receiver depth chart when he arrived on campus as a freshman in 1998, and he was soon Counts' go-to receiver.
After hauling in 30 receptions as a freshman, Newson set a program record with 69 as a sophomore in MT's first year in the FBS. His 918 receiving yards were also second for a single-season all-time.
He got even better as a junior, breaking his own single-season record with 74 catches and setting a new program high with 945 yards. That set up a memorable senior season for Newson the next year, when the Blue Raiders really burst onto the FBS scene.
They finished 2001 with an 8-3 record and a 5-1 mark in the Sun Belt Conference, good enough for a share of the title in their first season in the league, and Newson was one of several first-team All-Sun Belt selections.
Middle Tennessee's season opener in 2001 was a memorable 37-28 win at Vanderbilt. Newson led the way in the passing game with nine catches for 113, while Hicks ran for 203 yards and four touchdowns. Newson credits the win for jumpstarting their incredible season.
"That was our in-state rivalry game," he said. "It was one of the biggest games we were going to have that year, and we knew we couldn't lose that game."
After that season, Newson graduated as maybe the program's all-time best receiver. At the time, he topped the record books in career receptions (238), receiving yards (3,704) and consecutive games with a catch (43) and was second in touchdowns (21).
Newson was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and he went on to have a short playing career with stops with the Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins in the NFL and Rhein Fire and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League, respectively.
Since retiring from football, Newson hasn't been idle. He followed a lifelong dream of becoming a professional bass fisherman, and he also started the nonprofit Teach a Child to Fish that mentors children ages 5 and over through fishing and outdoor education programs.
"It was one of those things that stuck with me through my college career and professional career," Newson said about fishing professionally. "Once I hung the cleats up, I wanted to be a professional bass fisherman, and it just kind of took off from there.
"I love to give back to kids and see them realize they can do something they didn't think they could."
Newson still has the same competitive fire he showed on the gridiron at Middle Tennessee. That drive that's helped him as a football player and in his other endeavors was born out of growing up in a big family. There were seven kids in the Newson household, plus cousins.
"We competed in everything," Newson said. "If you didn't bring it, you didn't eat or you got laughed at or got joked on. When I got here and started playing football, it was already installed in me from my family and my dad back at home and my coaches."
Newson also aspires to become a football coach. He wants to continue to give back to kids like his coaches at MT did for him.
"I played with a lot of guys and learned how to be a professional," he said. "Football is always going to be a deep, deep passion inside of me, and when that coaching job comes along, I'm going to kick that door in."
Whatever Newson gets into next, he'll be able to put one more honor on his resume. He's now forever a hall of famer.
Newson, quarterback Wes Counts and running back Dwone Hicks helped the Blue Raider offense hit the ground running in the FBS. Now, the trio is once again connected, as this year Newson joined Counts and Hicks as Blue Raiders Sports Hall of Fame members.
"It's a life-changing moment," Newson said. "It's one of those moments that you pray would happen or thought could happen, but you don't know when it's going to happen or how it's going to happen. It's just a life-changing moment."
Fans can watch the virtual induction in a number of ways, including on Facebook.com/BlueRaiderAthletics, Twitter (@MTAthletics), and YouTube (Middle Tennessee Athletics).
Newson quickly ascended the wide receiver depth chart when he arrived on campus as a freshman in 1998, and he was soon Counts' go-to receiver.
After hauling in 30 receptions as a freshman, Newson set a program record with 69 as a sophomore in MT's first year in the FBS. His 918 receiving yards were also second for a single-season all-time.
He got even better as a junior, breaking his own single-season record with 74 catches and setting a new program high with 945 yards. That set up a memorable senior season for Newson the next year, when the Blue Raiders really burst onto the FBS scene.
They finished 2001 with an 8-3 record and a 5-1 mark in the Sun Belt Conference, good enough for a share of the title in their first season in the league, and Newson was one of several first-team All-Sun Belt selections.
Middle Tennessee's season opener in 2001 was a memorable 37-28 win at Vanderbilt. Newson led the way in the passing game with nine catches for 113, while Hicks ran for 203 yards and four touchdowns. Newson credits the win for jumpstarting their incredible season.
"That was our in-state rivalry game," he said. "It was one of the biggest games we were going to have that year, and we knew we couldn't lose that game."
After that season, Newson graduated as maybe the program's all-time best receiver. At the time, he topped the record books in career receptions (238), receiving yards (3,704) and consecutive games with a catch (43) and was second in touchdowns (21).
Newson was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and he went on to have a short playing career with stops with the Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins in the NFL and Rhein Fire and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League, respectively.
Since retiring from football, Newson hasn't been idle. He followed a lifelong dream of becoming a professional bass fisherman, and he also started the nonprofit Teach a Child to Fish that mentors children ages 5 and over through fishing and outdoor education programs.
"It was one of those things that stuck with me through my college career and professional career," Newson said about fishing professionally. "Once I hung the cleats up, I wanted to be a professional bass fisherman, and it just kind of took off from there.
"I love to give back to kids and see them realize they can do something they didn't think they could."
Newson still has the same competitive fire he showed on the gridiron at Middle Tennessee. That drive that's helped him as a football player and in his other endeavors was born out of growing up in a big family. There were seven kids in the Newson household, plus cousins.
"We competed in everything," Newson said. "If you didn't bring it, you didn't eat or you got laughed at or got joked on. When I got here and started playing football, it was already installed in me from my family and my dad back at home and my coaches."
Newson also aspires to become a football coach. He wants to continue to give back to kids like his coaches at MT did for him.
"I played with a lot of guys and learned how to be a professional," he said. "Football is always going to be a deep, deep passion inside of me, and when that coaching job comes along, I'm going to kick that door in."
Whatever Newson gets into next, he'll be able to put one more honor on his resume. He's now forever a hall of famer.
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