How Deuce Spann’s & Johnny Newton's Friendship Resulted in a Signing Day Flip

Illinois defensive line coach Austin Clark detailed how Deuce Spann’s friendship with Johnny Newton involved a double Signing Day celebration for the Illini.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois took advantage of a more than solid friendship to produce a signing day flip.

Not only did the commitment of Gregory ‘Deuce’ Spann late in the early signing period progress help them retain a quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class but sparked the likelihood of getting then-Maryland commitment Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton.

“I would say it was a big factor in getting (Newton) to sign,” Illinois defensive line coach Austin Clark said. “Once we got Deuce in the fold, he started making calls, texts and messages with Johnny Newton about what he liked about us as a staff and Illinois. Then, we beat Wisconsin and (the committed player) reaches out to us saying we notice what we’re doing.”

The 6-foot-4 and 194-pound dual-threat quarterback announced his commitment just a few days after he publicly acknowledged late-arriving scholarship offers from Auburn and Florida State to go along with previous interest from Georgia, Miami, Utah, Louisville, Ole Miss and Central Florida. It also came just days after three-star Georgia quarterback CJ Dixon reportedly nullified his previous commitment to Illinois, which was made back in July, to investigate further options.

Spann completed 117 of 253 passes for 1,937 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his senior season at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Florida while also running for 847 yards and 10 scores while leading to a state semifinal appearance in Florida’s Class 4 postseason.

“As a passer, there are some things he’ll have to clean up but the flaws, in my opinion, are very correctable that you see on film that you can coach immediately,” Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith said. “He’s a bigger type guy who can do things out in space with his legs if he needs to. He’s going to lift the ceiling of that (quarterback) room.”

In the midst of putting up quality statistics in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, Spann made a connection with another local product and started talking about the possibility of teaming up at the college level.

Clark said the commitment of Spann led to Newton flipping from Maryland to Illinois in what was the Illini’s only drama on the first day of the early signing period

“I wouldn’t be surprised if those two guys request to be roommates once they get here on campus,” Clark said. “That’s the thing about recruiting because you need players recruiting other players especially when they’re not from the local area. You look at Deuce, Johnny Newton, Tre'Von Riggins and Quinton McCoy. Three of those guys are from Pinellas county and on our roster already you had Jake Hansen, Bobby Roundtree and Khalan Tolson so they may not know each other but they know the same people. So, Tolson is hosting Johnny Newton on a visit.”

Newton, a consensus three-star defensive pass rusher, who also received scholarship offers from Florida, Florida State and UCF, is ranked by 247Sports.com as the 56th-best strong-side defensive end in the country and provides the Illini with much-needed defensive line depth at a position crippled by injuries throughout the 2019 season. Newton visited the Illinois campus from Dec. 6-8 and found a connection with Lovie Smith’s staff as the Illini coaching staff has always been intrigued by the Tampa/St. Pete area.

Newton, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, had 104 tackles, 16 sacks, 29.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles as a senior at Clearwater Central Catholic this past season. Newton, who had 244 tackles, 24 sacks, 45.0 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles in his high school career, joins a reloaded defensive unit to Illinois’ 2020 class mostly led by the recruiting efforts of Clark.

“He can be a swing guy,” Clark said. “We went to one of his high school games and he went from playing defensive end and two plays later he was playing three-technique and so what you got in him is a great athlete that just plays hard. I think there will be a role for him.”