Tebow returning for Senior Year

[jtstang]

the man period

No such thing, but can you imagine what chaos the world would be thrown into if there were?

[One Trick Pony]

Or he might go down and never play again. Hope he has called Lloyds of London.

Hope he stays healthy. Kinda kid you would be proud to have as a son.

[huskerpony]

might go down as the best CFB player ever

Marcus Allen?
Tony Dorsett?
Charles Woodson?
Doak Walker?
Herschel Walker?
Bo Jackson?

There is no way to make this statement stand up based on the number of outstanding college football players who have come through the game.

These "Best of all time" statements are thrown out there by ESPN because they wield so much power in the sports world that as soon as somebody from their network says it, it's gospel.

He's a great leader, but let's not get overboard here.

Couldn't agree more. I think we could even generate a list of greatest college QB's of all time as well, and he wouldn't be at the top of that list either.

And, if I am not mistaken, it was just a few weeks ago that he was voted, NOT EVEN THE BEST QB IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THIS YEAR. So to make the jump to greatest player of all time, based on one game where he threw two horrible interceptions.......

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

might go down as the best CFB player ever

They said the same thing about Ryan Leaf and Danny Wuerffel.

C'mon...no one would EVER have uttered "greatest college football player of all time" when talking about Leaf or Wuerffel... While Tebow's game might not translate to the pros, he is an EXCEPTIONAL college football player and should definitely be mentioned in the conversation of greatest college player of all time, especially if he comes away with more hardware after his senior year (Florida will be favored to win it all again and he will surely be the Heisman front runner)...

But even if his career ended today it would be reasonable to include him in "greatest of all time" discussons.

Freshman Year - He played a key role in getting FLA a national title as a true freshman.

Sophomore Year - Arguably greatest college season ever...Numbers that may never be duplicated...55 TDs (32 passing, 23 rushing, only 6 INTs, 67% completion)

Junior Year - Showcased incredible leadership leading to a second national title in 3 years. 40 TDs with only TWO INTERCEPTIONS... I contend Tebow deserved the Heisman (bring on the Big 12 homers hollering about Bradford and McCoy). Both Bradford and Mccoy had amazing seasons, but neither is a transcendant player like Tebow. The press conference after the loss to Ole Miss is already legendary. To compare the leadership qualities of the three players is not even close...

BUT...just for argument's sake lets pretend he wins the Heisman and/or the National Title next season...hard to imagine, but certainly a possibility. That would give him potentially 2 Heismans and 3 National Titles in his college career...INSANE. While his numbers, accomplishments, and leadership after 3 years are enough on their own to make him a top 10 collegiate player ever, it is hard to imagine what his legacy potentially could be after next year.

REMEMBER, this is not a discussion about what college player has the most NFL potential...Tebow's skills certainly may not translate to the pros...but please don't compare his amazing career at FLA to guys like Leaf and Wuerrfel...

I am not saying Tebow will be unequivocally the best player when his career is over, player like Bo, Herschel, Staubach, Baugh, Woodson, Doak, etc. might all be better. BUT, it is perfectly reasonable to include Tebow in talks with guys of that level of collegiate greatness.

[One Trick Pony]

might go down as the best CFB player ever

Jeff did you just write a book?

[huskerpony]

First, that was a joke. Second, I was not comparing his career to Leaf's and Wuerffel's. I was comparing the HYPE surrounding him to Leaf and Wuerffel.

And Danny Wuerffel does have a National Championship and a Heisman--pretty similar to Tebow. Don't give me the 2 NC's thing. He didn't play until the game was out of hand. (Wuerffel was at least responsible for getting his team to the game twice, so he actually had more success than Tebow as a team leader.)

Third, when you are counting statistics--how about the fact that he doubled his interception numbers in the national championship game? You conveniently left those two INT's out of your numbers. And they were real beauties too! In my opinion, Florida won that game in spite of Tebow, not because of him. Stoops just made more mistakes than Tebow did!

Finally, your argument is based on the fact that you assume he will win the Heisman and National Championship next year. If he does, fine, let's have the discussion. But the fact that he announced that he is coming back for his senior year suddenly makes this a certainty? Why don't we wait until the games have been played before coronating him, huh?

There are any number of QB's I would rather have on my team--Tommie Frazier, Roger Staubach, Doug Flutie, Turner Gill, just to name a few. And I'm not sure that any of them would even qualify as the greatest college player of all time. So, again, Tebow is good, but let's not get carried away.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Third, when you are counting statistics--how about the fact that he doubled his interception numbers in the national championship game? You conveniently left those two INT's out of your numbers. And they were real beauties too! In my opinion, Florida won that game in spite of Tebow, not because of him. Stoops just made more mistakes than Tebow did!

