Meyer bashers off target on this one
Before we dive into this, I’ll like to bring up a few facts about Tim Tebow.
Over the past three seasons, he was one of the most efficient passers in all of college football. For his career, he threw for more than 9,200 yards, completed almost 66 percent of his passes and produced 89 touchdown passes. Oh yeah, and he won the Heisman as a sophomore after throwing for 3,132 yards and 32 touchdowns.
I bring all this up because it seems all those Urban Meyer critics (and they’ve really come out of the woodwork this week) seem to have forgotten (or maybe never even knew) that Tebow was one hell of a passer at Florida.
His release and his throwing motion never seemed to be a problem at Florida. Of course, now that the coaches and scouts (and talking heads) have pointed out how flawed Tebow’s motion is, and now that Tebow has changed it, the Meyer critics are almost out of their minds wondering why Meyer didn’t do anything with Tebow’s passing mechanics in his four years at UF.
My response is: why would he? Why would he mess with something that is working so well and winning so many games? And besides, it’s not like the coaching staff ignored Tebow’s throwing motion or mechanics.
The critics have bashed Meyer this week, saying he did nothing to improve Tebow’s passing mechanics while he was at Florida. They don’t know what they’re talking about.
Before Tebow’s sophomore season, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Mullen used a computer to break down Tebow’s throwing motion in an attempt to improve it . Dating back to last spring, new quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler worked extensively with Tebow on his mechanics and throwing motion.
There was never any sense of urgency at UF to rebuild Tebow’s throwing motion because he was so effective passing the ball. The real crime would have been if Meyer had tried to remake Tebow and the project backfired and made Tebow a less effective passer than before. I’m mean, we’re talking about one of the all-time great players in the history of college football. You don’t mess with that.
Granted, Tebow’s throwing motion was a little awkward, but effective. I’ll bet when Jim Furyk was young, some golf pro somewhere told him if he didn’t rebuild his unconventional swing he’d never make it as a professional golfer. He didn’t change the loop in his swing, but Furyk is one of the best golfers in the world today.
It’s commendable that Tebow is putting in the work to give the NFL coaches and scouts what they want — a more prototypical throwing motion like all the other robot quarterbacks in the NFL.
But don’t bash Meyer for letting Tim Tebow be Tim Tebow while he was here. Tebow’s passing numbers say that was a great decision.
Robbie Andreu has been The Sun’s college football beat writer since 1993. He covered every game of the Steve Spurrier coaching era. The only game he’s missed since he has been in Gainesville is the 2006 Florida State game in Tallahassee. He happily stayed home for that one because of the imminent birth of his second child. Before coming to The Sun in March of 1993, Andreu worked for the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel for 10 years, covering a variety of sports, including the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Hurricanes, professional golf and baseball (playoffs and World Series). He also worked in Clearwater and Bradenton. He graduated from UF in 1977.
Its a hard one for Gator homers to swallow, but its pretty clear to everyone who doesn’t have the blinders on that TIM TEBOW IS A SYSTEM QUARTERBACK. Nothing wrong with that, he got his rings and heisman out of the deal and more than likely reached the pinnacle of his career while at Florida. This idea that just because you were a winner in college that automatically transitions to the NFL is absurd. Ask Ken Dorsey, Ron Dayne, and many others how that worked out for them. As far as Urban’s critics go, well Tebow knew what he was getting into before he signed now he has to live with it. Future pure passing quarterback’s will be leery of coming to UF in fear that they too will become system QB’s.
by Don
Amen! I have wanted to choke all these morons. Yes, the old ball coach and others would have risked it to ‘get it right.’ Thank goodness our staff had sense enough to tinker but do anything rash/harsh. How can canyone argue with the results.
The comparison to college majors IS valid but misunderstood. As a long-time employing supervisor no one comes out of college ready to produce in any profession. They come out prepared to learn. Tim is well prepared to learn!
I have a somewhat related suggestion. Can UF charge admission to Pro Day or at least accept suggested donations for Haiti relief? I bet we could get 30,000 to say good-bye and God Bless to all of our guys. Probably could raise $250,000 or more!
by Ken
Exactly. Tebow was competing on a huge stage and winning consistently. That’s the point of the game.
by Joe
Agreed. Tim was perfect for Meyer’s offense and, as you pointed out, as efficient as anyone else in the FBS. I believe Tim is an adaptor, a survivor. He understands the bottom line and if that means giving up near baseball pitch wind ups (from the stretch of course) then he will do that. He’ll get the extra second he needs to maintain the 66% passing accuracy in the NFL. Both Tim and Coach Meyer did what they could to help the passing game at Florida; but now they both understand “We’re not in Kansas anymore”.
by florida frankie
Best o Luck to Tim this week at the combine, while he may not be a superstar right out of the gate give him a year or two to develop and hell be one of the greatest of all time just as he was at UF. All the real gator fans with a brain know this. All the other idiots and so called gurus will be eating crow and may they choke on it for all the negative babble theyve been spewing lately. I personally have boycotted ESPN except when theyre carrying a gator game i cant get any other way. in the long run i think tim will be better off with the higher hold.
by montanagator
By responding to these criticisms you keep them alive.
by Doug
+1 robbie , +1 doug!!!
by Dave
You’re crazy. You don’t blame Meyer, but lets not call Tebow a great passer. I remember him consistently missing on wide open receivers, on 15-yard square-ins, and seam routes, where receivers had to constantly adjust. Or he just threw it into the dirt. Not always, but lets not act like he was very accurate; he’s not. But is he an awesome leader!
