Tim Tebow sucking it up

[Tailback U]

No surprises here.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footba...worst-career-fears-in-Senior?urn=ncaaf,215726

Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:04 am EST
Tim Tebow meets his worst career fears in Senior Bowl debut

By Matt Hinton

On top of the technical issues NFL scouts have with Tim Tebow as a prospective pro quarterback, there's also the standard next-level complaint about "the system" -- specifically, among other things, that Tebow spent the entirety of his college career at Florida taking snaps from the shotgun, never from under center, even in short-yardage situations. That seemingly minor qualm opens up an entirely new avenue of doubts about his ability to adjust to basic mechanics like footwork and turning his back to the defense, fundamentals most quarterbacks have converted to second nature long before they show up for NFL auditions (or, in most cases, before they ever set foot in an actual college game).

Florida tried to address that last year by hiring respected quarterbacks coach Scott Loeffler from the pro ranks, practicing with Tebow under center and having him take a handful of "conventional" snaps in a few games, all with an eye to making the most celebrated college player in modern history a more viable prospect to the skeptics. But when he showed up Monday for the first day of heavy scrutiny at the Senior Bowl, all the old alarm bells started ringing at maximum volume -- Tebow reportedly flubbed his first snap from center, and it only got uglier from there:

Performing drills with fellow South team quarterbacks Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State and Jarrett Brown of West Virginia, Tebow fumbled the ball at least twice while taking snaps under center.

Later in team drills, Tebow fell into his same old habits — holding onto the ball too long, locking onto receivers and throwing wobbly passes.

The scouts noticed.

"He looks like the third QB out there," one NFC South talent evaluator said.

Of course, the two QBs in front of him, Robinson and Brown, also come from shotgun-based spread schemes that featured a steady dose of quarterback-as-runner, and former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach -- as prominent an acolyte of the "college spread" as you can find -- hilariously mocked the NFL mantra when his prolific protegé, Graham Harrell, met with failing grades from the scouts last spring. ("How could you possibly look yourself in the mirror and consider yourself an NFL coach and not be able to teach a guy to run back three steps, five steps and seven steps? I can teach a child that!") Longtime coach and quarterback guru Marc Trestman, who worked with Tebow to prepare for this week, said he didn't think Tebow looked bad enough to hurt himself; Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, overseeing the South roster, said Tebow improved over the course of the practice. If nothing else, he's already well on his way to replacing Brett Favre's spot in Peter King's heart in the league's most influential weekly column.

But for a guy who needed a knockout week, the initial reviews are unadulterated fuel for the haters. Handling the snap is supposed to be the easy part of the transition; if he's still struggling with the basic exchange on national television this Saturday, we won't be hearing the end of it anytime soon.

 

[Sharkweather]

But, but... he isn't familiar with the new center!

 

[dave]

The college spread offences are terrible for NFL development.
Frankly, if I were a top U.S. high school QB, I simply would not play for a spread offence team.

 

[Chrispy]

[sarcasm]come on he has strep throat, give the guy a break [/sarcasm]

 

[Tailback U]

How can a NFL QB not teach himself a 3/5/7 step drop? LOL @ Leach blaming it on NFL coaches.

I guess the coaches are doing a horrible job of teaching Tebow how to take snaps from under the center, too. Seriously, how come these coaches can't teach Tebow how to take a snap? I can teach a child how to take a snap!

I don't know if you guys have seen Todd McShay talking about Tebow's practice on ESPN yet, but they showed a few clips and Tebow's passes were laughable. The balls were fluttering and wobbling and extremely weak. He couldn't even throw a 10 yard spiral.

 

[Nash]

:jhenbeatkwon:

 

[Leftwich]

Oh God... I hope Jacksonville doesn't waste their first rounder on him.

 

[Nukleopatra]

Oh God... I hope Jacksonville doesn't waste their first rounder on him.

I thought this was a joke?

Seriously, if any team wastes a first rounder on Tim Tebow, it's going to top anything the Raiders have done the last couple of seasons. Are people actually serious about this guy going that soon? I wouldn't touch Tebow until the 3rd round, late 2, maybe.

