If true, this is huge. The AP:
Auburn has had "no contact whatsoever" with a man who allegedly tried to secure payment from Mississippi State during the recruitment of Tigers quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Cam Newton, according to a person familiar with the situation.
All the usual caveats about anonymous sources and their motives goes here, but this is a far more specific denial than Auburn has offered so far. If Kenny Rogers and Auburn didn't talk, then it seems unlikely that Auburn was involved in payments to the Newton family, and it seems more likely that Rogers was trying to con Mississippi State.
Of course, there are other reasons why Auburn and Rogers might not have had conversations about Newton; keep in mind that Rogers talked to a former State quarterback when he was trying to get the Western Division Bulldogs to pay up. But "no contact whatsoever" would make it difficult to finalize a deal, no?
On the surface, this is great news for Auburn fans and Cam Newton. It's not quite "end of story," as the Tigers' head coach might say, but it would certainly be a significant step in that direction.