Saturday could be Tim Tebow's last game in The Swamp

GAINESVILLE -- There is a very real chance that the Gators' game on Saturday against The Citadel will be the final home game in the career of UF junior quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tebow indicated earlier this season that he might turn pro and forgo his senior year of eligibility. That means one thing: If you were thinking of skipping UF's final home game of the 2008 season because it's against The Citadel, you might be skipping your last chance to show appreciation for one of the greatest players in Florida football history.

Just something to think about as you plan your week. Even if Tebow returns, Saturday will likely be the last home game for several junior stars ... not to mention the entire senior class. (More on the seniors later this week.)

DONOVAN: TEAM CHEMISTRY NEEDS WORK
The Florida men's basketball team is 2-0 and hosts Southern Utah on Thursday. Florida dominated its first two opponents of the season -- Toledo and Bradley -- but in both games UF's offense and defense appeared disjointed while UF coach Billy Donovan experimented with different line-ups.

On Tuesday, Donovan says his team chemistry needs work. It's not that his players don't get along. The Gators just lack experience and are still recovering from the departure of nine players in two seasons. Five players have left early for the NBA, two players have graduated and two players have transferred.

"They have to get used to playing with one another and because of that roles change," Donovan said. "Probably my first 10 years or so we were very fortunate even when we lost Donnell Harvey, we lost Mike Miller, we lost Jason Williams ... even Kwame Brown -- it was only one player on a team. You talk about Humphrey and Richard being seniors and then losing four underclassmen, it's hard to just recuperate from that in one year."

-jo-

Comments

[MiamiGator]

Yeah if Tebow leaves after this year, he will be our highest drafted tight end ever

[MV]

He stays for sure.

[Adam S.]

1) Tebow did not indicate he'd be leaving after this year. He indicated that it is a THOUGHT in his mind as opposed to being a 0% chance. Major difference.

2) I only think he leaves if (a) we win the title AND/OR (b) Dan Mullen goes to another program.

3) And, honestly, even if both happen, he may still stay because of his beliefs and passion for the school.

4) MG, Tebow will be drafted as a QB and will play QB in the NFL. That doesn't necessarily mean I think he'll be successful at it, though he could be.

[Joe]

Kiper thinks Tebow never see a down at QB in the NFL. He believes the team that drafts him will convert him to TE or H-Back.

[Goody]

Tebow DID indicate earlier this season that he might leave. That's the message you send when you tell reporters you'll think about it at the end of the season.

Also, I think he'll get a shot to play QB at the next level. Then again, he could always play fullback, linebacker or even defensive end.

-jo-

[Rawpimple]

Unless we win the National Title, Tebow is not leaving. Even if we do win, he could still return.

I would not rule out Percy Harvin returning either. His mom wants him to get a degree and I want him to get the Heisman. If Percy came back, he would win the Heisman with ease.

[Goody]

With ease?

-jo-

[SAVE_US.Y2J]

Tebow is going to have a great career as an NFL FB.

[RawPimple]

Tebow will never make it in the pro's! Just another good college player.

[Adam S.]

When asked a direct question, what did you want Tebow to say, jo? "No, I have not given any consideration to playing in the NFL after this season"?!?! EVERY top junior considers playing in the NFL unless they are injured.

I bet if you went to every first or second-round caliber junior and asked the same question that was asked of Tebow, 95% would give you the same or very similar response.

[Texasgator]

Tebow will be a great NFL QB.

[no friggin way]

Tebow will follow in a long line of stellar quarterbacks to come from fla to play in the NFL, Steve Spurrier, Danny Awful and next Tim will Teblow in the NFL.

[carlos]

Tim wants to play qb in the pros that is why he will come back next year to keep working on his ability to play the qb spot. Tim will be the same as every other qb in the nfl if you have good players around you he will be good if he does not he will be bad. But yes if you are not going and you like to watch percy harvin and brandon spikes you should get up to the swamp to see them play there last game in the swamp those guys will be first round picks. Some guys like marsh and cunningham could go in the draft could come back not sure. If you can't make it you can just buy a ticket to seem them wipe out some big 12 team down here in miami.

