Why Tim Tebow Is NOT the Best Ever

So if you are going to make Tebow "the greatest ever," you are going to have to do it while throwing the 2006 national title out the window, or at least acknowledge that he was merely a contributor, not "part-time starter" or any other lead performer.

That 2006 title was the defense, Chris Leak, and of course the coaching staff led by Urban Meyer, but which included Greg Mattison (who got an underachieving defensive line into shape) and Meyer's wise decision to finally hire a decent strength and conditioning coach in Mickey Marotti.

So what has Tim Tebow done since 2006? A lot. 2007 was statistically outstanding, but it nonetheless included four losses, including in the big rivalry game to UGA and also in the bowl game to Michigan.

While Tebow's injuries played a key role in some of those losses (there is NO WAY that Florida loses to UGA, for instance, were Tebow not limited by injury), in the Michigan loss in particular Tebow simply failed to make the plays in the passing game, especially at the end, required to salvage a very winnable game. Division I-AA Appalachian State star Armanti Edwards played a better game against Michigan than Tebow did, period.

2008? Yes, Tebow did lead Florida to a national title. But, er, so have lots of people. One of them was Chris Leak, remember? And 2,750 passing yards and 675 rushing yards in a 14-game season...good but not great. And yes, Tim Tebow did not exactly play well in the home loss to Ole Miss.

The "Tim Tebow is the greatest ever!" line is based on pretending that Tebow looked as good the entire season as he did in that fourth quarter against Alabama. Indeed, that was the whole argument for Tebow's deserving the Heisman over Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy...the fourth quarter against Alabama.

But the truth is that Tim Tebow wasn't anywhere nearly that good for most of the season, and that includes most of the national title game.

Speaking of last games...Utah's Brian Johnson had a better game against Alabama than Tebow did. Comparing Johnson and Edwards to Tebow is relevant because they all run the same offense.

So the truth is that Tim Tebow is nowhere near the best college QB or player ever. As a matter of fact, he isn't even the best QB to play at Florida. That would be Danny Wuerffel! Huge numbers? Wuerffel had those. Heisman? Wuerffel had that. National title? Wuerffel did that as well.

Also, Wuerffel led Florida to two national title games, going 12-0 before the loss to Nebraska (not his fault—let us just say that Ron Zook was in his last game as Florida's defensive coordinator during the Nebraska game) and going 12-1 and avenging his only loss of the season against FSU the next year.

So, Tebow would need to lead Florida to the national title game next year just to tie Wuerffel, and would need to win it to surpass him.

Speaking of QBs that run Tim Tebow's offense: Vince Young. Claiming that Tebow's career to this point is better than Vince Young's is crazy.

Young was 30-2 as a starter, won a national title, was the first player in Division I-A to pass for 3,000 yards while rushing for 1,000, was the MVP of two straight Rose Bowls, and never lost a home game. (And this was with Mack Brown trying to turn Young into Chris Simms or Major Applewhite for more than half of his college career!)

So far from being "the best ever," Tebow has to win another national title before he can even claim to be the best I-A read option QB in the last five years!

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