Tim Tebow struggles in opening practice

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Former UF star Tim Tebow fumbled and threw poorly on the first day of Senior Bowl practice. But it was to be sk,1.5 expected, and he did improve.
Similar stories:•Emotions build for Swamp finale
Emotions build for Swamp finaleFlorida quarterback Tim Tebow doesn't even want to think about it. Gators coach Urban Meyer started fighting back his emotions Monday. Yeah, it's going to be a Kleenex kind of afternoon Saturday in The Swamp.
Top-ranked Florida (11-0) will celebrate its senior class at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium minutes before it plays host to Florida State (6-5) at 3:30 p.m. It's Tebow's last game in The Swamp. It's the final home game for a group of seniors that has won more games than any other recruiting class in the history of Southeastern Conference football. There will be tears.
``I'm going to try not to think about it,'' Tebow said. ``It will probably be pretty emotional and pretty exciting, overwhelming, to say the least. I'm excited about it -- kind of sad it's the last opportunity, but also excited that it will be that special of a moment.''

•Urban Meyer: Tebow's status not public until Saturday
Urban Meyer: Tebow's status not public until SaturdayFlorida coach Urban Meyer said Monday that quarterback Tim Tebow's playing status likely will not be made public until Saturday, if at all.

Tebow suffered a concussion nearly nine days ago during UF's win against Kentucky. During his weekly Monday press conference, Meyer said Tebow has been as asymptomatic ``for several days'' but his playing status remains day to day. Asked if an announcement will be made Saturday (Florida plays at Louisiana State at 8 p.m. on Saturday), Meyer said, ``If it's real late, you probably have to wait late. If they clear him earlier than that, I'll probably tell you.''

•Tebow will 'just be me' at Senior Bowl
Tebow will 'just be me' at Senior BowlThe questions came at Tim Tebow like a blitzing linebacker - about his mechanics, ball placement, footwork, release. All that technical stuff that the Florida quarterback will continue hearing about as he tries to transition to the NFL.
And that was just from the media.
For all the talk about what he needs to change, Tebow is more focused on the latest piece of advice from Gators coach Urban Meyer ahead of his weeklong attempt to impress far more important observers: NFL executives and coaches at the Senior Bowl.

•Florida Gators likely won't know Tim Tebow's status until next week
Florida Gators likely won't know Tim Tebow's status until next weekFormer Florida quarterback John Brantley III, the father of current Gators backup John Brantley IV, told The Miami Herald on Thursday morning that the school's coaches and medical staff likely will not know Tim Tebow's playing status until ``the middle of next week.''
``They have to be honest with it,'' Brantley III said. ``They really don't know right now.''
Tebow, UF's All-American quarterback, must be asymptomatic for a week before he is allowed to practice. Tebow suffered a significant concussion Saturday during the third quarter of UF's 41-7 win against Kentucky. Tebow wasn't allowed to watch television or read until Thursday, according to Florida coach Urban Meyer.

•Florida Gators football: Tim Tebow returns to practice
Florida Gators football: Tim Tebow returns to practiceFlorida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow practiced Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a concussion Sept. 26 during a victory against Kentucky.
Tebow wore full pads Tuesday and alternated practice time with backup quarterback John Brantley. Both players worked with the first-team offense. Tebow participated in about 80 percent of practice, according to coach Urban Meyer.
Meyer said after practice that Tebow still hasn't been cleared to play in Saturday's game against Louisiana State, although he said that a panel of doctors discussed a timetable for Tebow's return after practice. Meyer indicated that he probably will not announce Tebow's playing status until Saturday, if at all, but all signs seem to be pointing to a return for Tebow in Baton Rouge, La.
BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
jgoodman@MiamiHerald.com
FAIRHOPE, Ala. -- Mike Singletary stared intently at the quarterback. His recognizable gaze was hidden behind a sleek pair of sunglasses, but there was no mistaking whom the San Francisco 49ers coach was watching.

He couldn't keep his eyes off former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. Neither could anyone else.

Singletary has stared down plenty of passers over the years. On Monday, at a high school stadium in tiny Fairhope, Ala., those experienced eyes saw the same thing as thousands of onlookers during the first practice for the Senior Bowl. Tebow's first day under center in front of NFL scouts, general managers and coaches did not go smoothly.

Tebow fumbled snaps, missed receivers and at one point even tossed one wobbling, floating incompletion that appeared to slip out of his hands. The wounded pass landed in the vicinity of Tebow's entourage. Father Bob Tebow, brother Robby, sports agent Jimmy Sexton and other Tebow handlers watched Tebow struggle significantly in the college star's first-impression performance for NFL talent evaluators. But they also watched him show positive signs of his potential as well.

``There's a lot of stuff to get adjusted to, but it was fun,'' Tebow said. ``I'm just getting used to it. It's frustrating. Sometimes you drop the ball under center. You just got to get used to the centers.''

On Monday, Tebow did not look as polished as the quarterback who set a BCS bowl game record for individual offense against Cincinnati on New Year's Day. Afterwards, he compared the first day of the Senior Bowl with the first day of preseason practice with the Gators.

``That's the same way it is the first day at Florida,'' Tebow said.

Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano and his staff worked with Tebow on Monday and the Senior Bowl's South team. The Dolphins will instruct the South team throughout the week. According to Sparano, Tebow improved throughout Monday's practice after his shaky start, which included two fumbles under center. Thousands packed inside the high school stadium to watch the practice session. Scouts and coaches lined the perimeter of the field.

``That's what people want to see, and they're going to have to operate under center in this league,'' Sparano said. ``I think that combination will take a little time. As the week goes on, it will get better and better. In fact, it got better during practice.''

One of Tebow's targets Monday was former University of Miami tight end Jimmy Graham. The former basketball player measured in at 6-6 ½, making him the tallest player at the Senior Bowl. Graham has the same agent as Tebow, and they worked out together for two weeks in Miami and Nashville before going to Mobile. Graham said Tebow's initial struggles were ``predicted'' and that it wasn't really a problem.

``I've been training with him and I caught a pass from him [Monday],'' Graham said, ``and I think he can throw.''

• A national coalition of women's groups called on CBS to scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring Tebow and his mother, which critics say is likely to convey an anti-abortion message.

CBS said it has approved the script for the 30-second ad and has given no indication that the protest would have an impact. The ad -- paid for by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family -- is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987 with a theme of ``Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.'' After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, who had a storied college football career.

This report was supplemented with material from Miami Herald Wire Services.