Quarterback Tim Tebow did not want to repeat what was said by the rival fans that somehow got a hold of his cell phone number and called it incessantly last week leading up to Florida's game at LSU.
"I really don't use that type of language much so I can't tell you," Tebow said after Tuesday's practice. "Some people did take it way too far, farther than you should take it with sports but I think for the most part people were just having fun.
"Unfortunately, there are people like that everywhere. There was some stuff like (physical threats). I didn't worry about it or think about it. I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
It was a big enough deal that Tebow taunted the LSU student section Saturday night after Florida scored its first touchdown by mimicking a cell phone call during the team's celebration.
Tebow hit junior running back Kestahn Moore for a 2-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 13:45 left in the second quarter. Tebow then motioned to the fans, but he said it was all in good fun. He finished 12 of 26 passing for 158 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The sophomore also rushed for 67 yards and a score on 16 carries. Florida blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead and lost to top-ranked LSU, 28-24.
"They were having fun with me so I was having fun with them," Tebow said. "It's what college football is all about is fun and I had fun with it. I know it probably got under their skin a little bit."
Said coach Urban Meyer: "I talked to (Tebow's) family and I talked to our police officer here. I worry about a young player's safety. It's easy to just get rid of your phone. I told Tim to just dump it and get another one and he changed his number."
Joiner discusses situation
Senior safety Tony Joiner said Tuesday he was most concerned about letting his team down during last week's ordeal which involved his arrest around 5 a.m. Tuesday after allegedly trying to take his girlfriend's car out of a towing company's impound lot. Meyer stripped Joiner of his captaincy mid-week.
The charges were dropped against Joiner on Friday, the same day he joined the team on its trip to Baton Rouge. Joiner finished with two tackles in the loss. The owner of the towing company, Stan Forron, told Florida Today last weekend he received about 200 threatening calls including death and bomb threats.
"It was extremely tough especially going through what I went through and then having a big game coming up," Joiner said. "Just having to focus on me and not on my team it was extremely tough for me. It's not really (about) disappointing coach Meyer. It's disappointing my team, disappointing Gator Nation, having those distractions going into the biggest game of the season."
Meyer's Tuesday update
Meyer on sophomore DE Jermaine Cunningham: "He's still a young player but he's taking coaching and (defensive line) coach (Greg) Mattison has a lot of confidence and he's all over the field. I never heard of a defensive end with 17 tackles (against LSU) so he's getting better."
On the state of the SEC East: "We're just trying to get better. The older players, we did talk about that. I actually took a glance at it as well and saw everybody has a loss and the team we beat soundly (Florida beat Tennessee, 59-20) is first in the East. Every game is going to matter. It's single elimination and it's an exciting conference."
On needing more players to step up: "My biggest issue with the team is we went (to LSU) with about 30 players. There were 70 but we only had 30 players – guys that can go in there and help us win. We need many more than that. Some guys are going and getting meals but they're not accountable. A lot of guys are making improvement though."
On Moses Jenkins and others stepping up at cornerback: "You need that help at corner and they're not ready to play so these next three days we're going to really utilize that. Also our defensive tackle position. (Terron) Sanders, (Lawrence) Marsh and Brandon Antwine, someone's got to play and we traveled 12 defensive linemen and they're not playing. They're occupying space and they have to get better."
Meyer said he doesn't know whether sophomore CB Markihe Anderson (knee) will be back in time for the Kentucky game next weekend. Florida's medical staff has reportedly told Meyer that Anderson should be healthy enough to return.
"Markihe brings a lot other than being a good player," he said. "He played probably the most last year. At the end of spring he was our best corner so I think having him back certainly helps."
On the character of Florida's team: "They played real hard. The media, the coaches, the fans, they want to jump on the guys who played and there was certainly some mistakes that cost us the game when you play a good team. I get more concerned about the guys that aren't playing. I've always admired who would perform in the arena. The people who backed up the people in the arena are the ones I get concerned about."
On the health of fifth-year senior WR Andre Caldwell: "Bubba wasn't 100 percent. I could tell. Early in the game we tried to throw it to him a couple times and launch it down the field, you watch him on film he wasn't the same Bubba Caldwell. They were playing a two-high defense which forces the matchups on the inside. On the outside is basically double coverage. Bubba wasn't 100 percent but the style of defense we faced wasn't single coverage on the outside."
On memories of recruiting in Belle Glade: "It's a different place but a bunch of great people down there and football is real important. You look at the great players who have come out of that area and you look at the NFL players and they say that's the fastest place in the world and there are some phenomenal players that played at Florida. There's kind of a pipeline there. We're hoping (freshman wide receiver) Deonte (Thompson) can continue that pipeline."
cannot be repeated
cannot be repeated
smells like meyer is upset with some of the backups...maybe some complacency goin on in here...
hope to see dunlap play against usuck.
hope to see dunlap play against usuck.