by patrick
These critics act like Meyer is an employee of the NFL. That his primary responsibility is to develop players for the NFL. The only thing Meyer is being paid $4 mil for is to win games for the Univrsity of Florida and insure the continued success of the program. Now, Florida players will always get the necessary exposure to get their pro football shot as witnessed by the number of UF players who have been drafted by the league as well the number who have invited to the combine. But if all a player is concerned about is getting to the next level and what’s in it for him, I’d rather he go play for the U of Miami.
by TampaDave
Are you guys kidding me? Just ask Alex Smith about a system.Ken Dorsey was nowhere near the talent of Tebow, neither was Ron Dame.He never played against a real defense like the ones in the SEC. Tebow will do just fine after the draft. He’ll eventually get better at his release but not much. He’s past that type of training. As long as he makes quicker desicions he’ll be an awesome NFL QB for at least 10yrs. That’s if doesn’t decide to become a minister which wouldn’t supprise me. I just can’t wait for him to prove everyone wrong when he learns his new offense. You just wait!!!!
by BullGator
Florida does not have a history of producing top rated and longevity quarterbacks for the NFL. And Urban Meyer did have a first round draft pick out of the University of Utah at quarterback.
I think that the Urban bashers just need something to harp on.
They live for making “noise in the system,” whether it’s about Urban Meyer, Ron Zook, or Steve Spurrier.
I say appreciate what we have or go the way of programs like Texas A&M, Nebraska, Notre Dame…..and just fade away. Be Happy about something,
GESH!!!
by Paul
Tim Tebow already is a superstar and he has nothing to prove to the whorehouse known as the NFL.
by TampaGator
Mechanics can be taught, all of the intangibles that Tebow has will override the mechanics until they are changed. If he get a shot and time to work on the mechanics, Tebow will be a very good quarterback in the league.there are many quarterbacks in the league today that have great and fluid motion but lack the more important things like heart, desire, leadership, intellegence and drive. These can’t be taught, and Tebow has all of them with a high degree. Something as small as the mechanics will be no problem for him, just give him his shot you’ll see.
by CREEK GATOR
Most of the comments made are solely based on mechanics. Mechanics can be adjusted and they will be the leadership, heart and drive as well as the intelligence of the game is at a very high level with this guy, he’s a pro player that has to make some mechanical adjustments. Tim will be a very good quarterback in the big league in less that 5 years, if given the chance. There are quarterbacks in the league right now that were not half as good as Tim in college and there was nothing wrong with there mechanics. They didn’t have all the other qualities that Tim carry around in his pocket daily. Let him prove himself, sit back, wait and watch.
by CREEK GATOR
I’m glad someone finally pointed out the fact that Mullen did the whole computer/video breakdown of his mechanics after Tebow’s sophmore year. I don’t remember if it was CBS or ESPN, or both, but it was something they ran more than once during Gator games that year. So apparently all the talking heads have a very short term memory. Seems odd, since they all can remember games from when they were kids in the early 1900′s.
Also, the hiring of Loeffler was supposed to advance Tebow as well, however, that seemed to backfire since he seemed to take a step back this past season. But, I’m not complaining about 12-1
by John
great points
last minute experts do not know the history of all points above. there jobs have them jumping sport to sport and they hear what someone says and they repete it.
tebow will be as good a QB as the players around him are. like 95 of the existing QB’s in the NFL.
let brady play with crappy team and he would become crappy QB.
he is a product of great coach / team.
by GATOR BUCK
SYSTEM Player? I guess Percy Harvin was a system player. And Joe Haden was a system player, there all system players people! Each coach does something a little different, that’s why it’s their team and not yours. Sick of hearing SYSTEM players when there isn’t anyone who doesn’t run a system. Do you think they just draw stuff up in the sand? Florida has as many players in the NFL as anybody else. You winebags who cry system must be from the NORTH!
by wcolagator
do all the so called gurus[golic etc.] remember what they said about phillip rivers side winding motion.
by gerry areni
I still say to the EXPERTS remember Jamarcus Russell, LSU> They said he could throw a football 75 yards while kneeling on one knee. Yea, hows that workin out MR NFL expert.
by wayne
Look back to all of the “hot” QB’s coming out of college with textbook mechanics – some of them, many of them, had short lived NFL careers. They were missing the things that can’t be taught, as mentioned above. Tim will have a rewarding career in the pros, much more than I or any of his doubter will ever come close to. So, all of you wizards who think you know how Tebow will do, he’s already accomplished more than you could dream of. So, if he doesn’t do much, he’s got you beat! Enjoy the ride Tim and do your thing! A will and determination like yours will overcome any so-called flaw in your mechanics. Go Gators and to all of you jealous haters, it’s great to be a Gator!
by JC
I think as far as Meyer’s “system” being anti-pure-passer, perhaps we will learn more with Brantley at the helm. Brantley, as Robbie points out in other articles, is more the “pure passer” and not one to run out of the pocket so assiduously as Tebow. Tebow obviously was successful at UF, and also threw quite a few passes in his time with us, so to mess with his young mind and body just to prepare him to be an “NFL robot” would have been unwise. Great post, Robbie!
by Sorka
What “System” did Chris Leak play under?
by 9Gators
I agree w/ TampaDave. Meyer is not paid to develop NFL talent. He’s paid to win games for the University of Florida! As Robbie indicated, the coaches worked with Tebow on his throwing motion but as long as he was connecting with receivers and throwing TDs, why fix something that’s not broken?
Let me tell you, Tim Tebow is going to be outrageously successful in life, regardless whether its in the NFL or not. I pray that God blesses him with the opportunity to play pro ball at the highest level, but if that’s not God’s will for him then I’m sure Tim will enjoy his blessings in another arena just like the other two former Heisman winning Gator quarterbacks have.
by Felix Krull