Tebow – Better than you think

I’m not surprised at the bitter reaction by many non-Florida fans to Tim Tebow winning the Heisman. In fact, as one who rooted against Peyton Manning to win the same award, I can appreciate the feeling. That’s all part of football here in the south.

Additionally, I can appreciate that the Heisman, perhaps even more so than the BCS, is a highly subjective enterprise. One player’s accomplishments may not impress various voters, and that is just fine.

But to leave Tebow entirely off your ballot based on the reasoning that his running touchdowns were mostly done to inflate his stats? Well sir, that merely makes you look like a fool and an idiot.

For you see sir, Tim Tebow is the best passing Heisman winner.

Ever.

First of all there is that all time record passing efficiency rating for a Heisman winner. At 177.85, no other Heisman winner has even come close to it. In fact, no Heisman winner I could locate has come within 15 points of it.

But for arguments sake, let’s just say Tebow was not the dual threat runner he is. Let’s just say he was purely a passing quarterback who maybe had 1 or 2 running TD’s via the usual goal-line QB sneaks.

Well, here is how Tebow’s passing statistics ONLY stand up to every other Heisman winning quarterback this century (Tebow’s projections come from ESPN.com) –

Tebow has about the same average number of completions of the names on this list, in far fewer attempts, for a completion percentage that is better than any other Heisman winner since 2000. He stands to end the season with more total passing yardage than Smith, Leinart or Crouch. His yards per attempt, at nearly 10 yards, is better than anyone on the list.

If Tebow reaches 31 TD’s he will be near the totals of most of the players on this list, save Jason White. He has as few current interceptions as anyone on the list.

And lastly, that passer rating again. Historic.

Without running the ball a single time, Tebow was better than any quarterback Heisman winner this century . Period.

If anything, his running ability overshadowed his brilliant passing performance.The only other dual threat quarterback on this list was the 2001 winner Crouch, who ended the year with 18 rushing TD’s, or 4 fewer than Tebow, while throwing for 22 fewer TD passes.

And contrary to Mr. McGrath’s assertions in his article, Tebow’s numbers came against some of the hardest opponents any Heisman winner this century has faced. Looking at Florida’s strength of schedule we find –

Florida’s Final Strength of Schedule Rankings –

NCAA – 8th
Coffey Ratings – 2nd
Colley Matrix – 2nd
Massey Ratings – 2nd
Sagarin Ratings – 9th

Looking back at the NCAA schedule ratings of the above Heisman winners, the SOS they faced in their Heisman campaign was –

Smith – 24th
Leinart – 18th
White – 21st
Palmer – 1st
Crouch – 12th
Weinke – 3rd

According to the NCAA, Tebow faced a harder schedule than 4 of these winners.

Lastly, it is perhaps least surprising that our old rival – the Georgia Bulldogs – seem to harbor the most bitterness towards the Tebow selection. (Though this site has a very funny Fark, the commentary is dripping with pure acrimony. h/t Get the Picture).

I can understand Georgia’s resentfulness, now that we have passed their tally of 2 Heisman winners. Not to mention that Tebow is within striking distance of one of Georgia’s most hallowed records – the career TD rushing record of one Herschel Walker. Walker has 49, while Tebow currently stands at 30 (before playing Michigan).

Wouldn’t that be something if Tebow was challenging for that record by say, oh – late October?