LEXINGTON, Ky. — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow started on Saturday as the top-ranked Gators took on Kentucky despite a respiratory and congestive issues that forced the Heisman Trophy winner and several teammates to take a separate plane north for the trip.
Tebow, cornerback Joe Haden, safety Major Wright and others were isolated on a separate plane Friday according to a person familiar with Florida’s travel plans. They rejoined the top-ranked Gators at the hotel, and all were listed as active for the game. The person, who requested anonymity, was not authorized to discuss players’ health.
Tebow appeared energized while running onto the field for Florida’s first series. His presence was booed lustily by Kentucky fans eager to end a 22-game losing streak to the Gators. He hardly looked tired while ripping off a 29-yard gain on the game’s third play.
Tebow arrived at Commonwealth Stadium with the rest of the top-ranked Gators about two hours before kickoff against the Wildcats. The senior was one of the last players off the bus. Wearing a shiny gray suit, his cheeks appearing a little flushed in the muggy conditions, Tebow received a hug from coach Urban Meyer before ducking in to the visitors locker room.
He took the field about an hour before kickoff, jogging in uniform alongside backup quarterback John Brantley before starting his typical warmup regimen.
Florida has been battling illnesses for the last three weeks, and Meyer estimated that more than 35 players have been sick during that stretch.
Running back Jeff Demps, defensive end Jermaine Cunningham, linebacker A.J. Jones and tight end Aaron Hernandez — all starters — were among the players isolated in the last 10 days because of flulike symptoms.
Haden and Wright missed practice Thursday, but Meyer said he expected both to play against the Wildcats. The person familiar with Florida’s travel plans said the health of all three has improved since arriving in Lexington.
The person said everyone on the team’s expected travel roster made the trip, including receivers coach Billy Gonzales. He was sent home early in the week, but he returned and wore gloves and a mask at practice.
Meyer said earlier in the week there was no chance he would rest sick players.
“That’d be one of the major errors in coaching history to go do that, because you’d go lose,” he said. “No. Absolutely not. We’re going to bring everything and go as hard as we can. That gets you out of the profession, those kind of thoughts. You go as hard as you can.
“The good thing is I’ve got a mature group. Not a whole lot of cheerleading going on this week. Got to get better and go play.”
The Gators beat Tennessee 23-13 last Saturday, a disappointing victory for the heavily favored Gators. Meyer partially blamed the conservative game plan on the illnesses. Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin indicated that Meyer was using the illnesses as an excuse to justify a less-than-dominating performance.
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Comments » 40
TommyJack writes:
Guessing Urbee was on Teblows flight. Mile high club.
Berry14 writes:
First.
crimsonviper writes:
Just pictured that in my mind. Thanks TJ
anyway everybody travel safe and Go Vols!!
Vol_in_Mich writes:
Here's your chance Wildcats jump on it. Good luck & be sure to wash your hands after the game.
GO VOLS!!!
ps; Watching Miss St give LSU all they can handle. Both QB's throwing a wet ball down the field. Wonder why we can't do that? Oh yeah, any way a good game.
GO VOLS!!!
gypsy2091 writes:
Well I guess Meyer has to have some kind of excuse for their lack of luster on the field this past Saturday. Gee, did it ever occur to anyone that The Vols played a tough game against Florida causing them to only win by 10?? It's almost hilarious Meyer's excuse for his team. I don't believe for a minute that he would have someone out there playing with a 101 temperature. I mean come on guys, get serious! I guess it was either this excuse or Berry's hit on Tebow that rocked "superman's" world. Give me a break guys....
DannyVol writes:
Yep, it's sad when every team - and I mean every team I see - has some sort of passing game with a quarterback who doesn't look like someone just stole his lunch money.
Voluvr writes:
Flulike symptoms??? Show me a note from the doctor. If they were playing Alabama, they wouldn't consider not playing Tebow.
Anything to prop up the lame excuse they Tennessee kicked their - - - - - because they were sick.
It ain't working Meyer. Neither is your gameplan anymore.
http://www.gatortailgating.com/conten...
Down_The_Field writes:
no, he'll just blame it on the flu.
oops that's the urb way. the kiffin way is to say we got out played.
bobbytodd writes:
Now that's funny. Although you do have to admit this whole story came about because UM is making excuses for his team. You think out of 85 man team that almost every team in the nation doesn't have somebody sick? I would say more than 1 out of 85 people in Florida have a freakin' STD.
Razzle writes:
Awwwww! Who caught it first? Little Urbie Werbie?
appalachianvol writes:
Looks like another excuse being developed.
Razzle writes:
Must be alligator flu. http://www.survivalistboards.com/show...
cloudodust writes:
Gator Flu hangs around for a couple of shoulda coulda woulda games before it returns to the marshlands. I'm thinking Witch_Doctor put some bad juju on them Gators last week and they're having trouble shaking it...Good work, Doctor
TommyJack writes:
Cause you've never been a gator....MAYBE one real gator posts here.
Highlands_Whisky writes:
More banal comments from a Flurida Gator fan.
Move on, put on a fresh pair of jorts and stare at the Tebow poster above your bed.
the10sevol writes:
bianchi plays timmy to jerry green's urbie. orl sentinel sports writers are hacks since larry guest retired. or maybe he just got disgusted and quit. bianchi is a tool, regardless. even the other sportswriters ignore him.
