UF's Tebow target of cheap shots

"It's sore, but it's good," Tebow said.

The question is: will it be a target Saturday?

The way opposing defenses have tried to get physical with the physical quarterback all season, Florida senior center Drew Miller said he suspects the Georgia defense will try to smack Tebow on his sore shoulder.

"You can't blame them," Miller said. "A guy like that who makes so many plays for us, they're going to do anything they can to get him off the field.

"It's definitely a big part. We need him to be on the field and if he's got any injuries, we've got to block even harder for him. We (the offensive linemen) wouldn't like it very much (if Georgia goes after Tebow's shoulder), just like those late hits earlier in the year out of bounds. It's uncalled for. Anything dirty toward anybody on our team we're not going to like."

Miller said Tebow has been the target of cheap shots throughout the season. Tebow appeared to absorb some late hits when he was already on the ground at Kentucky last Saturday, even though no penalties were called.

Miller said it's been like that every game.

"Oh, definitely," Miller said. "In piles, people are grabbing (him). It's just the way it is. They are trying to get any edge they can.

"(Tebow) never really says anything about it. Every time he's in a pile, I try to push people off and try to get him up. We need him on this team and we definitely don't want to see someone get hurt over something like that. I just do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen. I'm sure it will continue. We're just going to try to limit it a little bit."

Receiver Percy Harvin said LSU players tried to knock Tebow out of the game three weeks ago.

"They were hitting him and trying to twist his legs at the bottom of the pile," Harvin said. "They were trying to pick him up, drag him and fall on top of him."

Tebow said he isn't concerned about the Bulldogs coming after his shoulder.

"If they come after my shoulder, then I guess they will not be hitting me straight up and I will have a very good chance of breaking that tackle," he said. "I'm not too worried about it."

What the Gators are concerned about is the number of hits their quarterback is taking every week. Tebow is UF's leading rusher (578 yards) and he's averaging almost 18 carries a game. That translates into a lot of hits.

"The thing we've all got to understand is we can't get him hurt," Urban Meyer said.

Tebow says he won't change his style of play, but said he realizes he needs to take care of himself.

"(The coaches) would like to get it out of my hands and not take as many hits," Tebow said. "But you don't want to change the way you play when you are worried about hits, which I am not. I just go out there and play the way I play and don't really think about it much.

"You just have to be responsible for your teammates and try to stay healthy and go out there and not take too many hits. I have to be smart about it, but not change the way I play or play conservatively."

Miller said the line has to do its part to protect Tebow and keep him in the game.

Tebow's value to his team can be summed up by a Meyer quote at his weekly Monday news conference. When asked if he would rather have any other quarterback in the nation, Meyer said, "No, I'm good. I've got mine."

Robbie Andreu can be reached at 352-374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com.