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Florida QB Coach Will Stay The Course

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By MICK ELLIOTT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2009

GAINESVILLE - Scot Loeffler, the Florida Gators' recently hired quarterback coach, didn't go so far as to execute "The Pinky Pledge," but he promised no intentions of fixing what is not broken.

So the new handler of Tim Tebow: The Quarterbacking Legend, isn't suggesting any significant changes or adjustments for his new prized pupil.

"Tim Tebow is a great player," Loeffler said. "He's probably one of the best players in college football history. But the wonderful thing about the quarterback position, anyone from Chad Henne to Tom Brady and Brian Griese, all the guys I've worked with, you never arrive at the quarterback position. There is always something about the position you can learn."

Loeffler is 34 and looks 28. He accepted the Florida offer in early January after one NFL season as quarterback coach with the winless Detroit Lions. Before that, however, Loeffler earned attention during six years as an assistant at Michigan, working with Henne, Griese and Brady.

While at Michigan he remembers recruiting Tebow in high school.

"I've known Timmy Tebow since he was a sophomore in high school," Loeffler said. "From Day One of meeting the kid, he had 'it' and he will always have 'it.' "

Loeffler's past offensive experience always has involved more downfield passing routes than Florida uses, but, again, he will be the one adjusting.

"When you look at Florida's offense - what were they, top five in throwing and top five in rushing? - it's a great scheme," Loeffler said. "Any time you can add a few things, or delete a few things that are just what you always are doing in the offseason. But in terms of offense, what they have put in here is terrific. I'm just happy to be a part of it."

YES TEBOW WILL: One of the questions Loeffler has been hearing most since arriving at UF is his thoughts on Tebow's NFL future. While Tebow's special place in college football is well established, doubt as an NFL quarterback persists.

Loeffler's opinion is strong.

"Damn right he'll be a quarterback," he said. "He has 'it.' There's not too many people across the country that have 'it.'

"As a quarterback you are consistently trying to work to improve on technique and knowledge. He'll do that. This guy is a workaholic. There's no question in my mind he'll be an NFL player. But we've got to first take care of Florida."

NATIONAL NOTICE: Florida sophomore point guard Nick Calathes is among 30 candidates selected for the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 30.

Calathes leads the Gators in scoring (18.1 points per game), assists (6.4 per game) and steals (1.9 per game). He ranks ninth in the nation in assists and is on pace to have the highest average in UF history.

The Casselberry native is just 31 points shy of 1,000 for his career and is on pace to reach the mark faster than any Gator in nearly 25 years.

He is the first Gator to make the Top 30 list since Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and Joakim Noah in 2007. Calathes was one of three SEC players to make the list, joining Jodie Meeks of Kentucky and Tyler Smith of Tennessee.

In March the Wooden Award Committee will cut the list to 20 players, who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

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