 

[Argath]

I thought this was a joke?

Seriously, if any team wastes a first rounder on Tim Tebow, it's going to top anything the Raiders have done the last couple of seasons. Are people actually serious about this guy going that soon? I wouldn't touch Tebow until the 3rd round, late 2, maybe.

After this week, no team will waste a 1st or 2nd day draft pick on him. He'll fall all the way to the third day.



They should invite Tebow to the green room for lulz

 

[citizenerased]

According to a Gators homer forum I was reading the Patriots, Saints or Colts will draft him (if he slips that far) in the first round, because no team will want to pass on a winner and to quote "possibly the greatest football leader of all time"

I couldn't be bothered registering, although I might later on, to ask why exactly the teams with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees would draft a project QB.

 

[krulmichael]

What's that you say? My (and many other non-Gator fans) prediction of Tebow being absolute garbage in the NFL is looking truer and truer? Say it isn't so!

 

[Argath]

According to a Gators homer forum I was reading the Patriots, Saints or Colts will draft him (if he slips that far) in the first round, because no team will want to pass on a winner and to quote "possibly the greatest football leader of all time"

I couldn't be bothered registering, although I might later on, to ask why exactly the teams with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees would draft a project QB.

Tebow doesn't fit into any of those offenses as anything other than a Fullback. None of them run the wildcat

 

[Leftwich]

After this week, no team will waste a 1st or 2nd day draft pick on him. He'll fall all the way to the third day.



They should invite Tebow to the green room for lulz

You're a cruel man.

 

[Sven Draconian]

The college spread offences are terrible for NFL development.
Frankly, if I were a top U.S. high school QB, I simply would not play for a spread offence team.

Why exactly again? Tell me how the Colts/Pats/Saints lining up with with 3 receivers and throwing it 40 times a game is different than a college team doing it.

How can a NFL QB not teach himself a 3/5/7 step drop? LOL @ Leach blaming it on NFL coaches.

I guess the coaches are doing a horrible job of teaching Tebow how to take snaps from under the center, too. Seriously, how come these coaches can't teach Tebow how to take a snap? I can teach a child how to take a snap!

Um, why can't they teach Tebow how to take a snap? They are his coaches. Of course, maybe because NFL coaches are too lazy to teach the basics might be the reason half the first round busts every year.

He'll likely be a FB, but it's about 2 years too early to say.

If they can't teach him to take a 3 step drop, or take a snap under center, why could they be bothered with coaching him how to block?

 

[citizenerased]

Um, why can't they teach Tebow how to take a snap? They are his coaches. Of course, maybe because NFL coaches are too lazy to teach the basics might be the reason half the first round busts every year.

You've just drafted a guy who just spent 3/4/5 years in college in a semi-professional environment and are paying him millions of dollars? Why should it be the NFL's jobs to teach them the basics.

If your a business and you hire someone to be your accountant, you aren't expected to teach him how to count, why is this any different?

 

[FedEx227]

Why exactly again? Tell me how the Colts/Pats/Saints lining up with with 3 receivers and throwing it 40 times a game is different than a college team doing it.

There are numerous differences between a college spread offense and an NFL team that lines up 3 receivers and throws 40 times. It deals mostly with reads, progressions and the inability to line up under center. A college spread offense is extremely dumbed down compare to ANY NFL offense.

 

[Tailback U]

Why exactly again? Tell me how the Colts/Pats/Saints lining up with with 3 receivers and throwing it 40 times a game is different than a college team doing it.



Um, why can't they teach Tebow how to take a snap? They are his coaches. Of course, maybe because NFL coaches are too lazy to teach the basics might be the reason half the first round busts every year.

I was being completely facetious. If Tebow doesn't know how to take a snap or how to take a 3/5/7 step drop after playing football his whole life then he should be shot in the fucking head. Nobody in the world should have to try and teach a guy who has played quarterback for at least 8 years how to take a fucking snap from under the center dude.

It'd be like sending a marine to Iraq who has gone through basic training but forgot how to shoot a gun on the flight way over. He is fucking hopeless at that point. Might as well put a bullet in his head.

