honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 23, 2009

Florida's Tebow has sore back


Advertiser News Services

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
spacer spacer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — While Florida became the most unanimous preseason No. 1 in history, Tim Tebow was nursing a sore back.

The Heisman Trophy winning quarterback sat out contact drills all week and has experienced back tightness.

But Tebow was proclaimed to be "100 percent" and will participate in full practices next week, coach Urban Meyer said.

Tebow's health is crucial if the Gators plan to fulfill the otherworldly hype that follows them this season. Florida received 58 of the possible 60 first-place votes in this week's Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll, the most dominant margin in college football history.

Meyer said Tebow was held out of live situations against the defense mostly to get backup John Brantley reps, but Tebow's back was "a little sore."

"There is no disc issue, and (Tebow) will be full speed Monday," Meyer said.

Tebow has compiled more than 8,400 total offensive yards and 110 touchdowns in three years with the Gators, who are vying for a third national title in four years.

Meyer has been on a mission to keep his team's eyes on the small prizes — to heck with history.

"There's a lot of guys getting patted on the back and being told how good they are," Meyer said. "Their only focus is on survival to the next day and working hard in practice."

Texas, which received the other two first-place votes, is second in the poll, followed by Oklahoma, Southern California and Alabama.