[Canesjunkie]

If Brady Quinn can play QB in the NFL, Tebow can too.

[CanesFishFinsHeat'nCats]

Tebow: Say hello to the Detroit Lions....and goodbye to the NFL shortly thereafter...

[Gold]

WHO CARES!

F the Gayturds!

[Adam S.]

LOL Gold, you're the one reading the articles, comments and then posting on our blog. Obviously you care...

CanesFish...even if Tebow came out he wouldn't be the No. 1 pick, he wouldn't even be one of the first two QBs taken...so absolutely horrible comment there.

Canesjunkie...good point.

[mm]

Your colleague in Orlando has a different look on this.

"No, I haven't (thought about it), as you can tell," Tebow said. "I don't even think about it like that, man. The more I'm here, the longer I want to stay here. I love being a Gator."

[bv]

I'm a Canes fan--But, what's not to like about Tebow? A great player and person.

[RawPimple]

He is a great college player and person but will never make a pro team. He might ride the bench for a few years or be the team chaplain. He would make a great chaplain for all the Miami player, they have so many in the pro's that he would never lose that job.

As long as Urban is coaching this type of offense then no QB or RB will ever make the pro's.

Go Gators!

[Goody]

After Tebow's sophomore year, the day before he won the Heisman, reporters spoke with Tebow at length in a New York hotel room. I asked Tebow if he was going to play four years at Florida and he said yes. He changed his position this season, saying it's definitely something he will take a look at once the season is over. I'm not saying he's going to the NFL. I'm not saying he's staying. I'm just saying that Saturday's game could be Tebow's last in The Swamp.

-jo-

[Adam S.]

Of course it COULD be...I just think some of us are baffled why it would be the main topic in your entry that day. I guess it is a slow news week regarding a cupcake game, but we got a 5-star DE commitment yesterday, guys named SEC players of the week and plenty of other more important things than speculating if Tebow may or may not be playing his last game in the Swamp against Citadel.

As I said, he did not indicate he'd be leaving this year, he indicated that it's a THOUGHT. OF COURSE it's a thought. I think that's the main point we're trying to make.

Oh well, another day, another topic?

[RawPimple]

Citadel? Not much else to talk about when you play a JR. High School FB team.

We should lose BCS point for this......

[Adam S.]

Then USC should lose a BCS point for Washington state and washington, LOL.

[mm]

Adam, who committed?

[Adam S.]

Gators got their 13th verbal commitment for 2009 in DE/OL Nick Kasa from Broomfield, Colo.

This is his blog: http://nickkasa.blogspot.com/

[Goody]

Nick Kasa, a 6-7 defensive end from Colorado, committed to UF.

(Wrote about the players of the week on Monday. I was in Tampa on Tuesday, covering Panthers-Lightning.)

-jo-

[Adam S.]

Uck, what a crappy assignment. Sorry for you. :(

[Goody]

Well, it was a good "ol' hockey game," as they say. There was a come back, eh, and then the Panthers won in a shootout, eh. Got to respect the puck, eh.

-jo-

[Adam S.]

I worked for the Panthers for two years...there is nothing to respect about the Panthers...or hockey...especially as long as Gary Bettman is commissioner.

[Paul]

What in the world will Cane fans ever talk about as the Gators continue their assault on those mythical 5 rings?

Good luck to Tebow...whatever he does....even if it is mud wrestling dufus Cane fans for fun:)

Go Gators.

[Goody]

Tag-team wrestling: Brandon Spikes and Tim Tebow vs. Sean Spence and Robert Marve. Who wins?

-jo-

[Adam S.]

There is no question about that...obviously Spikes and Tebow. Hell, Spikes would win by himself.

You should make it fair. Spence/Marve vs. Capt'n Crunch/Foot Loops Macaw

[UFGator1972]

You, candycane fans, are obsessed with Tim Tebow. I will suggest that all of you study the little u quarterback situation. All of you talk about how great both of them are going to be. Well, here is Tebow as a freshman compare your two candycane QBs.

