Previewing the Positions: Quarterback

It’s almost here! The upcoming college football season is looming in the distance, and for us Gator fans, the season could not get here any faster. With the chance to defend the National Championship in the ‘09-’10 season, we all cannot wait to see our Gators strap on the shoulder pads. But, like everyone else, we have to wait till September 5th when the Gators take on Charleston Southern. In the meantime, I will be doing a preview for all the positions leading up to the start of the season. The process is designed to ease the fans and give them an upcoming look at your 2009-10 Florida Gators. The series of articles will cover a single position in each article, and give an in-depth look at every player.

The first position that will be covered in this segment is, of course, the Quarterback. Yes, we all know who the Gators QB is, but you can never get too much Tebow. The 6’3”, 245 Senior is looking at the upcoming season as his launching pad. How so? First, Tim Tebow is looking to lead his Gators to back-to-back National Championships, which would be the school’s first back-to-back football championships. Second, Tim Tebow is trying to become a 2 time Heisman Trophy winner, only done by Archie Griffin. Third, Tim Tebow is trying to improve his draft stock among the NFL scouts. Yes, Tim Tebow’s time at Florida is coming to an end, and we all will miss him, but he has a chance to be a special player in the NFL. With his uncanny abilities, he will do anything to step on the field each and every Sunday. In college, Tebow is a legend, maybe even a god, but to the NFL, he is just another player. The NFL scouts are picking apart his passing game, saying he does not have the proper motion and that this will not translate into success in the NFL. So for the upcoming season, Tebow will attempt to change the scouts’ minds, and hopefully enter the NFL in the first day of the draft. Taking a look back at last season, it appeared that Tebow actually improved with his passing. Of course, he led his to team to the championship, but he also avoided costly turnovers, as he threw just 4 interceptions in 2008. With this said, Tebow will take 2009 as his last attempt to impress the scouts, and hopefully end the season and his career with 3 National Championships, and 2 Heismans.

Besides Tim Tebow, there are some other Quarterbacks on the roster. Redshirt Sophomore John Brantley may be the future Quarterback for the Gators. In the 2008 season, he went 18-for-28 for 235 yards and 3 touchdowns in limited action. In high school, he was heralded as one of the top three Quarterback prospects by Rivals.com, and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2006. Behind Brantley, is 6’3” Freshman, Jordan Reed. Prior to Florida, he dominated the high school game. As a Junior, he completed 122-of-222 passes for 1,706 yards and 28 touchdowns, along with 8 rushing touchdowns. Reed was also a finalist for the Joe Montana High School Quarterback of the Year in 2008. Both of these players will see limited action in 2009, but come next season, these two will be battling for the starting role to lead the Gators and continue the success of their predecessor, Tim Tebow.

Going into 2009, Tim Tebow is the preseason Heisman favorite, and he is certainly capable of leading the Gators back to the championship. He is arguably the best college player in the game today, and with another successful season in 2009, he could enter the conversation of being the best player in the history of college football.

Be sure to check out the next position preview: the Running Backs. ( Also, this is my first post on here, let me know how I did and if you enjoyed. Thank you!)