Tebow Still Has Room For Improvement

After QB Tim Tebow claimed a Heisman trophy and put up gaudy numbers, one would expect that there isn't much he could do to improve as a quarterback.

Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen disagrees. Though the junior quarterback put up some of the most prolific numbers college football has ever seen Mullen said that Tebow can improve by continuing to develop his pocket presence and making faster reads.

Unlike other areas improving in these areas isn't something that can be coached directly. They are the product of experience and adapting to new situations.

"No. 1 it's reps and doing something over and over," Mullen said. "I was looking at something and I think it said Brett Favre had 28,000 snaps under center for the Green Bay Packers. He's had some good reps to see what's going on and make good decisions out there on the field.

"Tim has had about 900 reps so when we get him over the 20,000 mark we'll be in good shape right there."

Tebow is aware that he still has a lot to improve on as a quarterback. And the area where Tebow may need the most work is in leading his team to more victories after suffering four losses last season.

"A quarterback's career at the University of Florida is judged on championships," Mullen said. "That's what your career is based on, not individual awards. That's his No. 1 focus, that we win.

NOT A PREVIEW: Don't tell Coach Urban Meyer that Florida's opener against Hawaii is merely a warm-up. Even though Hawaii lost starting quarterback Colt Brennan and Coach June Jones, Meyer is expecting a tough matchup.

"I'm not sure what a preview is. We're playing a big-time college football game against a team that went 12-0," he said. "It's not a preview it's a major college football game."

Karl Hyppolite

Bulls Ready To Hit Somebody For Real

TAMPA - After four weeks of practice, including several two-a-days, the University of South Florida is eager to get the season started when it hosts Division I-AA Tennessee-Martin on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium.

"I can't wait until Saturday night. I want it to hurry up and get here," senior C Jake Griffin said. "I'm tired of hitting each other. It gets old after about a week. So I'm definitely ready to hit some Tennessee-Martin guys."

Senior DE Jarriett Buie echoed Griffin's assessment.

"We're just going to go out and take our frustration out on the other team," Buie said. "We got tired of hitting each other, so we look forward to seeing Tennessee-Martin on Saturday."

With 16 starters returning, Griffin wants to make sure the Bulls don't become complacent.

"Experience can help you, but if you're still bad you're bad. It doesn't matter either way," Griffin said. "I think we need to come out and stay on edge and not rely on our age and experience. We want to come out real focused this first game and make it a statement game."

DON'T FORGET ME: With USF's opponents gearing up to contain All-American DE George Selvie, Buie could be in line for a breakout season.

"Ever since I got here, me and Selvie always worked hard. We always expect the unexpected," Buie said. "He's going to get doubled a lot, so I should be able to do my job. It's going to be tough, regardless, but a lot of people are relying on me so I have to get it done."

WARREN READY: Coach Jim Leavitt said freshman Jeremiah Warren, who has been slowed by an ankle injury, should be ready to go if needed Saturday. DL Cory Grissom (ankle) will not play.

Gregg Becnel

Things Starting To Heat Up For Seminoles

TALLAHASSEE - Just last week, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden was lamenting the fact that his team had yet to endure one of those suffocating, shirt-soaking Tallahassee heat waves.

After two straight days of temperatures in the mid-90s however, there's no reason to lament any more.

"This is exactly what we need because it's probably exactly what we'll be playing in," Bowden said after a practice conducted in Thursday's oppressive heat. "The kids handled it a lot better today than they did yesterday."

It's all about acclimation.

The recent bouts of heavy rain and lightning forced the team to hold a handful of practices indoors in previous weeks. Instead of running full speed in the burning heat that's customary for August, the Seminoles were holding workouts in air-conditioned gymnasiums.

Those air conditioners were nowhere to be found the last two days.

"We need the heat," senior cornerback Tony Carter said. "That's how it's going to be on Saturdays early on in the season, especially down here in Florida. Coach Bowden's been telling us the weather is going to spoil us with all this rain, but it's going to test us with the heat."

Just because the players need the heat, it doesn't mean they're excited when it arrives.

"Football gods were looking out for us," defensive tackle Budd Thacker said with a smile. "It's been pretty overcast for pretty much all of two-a-days except one or two."

He then added: "But honestly I would have rather it been nice and steamy and hot to get used to it."

Thacker has gotten his wish this week. And according to local forecasts, the high temperatures and brutal humidity don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. So the heat will be on for the foreseeable future.

"It pushes us a little harder," senior receiver Greg Carr said. "We know with the heat beaming down on us and the way coaches push us, things are going to get a little hotter. But at the same time, we know it helps us mentally."

DUNBAR OUT OF THE HOSPITAL: Redshirt junior Emmanuel Dunbar, who was taken by ambulance to the hospital after suffering a back injury during Wednesday's practice, walked out of Capital Regional Medical Center under his own power on Thursday afternoon.

"His mama is excited and I was excited for him because he can get up and walk," said defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins, who would not comment on Dunbar's future prognosis.

PRESSLEY CARTED OFF: JuCo transfer Tavares Pressley, who is expected to compete for the second-team tailback spot behind senior Antone Smith, injured his left knee during Thursday's practice and was carted off the field. After waiting more than two weeks while his academic paperwork was cleared to become eligible, Pressley finally was able to start practicing with the team in the middle of last week.

Florida State had no official word on the severity of the injury.

NO WORD ON TIGHT ENDS: Bowden still had no idea when - or if - he'd be getting back three of his scholarship tight ends. True freshmen Bo Reliford and Ja'Baris Little still are not clear to practice with the team.

There's also Madison County product Charlie Graham, who was a part-time starter for the Seminoles last season but still hasn't been cleared to play after doing coursework at Tallahassee Community College.

Walk-on Josh Dobbie is the only tight end on the roster who definitely will be eligible for the season opener against Western Carolina.

Corey Clark