Tebow silences critics with BCS brilliance

Jan 9, 2009 - 3:06 PM By Jim Ralabate PA SportsTicker College Football Editor

Tim Tebow very well could have been the fourth-best quarterback in the Big 12 Conference this year.

He also was the best quarterback on the best team in college football.

"Tebow, just call him Superman," Florida running back Percy Harvin said.

Tebow once again silenced his detractors by delivering a brilliant performance in Florida's 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in Thursday's BCS championship game.

"I wanted to do whatever I could to help my team win this game," Tebow said.

Tebow did more than just help the Gators win their second national title in three years. As he has done so many times, Tebow literally carried Florida when it mattered most.

"He is a great guy, a great character guy," Oklahoma defensive back Nic Harris said. "He can beat you with his feet, obviously, which you just saw. He's one of those guys that you give him your best shot, he's going to get back up."

Oklahoma defensive back Dominique Franks made national headlines five days prior to the contest, publicly saying that Tebow would have been the fourth-best quarterback in the Big 12.

Statistically speaking, Franks might have been right. Tebow's overall numbers paled in comparison to the eye-popping stats put up this season by Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, Texas' Colt McCoy and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, who edged Tebow to win the Heisman Trophy.

But in making his controversial comment, Franks clearly did not account for Tebow's intangible qualities, such as his transcendent leadership ability or his uncanny knack for coming up with clutch plays.

Franks' quote, along with losing the Heisman to Bradford, provided Tebow with more than enough incentive to dominate.

"I try to use anything I can as motivation," Tebow said. "I think every player does. You try to use that, everything they said, just everything as motivation."

Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables attempted to downplay Franks' assessment, claiming that the sophomore had not "watched enough tape" of Tebow.

When Franks finally sits down to watch the tape of Tebow's latest game, he probably will change his opinion of the multi-talented southpaw.

Tebow accounted for nearly three-quarters of Florida's total offense, passing for 231 yards and running for 109 on 22 carries. The junior also was vital in helping the Gators convert 12-of-17 third downs.

"I think the biggest thing is his ability to run and scramble," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He's a big part of their offense because you have designed plays that he runs the football.

"A lot of it is their design and a lot of it is him, his ability to run or at least stay poised in the offense."

After an uncharacteristically skittish first half in which he was intercepted twice, Tebow made play after play in the second half to move the chains and keep Oklahoma's record-setting offense off the field.

Bradford, who set school records for passing yards and TDs this season, was intercepted by Ahmad Black with Florida holding a 17-14 lead and 10 minutes remaining in the contest.

That set the stage for Tebow, who began the most important drive of his collegiate career by completing a 13-yard shovel screen to tight end Aaron Hernandez.

Following a false start three plays later, Florida faced a 3rd-and-12 from its own 35-yard line. That was no problem for Tebow, who rolled to his left before slinging a 17-yarder to Riley Cooper for a first down.

Tebow flashed his arm two plays later when he faked a quarterback keeper before zinging a 29-yarder through double-coverage and into the hands of David Nelson.

Florida was in danger of stalling and settling for a field goal three plays later, when the Gators had a 3rd-and-6 at the Oklahoma 11. But the cerebral Tebow came up with another of his intangible plays, flipping another shovel to Hernandez for nine yards and a first down.

With the national title at his fingertips, Tebow provided the exclamation point to his MVP performance with one of his patented unconventional plays. He once again faked a run up the middle before pivoting to his left, leaving his feet and finding Nelson for a game-clinching 4-yard TD.

"I was just trying to come out here and play with everything I had and leave nothing on that field," Tebow said. "But our offensive line did such a good job with that, with some of the runs and the pass protections and giving me some holes."

Tebow actually did make one late-game mistake ... well, kind of.

After rumbling for a first down with the game already in hand, Tebow made the famous Gator-chomp motion toward several Oklahoma players, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

It was more of a celebration than a taunt, but it drew Meyer's attention.

"He's running tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.," Meyer joked. "We'll teach him a lesson."

An early morning run after winning the national title? Most players would scoff at the idea.

Not a problem, however, for Superman.