If they can't teach him to take a 3 step drop, or take a snap under center, why could they be bothered with coaching him how to block?

Because if a guy doesn't know how to take a 3 step or drop or a snap from under center at this point then he must be straight retarded - and even retards can run right into other guys.

 

[Nukleopatra]

I was being completely facetious..

Stop using big words, black people post here.

 

[Sportsbuck]

There are numerous differences between a college spread offense and an NFL team that lines up 3 receivers and throws 40 times. It deals mostly with reads, progressions and the inability to line up under center. A college spread offense is extremely dumbed down compare to ANY NFL offense.

For the most part its the defenses that are more complicated to read for an offense.

Defenses in the NFL are able to disguise things much easier because the hash marks are closer together. In the NCAA they have so much more ground to cover because the hash marks are wider that they are forced to show their hand early and the offense has more time to adjust to that. What looks like a 2 shell pre-snap in the NFL can easily turn into a cover 3 or cover 4 when the ball is snapped. Defenses shift around a lot more and bring a wider variety of blitz packages and such.

For the most part the difference between NFL and college offenses is all of the various motions and personel packages (It took Robert Meachum 3 years to get Payton's offense down), as well as having to read more of a defense post-snap as a reciever (and obviously as a QB as well).

Mario Manningham put it best... "In college I only had to read the corner and safety on my side, now I've gotta read the entire secondary plus the LB's."

 

[Sven Draconian]

You've just drafted a guy who just spent 3/4/5 years in college in a semi-professional environment and are paying him millions of dollars? Why should it be the NFL's jobs to teach them the basics.

If your a business and you hire someone to be your accountant, you aren't expected to teach him how to count, why is this any different?

Because, by definition of being a coach, you are supposed to teach basics. If you are installing an offensive system, you should be able to teach every aspect of the system. Since Timmy boy will have May...June...and half of July to sit around and count his cash I think the QB coach can take a few days to work on his footwork under center. It's in the job description of being a coach.

For instance, Vince Lombardi had a different method for taking the snap than other coaches (quarter turn vs half turn). He taught that. Why are other coaches above it?

There are numerous differences between a college spread offense and an NFL team that lines up 3 receivers and throws 40 times. It deals mostly with reads, progressions and the inability to line up under center. A college spread offense is extremely dumbed down compare to ANY NFL offense.

No, there isn't. If you think there is, tell me one.
What reads are different? MOFO/MOFC. If MOFC find the overhang, is he APEX, wide or tight. Set the protection and you're good to go.
There might be MORE progressions, but they are not different. The biggest difference I know of is setting protections (not usually put on the college QB). There might be MORE concepts, but the mechanics of reading them are the same.

FB blocking isn't nuanced like TE blocking is. And besides, I think Tebow would be an Alstott type FB.

The kid is strong like Ox and tough like Lion [notwithstanding the tears after Bama whooped 'em].

Fullbacks (now) have to play H-back (a roster neccesity). Meaning, they have both worlds.

I was being completely facetious. If Tebow doesn't know how to take a snap or how to take a 3/5/7 step drop after playing football his whole life then he should be shot in the fucking head. Nobody in the world should have to try and teach a guy who has played quarterback for at least 8 years how to take a fucking snap from under the center dude.

Why would he know how if he hasn't been taught? Where you born with the knowledge?

I'm sure he could perform the action, but that doesn't mean he'll perform it well. Taking a QB drop is more than running back 3-5-7 steps. Certainly it isn't a hard skill, and one that a professional coach and QB can work on (it's like their job and stuff), but it doesn't mean he should just know it.

It'd be like sending a marine to Iraq who has gone through basic training but forgot how to shoot a gun on the flight way over. He is fucking hopeless at that point. Might as well put a bullet in his head.


Because if a guy doesn't know how to take a 3 step or drop or a snap from under center at this point then he must be straight retarded - and even retards can run right into other guys.

No, because said Marine was at one point taught (and qualified on) shooting a gun. Tebow wasn't taught taking a snap from under center.