ATHENS — If SEC football legend Tim Tebow sounds a lot like a Jake Fromm fan, it’s because of his confidence in the Georgia quarterback’s talent and consistency.
Tebow was on the University of Georgia campus on Friday breaking down the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs leading up to their noon clash with South Carolina at Sanford Stadium (noon, ESPN).
“I”m a guy that really thinks Georgia has a chance to win it all,” said Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy winner who won two national championships at Florida. ”I think to do that, though, they have to be able to continue to put it on Jake’s shoulders.
“When you have a veteran quarterback like Jake, there’s going to be certain times that if you’re going to win it all, where you have to put it on his shoulders.”
Tebow said much of the same last week before the Tennessee game.
Friday’s conversation at UGA advanced to Tebow’s thoughts on Fromm’s future beyond the collegiate level.
“Consistency is boring to a lot of people, and it’s boring to the media, and it’s boring to fans, but I’ll tell you what, when you have a quarterback that’s consistent, it’s not boring to his teammates,” said Tebow, a first-round NFL Draft pick who famously led the Denver Broncos to a playoff win.
“When you know he’s going to show up, and he’s going to be consistently on his game plan, being a good leader, working hard, being accurate — all these things — you know you’ve got someone you can count on,” Tebow said.
“Georgia knows they’ve got someone they can count on in Jake Fromm, and I think an NFL team is going to know that, and I think he’ll be able to make that transition to the next level just fine.”
Here are some of the other talking points Tebow addressed on Friday:
On Georgia’s offensive evolution
Tebow: “I liked it when they opened it up. I think to do that, though, they have to be able to continue to put it on Jake’s shoulders. I think in the Notre Dame game they knew they were the better team, and they were playing not to lose rather than playing to win.
When you have a veteran quarterback like Jake, there’s going to be certain times that if you’re going to win it all, where you have to put it on his shoulders.
You’re also seeing his receivers step up, who are getting better each week, and a few of those dudes are freaks and hard to cover.
So being able to consistently see that balance between the run and the pass, and then opening it up for D’Andre, that only helps this offense.”
Georgia’s short-yardage issues and lack of QB sneaks
Tebow:“Sometimes quarterback sneaks can be great. Shoot, it doesn’t necessarily take the most athletic guy to be good at quarterback sneaks, some of the best have been good at that technique, which sounds kind of weird, but no one ever stops Tom Brady on a quarterback sneak, ever, for 20 years. I think that can be something that can be really helpful to this team, but I also think it’s about keeping defenses off balance and not being one dimensional with it, and not having certain tendencies.”
Biggest Obstacle To Georgia winning national championship
Tebow: I think it’s what we touched on just a minute ago, it’s that balance offensively, and I think it’s being able to, when you have to throw it, being able to throw it and being able to have that balance. You look at a lot of the top teams right now, they have very explosive offenses. I think where Georgia is a little bit different is their balance offense, defense, special teams, I think they’ve been more consistent in all three of those, but I still think there’s going to be a time, and there is for every team that wins a championship, when it’s just not going your way, and you say, ‘Ok, we’re going to put it on his dude to win it, and I think that has to be Jake, and I think he can do it, I just want them to give him a chance to do it more.”
From your experience, what will go into Jake Fromm’s decision to turn pro or return for his senior season?
Tebow: “First of all, it’s personal, I think it’s different for everyone. It’s a family decision, it’s a personal decision, for Jake, it’s going to be a playful decision. What’s right for him? Does he want to come back. If they don’t win a championship, does he want to come back and try to win a championship as a senior and the first one here since 1980? If I was in those shoes, that would be something that would weigh on me maybe. Does he thing this is opportunity, hey, it’s life-changing money, I’m going to take this shot. There’s not one right decision. It’s what’s right for the individual, and I think Jake is wise beyond years, he’ll pray about it, he’ll talk to wise counsel and he’ll make the best decision for himself.”
How much could Jake Fromm gain from his senior season?
Tebow: “After playing three years, you’ve kind of already seen everything. I think the senior wasn’t as much to be prepared, it was what you wanted to finish with the guys you cared about and the university you cared about. So it’s kind of a tough question to answer. Jake, after this year, he’s going to have seen everything in college. I mean especially starting as a freshman, from the Rose Bowl, to the playing in all these different stadiums, to playing in the SEC and National Championship Games, he’s seen everything in college. So I think the decision is more of what goes he want his legacy to be here.”
Where does Georgia stand among the top defenses in the SEC?
Tebow: “Georgia’s definitely in that conversation in defense, and it’s gong to be interesting to see down the stretch with all these teams going through the gauntlet, and I think the two toughest schedules in the SEC the rest of those year are Florida and LSU, and how they’re able to handle this gauntlet. But I’ll tell you what travels first more than anything else is defense, and so when these teams are going to play big games on the road, that defense travels and shows up early in games … I think what (Georgia) was able to do against a good Notre Dame offense, but I’m excited for the game in Jacksonville, it’s going to be a good matchup. And, when Auburn plays Georgia, too.”
SEC Legend Tim Tebow
DawgNation Georgia-South Carolina Week
Kirby Smart doesn’t buy into Bulldogs run defense hype
How 2019 could be setting up as a championship season for Georgia
Georgia short-yardage woes “unacceptable”
Tuesday positive news on two injured starters
Trey Hill stands tall as Georgia football center
Former UGA teammates Kirby Smart & Will Muschamp share mutual admiration
Rodrigo Blankenship earns SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
South Carolina’s Will Muschamp previews Georgia football
3 Takeaways entering South Carolina week, newfound swagger
5 questions with South Carolina football beat writer before UGA