Tebow – 33 passes 358 yards 5Tds 1 Int Rating 144.9 – 89 Carries 469 yards 8 Tds.

Marve – 181 passes 1,041 yards 7Tds 10 Int Rating 103.6 – 53 Carries 128 yards 2 Tds.

Harris – 115 passes 701 yards 7Tds 3 Int Rating 125.2 – 33 Carries 64 yards 2 Tds.

Case closed!

[UFGator1972]

Gator fans,

There is a major reason why um candycanes fans are praying for most of our starting juniors to forego their senior year.

There is a real good possibility that the Gators will be in the mix for a BCS championship next year.

Their F um team will not be. In most of their wins this year they’ve struggled to win and that candycanes is not a good omen.

Go Gators and F the u.

[UFGator1972]

Here is something for the idiots who put to much stock on Mel Kiper's opinion of Tim Tebow. He once predicted that Ryan Leaf was as good a quarterback as Peyton Manning! We all know what happen to Ryan Leaf.

Here is what he said before the 1998 NFL Draft.

Kiper on the 1998 draft debate of Manning or Leaf? "He isn't John Elway, Dan Marino or Jim Kelly, but he's as good as it gets in college football," Kiper said of Manning. "A lot of these teams in the NFL are desperate for quarterbacks and he's the best out there, with Ryan Leaf a real close second."

As you can see idiots, he is not that good.

[MiamiGator]

Does not matter what Mel Kiper says. In your personal honest opinion and from what you have seen from Tebow, do you really think he can be successful at the next level? Not a perennial backup but a legitimate starter

[UFGator1972]

Miami Gator,

Why don't you come out of the closet?

You are not a Gator, you are just a real p__sy candycane.

What is there to see about Tim Tebow? He has a very strong and accurate arm, makes sound decisions, he is strong as a bull -hard to stop when he is running-, and a winner. He's led the Gators to a 19-5 record in his two seasons as a starter and could have been a lot better had he had a better defense last year.

By the way, his record at the end of this season is going to be 23-5 including a National Championship!

What you should do next time is to explain what you've seen that makes Tim Tebow a bad quarterback. If it were up to you he should return his Davey O'Brien Award from last year.

I am sure the candycanes would love that.

[MiamiGator]

Old guy,

I did not say Tebow was a bad quarterback, I just said taht I don't think he could ba successful NFL quarterback. Tebow's arm is strong, but definately not accurate. Do you watch professional football? Do you see how fast the game is and how fast the secondary players are, they would have a field day with the ducks he throws. Pro teams put in the shotgun but they don't utilize it 100% of the time, Tebow will most likely have to line up under center, can he do that and be successful? I don't know. Yes, he has made better decisions this year, but he has more help. You saw what happened last year when he got flustered he ran, he checked off on the first receiver, never looked for a second option, would tuck the ball and run, fun to watch him bowl people over but you cannot do that in the pros and last.

He was a freshman on that National Championship team and had no impact on the title game

[Adam S.]

"You saw what happened last year" yes, that was LAST YEAR.

Who cares if he had impact on the title game? As you said, he was a freshman, and he wasn't our starter. DIDN'T HAVE AN IMPACT?

He threw a TD and ran 10 times for 39 yards and a TD. 14 out of 41 points is pretty impactful for a non-starter freshman.

[UFGator1972]

MiamiGator,

There have been very good QBs in the NFL that do not have a John Elway arm. How can you say he is not accurate with his throws? 65% completion rate seems pretty accurate to me. GA's Stafford has a great arm, but is he accurate? Not really. You should compare their stats and you'll find your answer.

The Gators do not win in 2006 without Tim Tebow, no doubt about that.

Right now, I am interested in Tebow the college player. He is the poster "player" for college football for a reason, right?

[UF GATOR15]

I think that which ever team he goes to will get him as a QB and base a whole new team offense around him. He is a great leader and that wont change in the NFL

[New York Hotel]

I seriously hope Tim stays playing. I already got tickets to see him play through Easy Click Travel, and I'd be very disappointed if he won't play.