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Bradford-Tebow show is just getting started
 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 12/8/2008  2:31 AM
Last Modified: 12/8/2008  3:46 AM

Sunday's announcement that Oklahoma will play Florida for the Bowl Championship Series national title on Jan. 8 was just the first salvo in what will be a month-long buildup to an epic showdown of two of college football's best quarterbacks.

It heats up this week, when OU's Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow meet in Orlando.

On Thursday, Tebow could win the Maxwell Award for the nation's top all-around player. Bradford could win the O'Brien Award for the nation's top quarterback.

It gets really interesting this weekend in New York.

Tebow and Bradford will go head-to-head for college football's ultimate individual prize, the 2008 Heisman Trophy. Formal invitations haven't been announced yet, but votes are due Wednesday. Tebow, Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy each will get a chance to brush up against the clunky little stiff-armer before the award is given out on Saturday night.

Then, things will get quiet for a month or so before national media convenes in Miami, Fla., site of this year's title game. There, Tebow and Bradford will tussle over the game's ultimate team prize. And that (despite Tebow already in possession of the 2007 Heisman) is what drives these two warriors.

Tebow has done things unmatched by any player in college football history. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, one observer said the left-handed Tebow runs more like former 49ers fullback Tom Rathman than ex-Niners southpaw QB Steve Young. But last year, Tebow gracefully, powerfully carried the Gators with 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns passing and 895 and 23 touchdowns rushing. With better players around him this year, Tebow's stats are more modest — 2,515 yards and 28 TDs passing, 564 and 12 rushing.

"We've had the experience of being spread out and matching up with speed on the perimeter," OU coach Bob Stoops said, "but I think Tim Tebow and his ability to run and how physical he is gives an added dimension to that spread offense."

Bradford, at 6-foot-5 and 217 pounds, is a pure pocket passer with enough athletic ability to avoid pressure and uncanny accuracy on the run. As a freshman, he threw for 3,121 yards and 36 TDs. This year, with better players around him, his stats exploded: 4,464 yards and 48 TDs.

As much as Florida coach Urban Meyer admires Bradford's passing, he prefers other qualities, gushing about Bradford's head-over-heels run at Oklahoma State.

"If you have a tough quarterback, then the entire team's tough," Meyer said. "That's one thing that stands out most about watching him play. That one highlight, I mean, that's a tough-assed quarterback that did that. That's the most impressive thing about him."




John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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3 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

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Sharkey Hammerhead, owasso (12/8/2008 8:17:41 AM)
Here we go ,a whole month of who`s the best and who`s going to beat who.. Already this morning I`ve heard or read that Tebow can`t wait to feast on Big 12 Defenses, You know maybe ,just maybe the Big 12 offenses are that good .. SEC thinks they are the only ones who play D. Thats just crazy, our defenses have to be so much better in the big 12 cause we acually play offense.Lets see Alambama, looks like the old big Ten offense,and Florida is Tebow right, Tebow left ,and lets mix it up a bit and Tebow up the middle.. I know you will tell me how he has a laser arm and can make all the throws... We see that every week in the BIG 12 every QB makes all the throws and it won`t be the first time we see a running QB....I`m going out on a limb here and say the SOONERS big over the GATORS ,, 45- 21 ....................
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Dewd, Cache (12/8/2008 10:29:15 AM)

If Oklahoma plays the Gators like they played Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Mizzou, it'll be a freakin' laffer.

Tebo scores in the 40's. Bradford scores in the 60's.
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Steff M, Claremore (12/8/2008 11:01:59 AM)
Sam is so much better than everyone else it's not even close. They can say he's got more weapons or a better line or whatever but he's just head and shoulders above Tebow and McCoy. So they're great at running the ball. Sam can run pretty well too when he has to but they don't need him to nor do they want him to. Those other two are very lucky to have made it through the season without any substantial injuries as much as they run it. And for all the whiners complaining about Bob running up the score for Bradford and the polls, check the numbers. Texas has less plays from scrimmage than OU yet McCoy has nearly a game's worth of snaps over Bradford. (before the Big 12 Champ. game) It'd be a shame to give it to a quarterback who'll be a fullback or tight end in the NFL or one who won't even make the cut.
 

 
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