ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap "defends the use of anonymous sources" amid criticism for the network's and New York Times' Cam Newton story, USA Today reported. Newton plays for Auburn University's football team. 

"Obviously, a reporter has to protect someone's identity in certain cases," Schaap is quoted as saying. "Otherwise, you're not going to get any information. There's so many huge stories we never would have known about, never would have come to light, if anonymous sources had not been used."

ESPN reported Nov. 11 that two unnamed Mississippi State University recruiters "said that Cecil Newton and his son, quarterback Cam Newton, said in separate phone conversations that his college choice would be part of a pay-for-play plan while Newton was being recruited late last year."