Category:University of florida Opinions

With Tim Tebow, the Sophomore Heisman trophy winner, having 2 more years to play at the University of Florida, the Gators (National Champions, beating Ohio State for it in 2006) have to be viewed as a likely candidate to rack up another National Championship in 2008 or 2009, or maybe both (as unlikely as a sophomore Heisman winner, but a reality now).

Tebow did not run away with the Heisman votes for lack of good reason. He did not become the first-ever Sophomore (or Freshman) to win the Heisman for any other reason than the fact that he is a most extrordinary and unique quarterback. Arguably he is the best college quarterback we have ever seen. I am not exaggerating; I can not recall a quarterback so extraordinary not in just one or two attributes but in every facet of quarterbacking! And I go back long enough to have watched some great quarterbacks (in the stands) like Joe Namath and Steve Spurier and some other big strong quarterback (like Roman Gabriel)

Tebow is the first quarterback every to make 20 or more TDs running and 20 or more passing (with 21 running and 29 passing)! He is big (6'3 and 235)! He is strong (was told by coaches to hold his bench pressing "down to 400 pounds max" — concerned he should not overdo it). He's fast (I don't know that stat but very respectable speed). He tends to run right at them with strength, however, he is also agile and has the good moves of a great running back, thus he can scramble effectively. Add to that he throws well on the run! His passing effeciency rating was first and second during the year; I think he is second in that ranking for this year.

Although he is just a Sopohomore now (2007), game pressures, signal calling and quarterbacking is not so new to him. Tebow has years of quarterbacking experience if you look at the fact that he was a superstar in high school football also and set numerous high school recors as well. He is so tough he plays hurt (with a broken leg in high school, with a broken hand in last game this year (for half of the Gator win over Florida State). He is a good field general and leader; his teammates love him and respect him, both on and off the field. He is a good student and a guy of high charaster. In short he has all the attributes anybody could ever look for in their "dream quarterback".

In 2006, the Gators lost a lot of good Senior players (after winning the National Championship), hit especially hard in the secondary. Therefore they played with a lot of first time, first string players (in addition to Tebow) in 2007. The played against typically tougher-than-most teams schedule (in SEC) and racked up tremdmous offense and lost three games by small margins (including to LSU).

For 2008, the Florida GATORS first year players are coming back with a year of experience under their belt and the rest of the team (aside from Tebow) will be more experienced and better.

Tebow and the GATORS will be fascinating to watch for the next 2 years. The odds of saying any team will make National Championship make it next to impossible to reliably predict. However, it is for sure that the University of Florida GATORS will be right there in the hunt for it for the next two years in a row, with only one caveat: so long as Tebow remains healthy!

Robert Peck