GBO
cloudodust writes:
Kiffin is doing fine with the attitude thing. The 'Business Trip' mentality has been replaced with 'It's Football By Gawd' and recruits are wanting to come to Tennessee from Florida. Soon, my friends, very soon. Footsteps approaching...
VOLKING writes:
Wow. UF posters still on here after that massive 60 point victory they promised. I know it hurts, guys, but you won the game. You thought the Gators were the greatest college team ever. They're not, but you still won the game. You're #1 and ran into a fight you didn't think you were going to get. Just say, "UT played better than we thought, but we won." That or a glass of warm milk might make you feel better. Show a little sportmanship and move on. Deal?
notoriousBIGorange writes:
NEWS FLASH!!! Fear and Whine Flu run rampant among UF fans.
It really is obvious how much CLK has gotten under your skin.
Don't worry, when TN beats FLA by less than 21 points in Knoxville we won't make ANY excuses. I promise.
notoriousBIGorange writes:
Shhhhhhhhhh! You hear that??? It's the Lane Train coming!!!! RUN!!!!
chargervol writes:
Hey reamer, get of your knees, your gators are in kentucky, they won't be back for awhile. Give your knees a rest. Sit down and watch the game(if you can)! GO VOLS!!!
notoriousBIGorange writes:
AR just scored on a Mallett TD pass. Urban Meyer reportedly said it was because the Bammer DB has the Whine Flu.
panties4tebow writes:
PEE WEE meyer and the panties boys are still making excuses........must have had their poor little feelings hurt and still pouting a week later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I heard tebow was pouting and refused to fly with most of the other panty guys....that is the reason for the other flight!
crimsonviper writes:
Get me up to date Raheem, so now can Tebow fly?..wow!
panties4tebow writes:
Wonder what tebow and the others did while they were isolated?
VolNWA writes:
WOW! We look slightly better after hanging with Fla. now that they have scored more points (24) in the 1st quarter alone against KY than they did all of last week against us.
bobbytodd writes:
Tebow just got JACKED!!! Still down right now.
Joevolsxtra writes:
"Tebow received a hug from coach Urban Meyer before ducking in to the visitors locker room" I can't say anything else. LoL
SignalMtnVol writes:
Hell, I wish it was crompton that had taken that hit.
frankthetank writes:
If anybody hurt anybody is was Tebow taking out Berry
frankthetank writes:
Who won the Florida game? Tennesse didn't kick anybody's a**
Vol_in_Mich writes:
Why was Tebow in the game in the 4th quarter ahead 34 to 7?
"The Gators were in Kentucky territory when Tebow took a big hit from Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham. Tebow's head hit the leg of Florida right tackle Marcus Gilbert as he fell to the ground. He lay motionless for several minutes before sitting up. He walked off the field with help to the bench, where his parents came down from the stands to join him.
As Tebow was being carted from the sideline, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner appeared to be vomiting."
My son suffered the same type of thing last Oct. & guess what, he died two days later.
God bless you Tim.
BSweet writes:
Heard Tebow was taken to the hospital with concussion symptons. Hope he's okay. I don't wish severe injury on any of these kids. The guy's a warrior. I wish we had someone like him playing for us.
mbible1utk#324980 writes:
Feel bad for Tebow, but don't feel an ounce of sympathy for the Florida fans. Hope Tebow chills for a few weeks and you all get your butt handed to you by LSU.
By the way, with all the flu going around the Florida team... Urban might have to institute a no-kissing-each-other rule. I know that'd devastate the team, but it's for the best.
Down_The_Field writes:
i agree. i hope he bounces back from this and i'm sorry to hear about your son.
why you have 75% of your offense in a game recovering from the flu when you are up by 27 and a more than capable backup qb on the sidelines is beyond me. there was not an ice cubes chance in an oven that ken-lucky would come back in this game.
stupid decision by ur-bum crier and if he get seriously hurt, we can pin this one ole fame junky urb and his lust to win my 50 and not 30.
and gay-turd fans call our coach a punk.
Down_The_Field writes:
well....well....well...if it's not the moral com-pus of the site.
first you threaten to throw batteries at vol fans and now you make light of this.....you are a sad piece of #$%@.
Baryon writes:
Fact remains that Urban Cryer's insane lust for hanging obscene scores on teams that can't fight back is coming back to haunt him. He pushed Tebow beyond his limits, and has no one to blame for this but himself.
But of course, Gator fans will just brush it off; they're already masters of making excuses, just like Ayatollah CUMeyer.
GahLee writes:
Dude got jacked, he has been taking some serious shots this year, got to be concerning for Gator fans...hope he is okay, same time hope he is out for some time and they lose a few games...man he got his clock cleaned.
GahLee writes:
Indeed, no need to have him in the game.
GahLee writes:
It's not funny cause it's one of your...but you think it's okay to hit someone with a d-cell battery?
If a Florida fan had hit Kiffin in the head with one, you would have thought it was great and would post the link to it non-stop, you know it and we know it...your boy got lit up, he should not have been in the game...period, he paid the price for your coaches greed.
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