Undisputed Success

Heisman winner Tim Tebow

At the beginning of the season, experts did not predict much from the Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. It is roughly five months later, and the young sophomore has proven them otherwise

Florida head coach Urban Meyer felt that Tebow would be entering a transition year, and that his pass game would slowly begin to develop. Little did he know that his young superstar would go on to become a Heisman Trophy winner in addition to being recently named the AP Player of the Year. The AP voting results clearly demonstrate that Tebow exemplified dominance throughout the season, as he received 31 of the 58 possible votes.

"That's cool," Tebow said Tuesday. "Again, it's a huge honor. It's a cool thing. Any time you're honored for an individual award, it goes back to the team. Without those guys and their support, you can't accomplish something like that on your own."

The other athletes who received votes were Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, who received 19, Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, who received 4, Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, who received 3, and West Virginia quarterback Pat White, who received just 1.

Tebow’s remarkable season was highlighted by several accomplishments. He became the first quarterback in major college history to run for at least 20 touchdowns and throw at least 20 touchdown passes in the same season. He reached a school milestone by generating a record of 3,970 total offensive yards, a Florida record. Lastly, he was sensational with his passing percentage as he compiled a 68% completion rate.

The numbers also demonstrate the impact that head coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen had on the young, maturing athlete.

"You don't want to just take the credit," Tebow said. "You have to share the credit. I just do the easy part."

Tebow is thankful that he was given the opportunity to perform as a freshman, and he feels that his experience helped him to substantially develop as a sophomore this season. Initially, scouts felt that Tebow would never be able to integrate a strong passing game into his style, but after this season it became apparent that the young quaterback’s mindset had changed. He now states that he has learned to always think “pass first, rush second.” His newly formed mentality has obviously been a recipe for success. Tebow realizes that the guidance of his head coach and offensive coordinator helped in shaping him into the athlete that he has become today.

"We kind of knock each other down a couple of levels fast," Mullen said. "I'll say, 'Boy, did you see Pat White run? Or Dennis Dixon? And they're not as big as you and they run really hard and physical.' Tim's so competitive and he wants to be good. He can kind of laugh at all those things."

With the Florida Gators facing off against the Michigan Wolverines in the Capital One Bowl on January 1, Tebow is looking to cap off his Heisman season with a stunning performance. On the other end of the spectrum, Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr is hoping to secure victory in the last game of his managerial career. The clash between these two teams should provide for a very interesting outcome.