Tebow drives the bus

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

One position Urban Meyer doesn’t have to worry about in 2008 is quarterback. In fact, a case could be made for the Florida Gators as having the nation’s best and deepest roster at the QB position.

Sometimes a team is lucky to have one good one --- but the Gators have three in Tim Tebow, John Brantley and Cameron Newton.

The challenge ahead for Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen is how to get the three of them on the field.

Heisman Trophy and all, Tim Tebow is still a work in progress. His 55 touchdowns passing and rushing notwithstanding, Tebow can still get better. As the heart and soul of the offense --- if not the whole team --- he drives the bus. And in this case, this season, his bus might go all the way.

Once you’ve become the first sophomore to win the Heisman, what else is there? Well, there’s another SEC title and national championship --- not to mention learning the nuances of playing quarterback.

As he gets better at setting his protections, getting out of bad plays and checking down his receivers, Tebow can become an even more effective quarterback. But I don’t look for him to come anywhere near the 4,000-plus yards and 55 touchdowns of last season because the Gator offense will be more diverse.

The most interesting plot is how the backup role plays out. Newton started off strong last year, but suffered a back injury in mid-season and never really got back on the field. He’s big, strong and is a fairly accurate thrower.

Meanwhile, on the Scout team, Brantley was lighting up the defenses and making a case for consideration as a backup one day soon. He was going to get that chance --- and may still --- but the events of last week cast some doubt on his number of reps in the spring.

In spring mat drills, Brantley dislocated his left shoulder. When the shoulder popped out and popped in, apparently it created a bone chip in the socket. The injury is in his left side and not his throwing side, so it isn’t career-threatening, but it may delay the red-shirt freshman’s spring bid for the No. 2 spot.

Brantley’s football knowledge was sufficient to have put him on the field last year, but because he wasn’t physically strong yet, he was red-shirted. In the off-season, he grew in physical stature to 6-4, 215 pounds. Coaches are very excited about his future. With his passing ability, Brantley could become the perfect changeup for Tebow, the way Tebow was for Chris Leak.

Newton really did nothing to lose the No. 2 job. His athleticism would make him a good candidate to play in the same backfield at another position.

In fact, imagine this lineup, with all three on the field at once:

Brantley at quarterback.

Tebow at tailback.

Newton at H-Back.

We always hear about the necessity for “getting your best players on the field.”

There’s a challenge for you, Dan Mullen.

Not that Tebow can’t handle the job by himself. For Gator fans, the sheer joy of watching him play quarterback last season took some of the sting out of losing four games and not playing for a title.

Two of the most memorable game in all my years of watching Florida football were the amazing seven-touchdown night Tebow had against South Carolina and the smashing first quarter he had against FSU.

Tebow’s smackdown 23-yard run over several Seminoles and the corner route touchdown pass to Louis Murphy were perhaps the two finest back-to-back scoring plays I’ve ever seen a Florida quarterback make.

And I can’t wait to see what Tim Tebow has in store for us in 2008.

[radbag]

interesting that they listed brantley ahead of cam newton

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

reading into it too much, me thinks.