UF's Tebow develops as pocket passer

It was a Florida victory that produced plenty of positives. Perhaps the biggest positive of all was the fact quarterback Tim Tebow did not take a single shot on his sore right shoulder in the Gators' 49-22 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday.

"I called Tim late last night," Meyer said. "He said he didn't get hit one time on the shoulder. He made the comment that now this week he thinks he's going to be as close to 100 percent as it's been."

Tebow bruised his shoulder in the Kentucky game three weeks ago. To protect the shoulder, Tebow took on a diminished role in the running game in the past two games and has basically been a pocket passer.

He had six carries in Saturday's game, five of them called quarterback runs in the red zone. The week before against Georgia, Tebow's only called running plays were also in the red zone. The Bulldogs sacked him six times and he finished with minus-15 yards rushing.

If Tebow's shoulder is better this week, he'll probably be more of a factor in the running game against South Carolina. But Meyer said Tebow is not going to carry the ball as much as he did in some earlier games this season now that Percy Harvin is lining up at tailback and has become the focal point of the running game.

"We don't want to be a 20-times-a-game quarterback running the ball offense," Meyer said. "We want him to be a threat. With Percy Harvin in the backfield, it opens the inside run, the outside run and the play-action passing game. (With Harvin in the backfield), the threat is real. It's exactly where we want to be, with a legitimate threat in the backfield and a quarterback who is a threat and is great in the passing game."

With Harvin rushing for 113 yards and averaging 10.3 yards a carry Saturday, the Gators did not need to rely on Tebow's legs to have success in the running game. Tebow excelled as a pocket passer, completing 22 of 27 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

Being almost exclusively a passer the past two games has helped Tebow improve his pocket presence, Meyer said.

"He has learned to redirect protections a little better and be a little more cautious in the pocket," Meyer said. "He has improved in the pocket. He's a tremendous passer and the older he gets the more presence he gets. He did a heck of a job (in the Vandy win). At one point he was 19-of-22. He could be a tremendous pocket passer."

While Tebow and Harvin were helping the Gators light it up on offense Saturday, the UF defense played perhaps its best game since the Sept. 15 Tennessee game. Meyer said it was the kind of performance the young defense can build on.

"You have to," Meyer said. "There were times when, other than (junior end) Derrick Harvey, there were all freshmen and sophomores on the field. It was good to see them improve. (Sophomore middle linebacker) Brandon Spikes played tremendous."

Meyer said the young cornerbacks — true freshman Joe Haden and true sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis — are starting to come on. Haden lined up on Vanderbilt wide receiver Earl Bennett most of the game and held the SEC's all-time reception leader to five catches for only 31 yards. Pierre-Louis appeared to play with more confidence and he made a nice play to intercept a deep pass in the second half.

"(Haden) played one of his better games," Meyer said. "Earl Bennett had done a lot of damage to Florida the previous two years. I felt Joe came of age a little bit.

"(Pierre-Louis' performance) is a direct correlation to his practice. He's been practicing much better. Honestly, we hoped it would happen faster than it did, but it's starting to happen."

Meyer also reiterated Sunday that Michael Pouncey had a big impact on the defense after moving to tackle from offensive center earlier in the week.

"He certainly wasn't perfect, but there is a presence in there (when he's in the game)," Meyer said. "When they run the ball, he takes up gaps and assists the linebackers. The linebackers made a couple of comments about it after the game."



NOTES: Florida would clinch a tie for the SEC East on Saturday with a win over South Carolina coupled with losses by Georgia against Auburn and Tennessee against Arkansas. If UF, Georgia and Tennessee finish with identical league records, the Gators would represent the East in Atlanta. ... Safety Jamar Hornsby and tailback Chevon Walker did not dress out for the second consecutive game and their status with the team is uncertain. When asked if they were done for the season, Meyer said, "There's a chance they may be. There's a chance they'll be back," said Meyer, who will not comment on why the players are in limbo. ... Meyer had the offensive coaches pull sophomore tailback Brandon James off the field in the fourth quarter Saturday because of his value as a return specialist. James had three returns for 116 yards and gave the offense the ball on Vandy's side of the 50 three times. "He's tremendous. He accounted for three scores. People talk about Tebow and Harvin, but I don't know if there's a more valuable player on this team than Brandon James," Meyer said. ... Starting tight end Cornelius Ingram was slowed Saturday by a sprained ankle he sustained in the Georgia game. "He didn't practice all week," Meyer said.