Tim Tebow - Come Fly With Me
Monday, October 19, 2009 | Football
By: Joshua Lentine, UF Communications
Whoever said that one person can't make a difference has never heard of Tim Tebow. Over the past four years, he has served as 'Exhibit A' for what can happen when someone possesses the dedication and determination to accomplish their goals.
Rewind back to the 2006 spring semester. A highly-touted recruit arrived on campus early, to enroll in classes and begin his life as a Florida Gator. He sat in the O'Connell Center watching the men's basketball team make a push toward its first national championship. The young man shook hands with fans that recognized him as the heir apparent to Chris Leak, but to others was a seemingly normal student. For “The Chosen One,” the sense of normalcy would fade, but the championships would not.
Months later, No. 15 would suit-up in the Orange and Blue for the first time in his life. He would have to wait three long quarters to take his first snap, but on the third play of his collegiate career against Southern Miss, he rushed for a touchdown. Less than three weeks later, the debate over whether who was the greater superhero, Tim Tebow or Superman, had begun.
The dynamic freshman would be looked to many times throughout his first season; especially on short yardage conversions when games were hanging in the balance. His 827 yards of total offense and 13 touchdowns were an instrumental factor in Florida's first BCS National Championship run. While the 2006 campaign was special, many people questioned if Tebow would be able to handle the pressures of being the starting quarterback.
He responded the only way champions know how - with one of the most historical and dominating seasons in college football history.
In 2007, Tebow established seven NCAA and SEC single-season records en route to becoming the first and only true sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. He also took home Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press, the Maxwell Award (given to the best player) and the Davey O'Brien Award (presented to the best NCAA quarterback).
As his legend grew each week, the entire country became infatuated by this sophomore sensation. He had scored rushing and passing touchdowns in 13 consecutive games; becoming the first player ever to both pass and rush for 20-or-more touchdowns in one year. The 23 rushing TDs were the most ever by a NCAA Division I-A quarterback; and combined with his passing touchdowns (32), made him responsible for the most TDs (55) in a season from the SEC as well. He finished the season with the most yards of total offense ever (4,181) by a player from the Southeastern Conference and led his team to a bowl game.
Though the All-American's accomplishments on the field are the most visible, Tebow's feats away from the gridiron are what make him truly special. It's in his nature to give all of himself for the betterment of others.
“I love being able to talk to kids at the orphanage. Being able to hug them or put your arm around them can make a huge impact in their life,” Tebow said of his family's missionary work in the Philippines.
But it's not just his summers in which he devotes time to spreading good will. He has spent countless hours working with the Children's Miracle Network, Shands Hospital and other charities to better the lives of the Gainesville community. His First and 15 Powder Puff Game has raised over $10,000 for charity. Tebow shares his faith by conducting a Bible study, visiting prisons to talk with convicted men and referencing Bible verses on his eyeblack during games. He involves his teammates as much as possible. Recently, the defending national champions chaperoned a group of children around Disney World for a day.
Former Florida Offensive Coordinator Dan Mullen had this to say about Tebow. “He's one of the most unique people in the world. I probably have more respect for him than anybody I've ever met. He is one of the most amazing young people out there. He taught me a very valuable lesson in life: If you can make an impact on someone's life, it is your obligation to do that.”
Tebow does not shy away from Mullen's statement. He admits that he wants people to see what he believes through his actions. He wants them to say, “I see the way you live your life, the passion you have, the fun you have and I want what you've got.”
Which may be easier said than done. Despite all of this, many people do not believe Tebow to be the real deal.
"He just is who he is," says Danny Wuerffel, Tebow's mentor and the '96 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. "He's not putting on a show or trying to act differently. We talk about a lot of things, and one thing we discuss is how to manage the crazy life of a celebrity. That's a difficult challenge. We spend a lot of time on that. We've also talked about how we can use our platforms together to impact people off the field."
While many people admire him for being outspoken about his faith, it is impossible for them to overlook the way he handles himself around football.
Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino once said of Tebow, “You want to find a guy that is a great leader, a great competitor and is a proven winner. Tim has shown he is all of those things. He is a tremendous football player.”
As all great people do, No. 15 has the ability to raise the level of output from the people around him. In 2008, his stats may not have matched the monumental 2007 season, but it didn't matter. Three of his teammates, Brandon Spikes, Brandon James and Percy Harvin, earned All-American honors as Florida won its second BCS National Championship in three years.
The highly-decorated Jacksonville native does not have to accomplish anything else to be considered the greatest collegiate player ever by those loyal to The Gator Nation… of course we have come to expect nothing but the best from him.
“It's been special,” he said about his career thus far. “I can't say I expected this to happen – to win two national championships and a Heisman Trophy. So, I guess in a way it has exceeded expectations. I knew it was going to be a dream come true coming here to play for coach Urban Meyer, but I didn't exactly know what it was going to be like.”
With Tebow at the helm for one final season, the Gators are more dangerous than ever. As he competes for a third SEC Championship, third BCS National Championship and is considered to be the front-runner for a second Heisman Trophy fans will be rooting for him more than ever.
He has been the unofficial ambassador of the University of Florida around the world over the past four years. Whether it was winning national championships, being a missionary in the Pacific, visiting children in the hospital, or simply giving us something to cheer about on Saturdays during the fall; it is evident Tim Tebow carried The Gator Nation to new heights and positively impacted our lives in some manner.
You never know where you may be when you encounter someone who became a fan of the Florida Gators because of the way he played and the actions he made off the football field. Tebow has set an excellent example of how life should be lived to the best of our ability; and it's up to the rest of us to do the same.
Time will tell if he goes down in history as the greatest college football player ever. One thing is certain; there will never be another Tim Tebow.
-UF-
