By John Shinn
MIAMI — If Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was offended by comments made by two Oklahoma defensive backs, he proved to be a pretty good poker player, too, Monday.
Tebow chuckled when asked about OU cornerback Dominique Franks’ and safety Nic Harris’ assertions that he wouldn’t rank among the elite quarterbacks in the Big 12 Conference.
A day earlier Franks, who has four interceptions this season, said the Florida quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner would rank behind OU quarterback Sam Bradford, Texas’ Colt McCoy and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell in the Big 12 Conference pecking order.
Franks made his comments in front of television cameras, so it received an incredible amount of attention. Harris, who said Tebow would be the seventh best quarterback in the Big 12 by his judgment, only said it to a couple of print reporters.
“That might have been a compliment,” Tebow said Monday during Florida’s media day at Dolphins Stadium.
Franks didn’t take questions Monday during OU’s portion of media day.
Harris had more to say.
“I’m not a critic nor am I a newspaper writer. I can’t put rankings out there,” Harris said. “He (Tebow) is a great guy, but we’ll determine the rest on Jan. 8.”
There’s no doubt OU’s defensive players are carrying a major chip their shoulders in the days leading up to the BCS national championship game. They’ve been barraged with questions about whether they’re actually a national championship caliber defense since they arrived in Florida.
Every day since Friday, they’ve been asked about Tebow and Florida’s speed, whether the talent of the Big 12 matches that in the SEC.
“We wouldn’t be here if we couldn’t play defense,” defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said.
More trash talk
OU’s players kept civil tongues Monday. There were no disparaging remarks made about Florida at media day. At least one Gator, however, threw gasoline on the fire at Dolphin Stadium.
Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes gave his assessment of Big 12 defenses.
“If they can stop our offense, hey, my hat goes off to them. But I really don’t think they can,” Spikes said. “As long as we play well on defense, give the ball back to Tim and the rest of those guys, we should roll … I really feel like they haven’t faced a defense like ours, and Big 12 defenses are a joke.”
The quoteboard material has been flying steadily over the last two days. Today is the last day OU and Florida players will meet with the media.
90 percent
Florida All-American wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has scored 19 touchdowns this season, said Monday that his injured ankle is just about healed.
“I’m at 90 percent. I’ve been that way most of my career. I’ll take 90 percent any day of the week,” he said.
Harvin suffered the injury Nov. 29 against Florida State. He didn’t play in the Gators’ 31-20 victory over Alabama in the SEC championship game.
Asking for fans
OU coach Bob Stoops figures everyone in South Florida can’t be pulling for the Gators Thursday night. He gave a plea to fans of their biggest rivals — Florida State and Miami — to jump on the OU bandwagon.
“I’m calling on all the Hurricane and Seminole fans that are down here to root for us,” he said. “That won’t be hard I don’t think. There’s another part of South Florida that isn’t for the Gators, and we’re hoping to recruit them here this week.”
Nimmo as Tebow
Walk-on quarterback John Nimmo has been OU’s scout team quarterback during preparation for Thursday night. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound sophomore has been running Florida’s offense and trying to mimic Tebow as both a runner and a passer.
“He mocked Tebow as well as you can mock a player at quarterback like that,” linebacker Travis Lewis said. “He’s been great, and he’s really given us a good look.”
The hammer?
OU linebacker Travis Lewis and Tebow both weigh 235 pounds and odds are both will collide several times Thursday night.
Lewis is so anxious to play he almost jumped out of his skin when asked about the matchup Monday.
“I guarantee you I’m going to bring that hammer,” he said. “It should be a good matchup.”
Lewis, who was the Big 12’s defensive newcomer of the year, was asked if he expected to get knocked back any during the game. He brushed that question off.
“I haven’t lost any battles yet, so we’ll see,” Lewis said.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
