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Backlash Could Derail Tebow

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By JOEY JOHNSTON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2007

TAMPA - With ballots from the 925 Heisman Trophy voters due in New York by Wednesday afternoon, a curious phenomenon is sweeping through the airwaves.

The anti-Tim Tebow movement.

Just when you think Tebow, the University of Florida quarterback, has stiff-armed the competition, you hear sobering words. Just when you believe Tebow will actually become the first sophomore to win a Heisman Trophy, you hear a national radio interview with Tim Brown, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.

"Everybody has been on me because Tim Tebow is not even on my list," said Brown, the former Notre Dame wide receiver who gets a vote as the 1987 Heisman winner. "Look, if you're a quarterback, in my mind, you've got to be playing for a national championship. I can't take a quarterback who has lost three games.

"Everybody wants to talk about his numbers. But it's like he's running quarterback sneaks from the 5-yard line. I don't necessarily find that as impressive as everybody else."

Just when you imagine the potential scene Saturday night, as Tebow steps to the podium and humbly assumes his spot among the college-football legends, you are corrected by Craig James, the former running back who works on ABC's studio highlights show.

"In my opinion, Tim Tebow is not the most outstanding player in college football," said James, who voted for Arkansas junior running back Darren McFadden.

Just when you are convinced by Tebow's astronomical statistics - he's the first player in Division I-A history with 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns - Hawaii coach June Jones checks in with a blunt assessment while pushing his own Heisman candidate, senior quarterback Colt Brennan.

"Colt is not a system quarterback like Tim Tebow," Jones said during a Sunday night interview with ESPN. "Colt can run any system. I'm not sure Tim Tebow can run our system. He's not a natural passer."

Make no mistake.

Tebow is considered the favorite over McFadden, Brennan, Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and West Virginia quarterback Pat White.

But the opinions are flying, fast and furious. Many commentators and journalists are painstakingly picking apart Tebow's game, seemingly searching for ways to diminish his accomplishments.

"The winner, of course, will be Florida's Tebow ... because many of the voters are sheep, following as gospel the words that tumble from the mouths of Tebow's media supporters," wrote Mitch Vingle, a columnist with the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette. "Yes, Tebow is a wonderful player ... but the publicity around him has gotten out of hand."

Some feel the publicity is justified.

"Tim Tebow is an anomaly," said Spencer Tillman of CBS Sports, a regular on the network's studio show for SEC football. "He has more rushing yards than most running backs. You can't look at him through the same lens as other players."

"You get a guy like this once in a lifetime," ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said. "This guy Tebow is doing it like RoboCop. He's running through people. He's running by people. He's throwing over the top of people. Go beyond the numbers. It's not just the numbers. It's how he's doing it."

The debate will continue until Saturday night. Then we will know for certain.

"It doesn't say the Heisman only goes to a guy on the best football team," former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz said. "It doesn't say the Heisman only should go to a junior or senior.

"It goes to the best player. That's Tim Tebow."

Stay tuned.

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353 or jjohnston@tampatrib.com.

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