Things changed though as his recruitment wore on. Between UK getting Isaiah Briscoe, Missipi State hiring Ben Howland and a number of other factors, Newman ultimately wound up picking Mississippi State.
In his most recent blog entry with USA Today, Newman revealed what else went into his decision to commit to the Bulldogs:
Everyone knows that my dad played at Mississippi State back in the day and it’s cool to me to be able to play at the same school. I won’t be wearing his number or anything like that because I’m my own person and my own man.