Finally, your argument is based on the fact that you assume he will win the Heisman and National Championship next year. If he does, fine, let's have the discussion. But the fact that he announced that he is coming back for his senior year suddenly makes this a certainty? Why don't we wait until the games have been played before coronating him, huh?

There are any number of QB's I would rather have on my team--Tommie Frazier, Roger Staubach, Doug Flutie, Turner Gill, just to name a few. And I'm not sure that any of them would even qualify as the greatest college player of all time. So, again, Tebow is good, but let's not get carried away.

Several things...

First, I agree that there are players I probably want quarterbacking my team before Tebow (Frazier and Staubach certainly should be mentioned there, as you said...I disagree about Flutie...

Second, while the announcers in the Title game were making even me, a Tebow apologist, absolutely sick with their ridiculous Tebow glorifications, I do think it is kinda crazy to say FLA won the game DESPITE Tebow, as you said above. you can't deny his leadership skills, and despite two terrible INTs early, it is hard to claim a team won despite their QB who threw for 230 yds and 2 TDs and ran for over 100 yards.

Third, my argument assumes nothing you claim it does...here is what I said BUT... "just for argument's sake lets pretend he wins the Heisman and/or the National Title next season...hard to imagine, but certainly a possibility. That would give him potentially 2 Heismans and 3 National Titles in his college career...INSANE."

It was clearly a "what if" hypothetical based on my language "just for argument's sake", "let's pretend", and "hard to imagine"...

My only point is Tebow should be in the conversation...best ever? probably not...in the coversation? absolutely.

I agree with you it would be a knee jerk and extreme to hand him the title of best ever, but I do think you aren't giving him as much credit as he deserves.

[huskerpony]

I know. Sorry, I didn't really mean to nitpick your argument that much. It was more a reaction to the gushing Tebow love from everyone and how ridiculous I think this whole thread is. Your post just took the brunt of it, and I got a little carried away. Sometimes I disregard my internal filter!

I do agree with you, he should at least be in the conversation--I just think he loses out in that conversation. And I don't think they lost in spite of him either. He was certainly a factor in pulling out the win at the end. (Although I think if OU hadn't had such an idiotic offensive game plan, Tebow would have been a non-factor.)

My opinion on the kid is that he is very good--and certainly as a team leader. But, he strikes me as kind of the Shaq of football. He isn't particularly skilled at any one thing. He is just a giant, and therefore, a physical force that is difficult to stop. He is basically a fullback getting direct snaps, in my opinion. (Not saying he isn't good, but certainly not the most skilled passer, option runner, etc. out there.)

He also has a tremendous offensive line in front of him that makes him look perhaps better than he is. This is never mentioned in discussions of Tebow. It takes a lot of man-power to make a hole big enough for someone his size to fit through! (I kind of think if you were to, say, switch him and Josh Freeman from K St. [also similarly sized/skilled] that Freeman would have also excelled at UF and Tebow would have struggled behind KSU's OL.) I also kind of feel that he got the Heisman last year by default after Dixon got injured--but of course, there is no question he fully deserved to be in the conversation for it, and I don't know who else you would have given it to last year other than him or Dixon. Just my opinion though.

[Big Hoss]

the man period

No such thing, but can you imagine what chaos the world would be thrown into if there were?

And how even b!tchier this board would get during our respective times of the month?

[jtstang]

the man period

No such thing, but can you imagine what chaos the world would be thrown into if there were?

And how even b!tchier this board would get during our respective times of the month?

Come to think of it maybe there IS such a thing....

[that's great raplh]

go gators

[CalallenStang]

I'd just like ESPN to tell me who they really think the greatest college football player of all time is. I think they have it narrowed down to Tebow, Reggie Bush, Vince Young, etc. etc. etc.

If Bradford has another season next year like he had this year, AND OU wins the national championship, the Worldwide Psuedoleader in Sports will probably proclaim that HE is the greatest college football player of all time.

[jtstang]

Doak Walker is the greatest of all time. I should know I saw him play. Okay, well my dad did. Okay well he heard it on the radio.

[SMUtrojanFAN]

I'm sure he'll put up insane numbers against that grilling non-conference schedule next year. I think UF has a good chance to sweep Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida International.

Seriously, why are they allowed to play teams like this? They should be embarrassed.

[CalallenStang]

I'm sure he'll put up insane numbers against that grilling non-conference schedule next year. I think UF has a good chance to sweep Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida International.

Seriously, why are they allowed to play teams like this? They should be embarrassed.

How many of those teams would we beat?