Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow was cleared to practice Tuesday, but coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday that Tebow’s status for the Gators’game against LSU will not be announced until Saturday.”After practice yesterday, I was told to game plan with the chance Tim could play,” Meyer said in a teleconference. “That’s pretty much going to be the response until the foot hits the ball down there. If there’s an advantage of not telling, I’m not worried about that right now.”Meyer would not confirm what grade of concussion Tebow suffered after a hit by Kentucky redshirt freshman defensive end Taylor Wyndham in the third quarter of the Gators’ 41-7 win Sept. 26 against the Wildcats.”I overheard them say [the grade], but no, I don’t know,” he said.Meyer said the medical staff at Florida is examining Tebow daily in the aftermath of his concussion.”There were 12 people in the meeting at 1:00 [Tuesday] to clear him to practice, not play,” Meyer said. “That will be an ongoing communication and evaluation up until game time.”Redshirt sophomore John Brantley will start if Tebow is unable to take the field when No. 1 Florida (4-0) kicks off against No. 4 LSU (5-0).Brantley is No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency, completing 22-of-30 passes for 232 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in three games played. Tebow is No. 2 at 44-of-68 for 643 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in four starts.LSU coach Les Miles said Wednesday the LSU defense is simply preparing to face the Gators’ offense regardless of who takes the field at quarterback Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.”We recognize [Brantley] can throw pretty well — he’s a nimble, fleet-footed guy,” Miles said. “We expect some similarities to the things Tebow can do and maybe some things he does pretty well differently [than Tebow]. It’s an imperfect time, but we’re working this as best we can.”—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]
Football: Meyer says Tebow likely game-time decision
October 7, 2009