Newell was a prominent member of Mike Donahue's football teams which over his four years from 1910 to 1913, accumulating a win–loss–tie record of 24–4–2 (.833) and outscored opponents 639 to 111.

He was nominated though not selected for an Associated Press All-Time Southeast 1869-1919 era team.

[4] He was captain of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) champion 1913 team.

[1] According to David Housel, while in France Newell laid on top of a hand grenade set to explode on a group of people he knew, taking the brunt of the explosion himself.

[9] He also played football during the war, as the quarterback on the Camp Gordon team in 1917.