Tim Tebow is Florida's frosh phenom, a college kid with a Superman body and the warrior spirit of General Patton. Tebow: is he the quarterback who runs, or the running back who throws?Is he a glorified fullback?
Some freak of nature, who could bench press 400 lbs. in high school, and in college has lifted 185 lbs... over 140 reps?
All of the above?
The case for Tebow as the state's best running back -- topping FSU's Lorenzo Booker and Antone Smith, Miami's Tyrone Moss and nifty freshman, Javarris Janes, and maybe UF's own DeShawn Wynn, is borne from Swampster's Sunshine State Running Back Report at Orange and Blue Hue.
Look at the stats:
- Lorenzo Booker (FSU, Senior): 111 carries for 446 yards, 2 TDs, 4.0 YPC
- Antone Smith (FSU, Sophomore): 88 carries for 456 yards, 5 TDs, 5.2 YPC
- Tyrone Moss (Miami, Senior): 66 carries for 285 yards, 3 TDs, 4.3 YPC
- Javarris James (Miami, Freshman): 138 carries for 722 yards, 3 TDS, 5.2 YPC
- DeShawn Wynn (Florida, Senior): 114 carries for 622 yards, 5 TDs, 5.5 YPC
- Tim Tebow (Florida, Freshman): 67 carries for 396 yards, 7 TDs, 5.9 YPC
Obviously, the term "best" is subjective, but consider the following:
- Tebow has the highest YPC average of all the listed backs, as well as the most touchdowns.
- Nearly all of Tebow's runs have been out of the shotgun, which has traditionally limited yardage for running backs.
- Nearly all of Tebow's runs were expected by the defense. Except for the Western Carolina game, Tebow's passes have been extremely seldom.
- Most of Tebow's runs involve yardage after the initial tackle.
- Some of Tebow's runs involve significant yardage after the initial tackle.
- Out of Tebow's 67 carries, only a handful were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.
- Tebow has outperformed Booker, Smith, Moss and James while playing much tougher opponents (LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, etc. vs. Duke, Rice, Troy, etc.)
- Tebow has the highest ratio of TDs to carries. (1:9.5)
Let's hear your thoughts. Is Tebow alla that and a bag of chips, or is he a flash in the pan -- a puzzle which defensive coordinators have yet to fully solve?




