ESPN.com is reporting that Florida quarterback Tim Tebow returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time since suffering a concussion two weeks ago in a win over Kentucky. But Tebow still hasn’t been medically cleared to play against LSU this Saturday night.
The question now becomes: If Tebow isn’t cleared to play against LSU until Saturday, should Urban Meyer still play him?
The obvious answer would be “hell yes – what are you an idiot?” But even though this is a SEC game for Florida, it doesn’t mean that the Gators absolutely need a win. They could still lose to Tigers (a West opponent), win the East, play for the SEC Championship and then make another appearance in the BSC title game. Remember, the BCS system rewards teams for getting their losses out of the way early.
I’m not saying that this isn’t a big game for Florida because it is. What I’m saying is that risking Tebow’s health for this particular game isn’t worth it because the Gators could still accomplish their goals of winning the SEC and playing for a national title if they lose to LSU. Believe it or not, the bigger game for Florida is coming up at the end of the month when they host Georgia, which is an East opponent.
If Tebow is medically cleared to play in the next day or two and he doesn’t suffer any setbacks, then the obvious decision is to start and play him against LSU. But if he isn’t ready to go until Saturday morning or afternoon, then Meyer should consider holding his best player out and giving him another week to rest. After all, the Gators can still play for a national title with one loss, but they can’t play for a national title without Tim Tebow.
Besides, Florida’s defense is ranked No. 1 in the nation and LSU’s offense has struggled mightily in the early going. The Gators could still beat the Tigers in Baton Rouge without Tebow, which is another reason why holding him back if he’s no 100% makes sense.
