Tim Tebow breaks down Spencer Rattler, the state of South Carolina’s offense
Tim Tebow isn’t so far removed from his playing days — in Columbia or otherwise.
In town for Saturday’s “SEC Nation” pregame show ahead of the South Carolina-Tennessee game, Tebow was asked for autographs by passers-by Friday as he headed onto the ready-made set on the USC campus’ Horseshoe.
Star status aside, the Heisman winner at Florida and one-time Columbia Firefly is also among the few uniquely qualified to analyze college football quarterback play and specifically South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.
“I think the talent is elite,” Tebow told local reporters Friday. “I think he throws one of the best balls in college football. I think he probably throws a better ball than quite a few guys in the NFL. He’s a very, very gifted thrower of the football.
“I also think, for as much scrutiny as he gets, he’s a really good teammate. He’s gotten so much hype from a TV show in high school all the way through and leaving OU. The only thing I’ve heard from coaches and teammates is how much they like him. I don’t think that always gets said.”
Tebow was bullish on Rattler coming into the season, singing the former Oklahoma quarterback’s praises during the preseason.
The actual on-field product, though, has ebbed and flowed.
Rattler’s numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping: 1,968 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions on 65% passing. Still, he’s had his share of big plays.
The ex-OU signal-caller received the highest offensive grade among Power Five quarterbacks from Pro Football Focus in Week 10 following South Carolina’s win over Vanderbilt. Rattler’s crucial 8 of 10, 128-yard, one touchdown second half against Kentucky helped USC to its second win over UK in nine tries.
But with the offense faltering, criticism mounting of offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s play-calling and protection issues looming throughout the season, Rattler hasn’t lived up to his preseason hype.
“Sometimes he’s still falling or fading away out of the pocket to his right,” SEC Network analyst and ex-New Orleans Saints defensive back Roman Harper said Friday. “Being able to just step into your throws, if you have a big arm, it’s great. But you don’t always have to throw it with your arm. It’s a lot of your body and lower mechanics that, they all have to be in alignment. Quarterbacks like Drew Brees can play until they’re 40 because he’s in alignment with his body and he’s able to throw in anticipation and do all the little things right to keep his arm strength where it needs to be and accurately deliver throws.”
Added Tebow: “When you’re so gifted in areas like that, it’s almost like he’s a high school pitcher that can throw 100 (miles per hour). And when you do that, you don’t always work on your change-up. I don’t say that in a mean way, I just still think there’s some areas where he’s so gifted, and he can just stay on his back foot, roll right and still make these incredible throws.”
That the South Carolina offense hasn’t found an identity, in Tebow’s mind, is multi-faceted. Injuries to running backs MarShawn Lloyd and Christian Beal-Smith certainly haven’t helped the equation. Nor has an offensive line that has just one player (guard Jovaughn Gwynn — No. 23) ranked among the Southeastern Conference’s top 35 pass protectors, per PFF.
Those issues have amounted to a group that was outgained in yardage 219-37 in the first quarter of last week’s blowout loss to Florida and looked lost for the bulk of the contest.
“It’s hard to be efficient and effective when your first play against Florida last week, both guards run into each other — they literally both pulled into each other,” Tebow said. “That hurts. I’m not saying that to be mean, but you’ve got to be on the same page.
“If you look at what they did last week, they probably ran in 10-12 different personnel (groups),” he said later. “When you’re playing in The Swamp and you’re trying to communicate and you’re trying to get young guys to do all that, it’s hard to feel like you’re on the same page.”
Tebow, who arrived at The Horseshoe after a prerecorded interview with Rattler at USC’s Long Family Football Operations Center, noted that he told Rattler the final two games of the season against No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday and next week at No. 9 Clemson leave reason to believe he can still flip a switch.
“I think he’s incredibly talented,” Tebow said. “I think he’s a good dude. I think he’s continued to really work. I think the biggest thing, if you’re a South Carolina fan, that has been disappointing is you just don’t feel like the offense has been in sync.”
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Tim Tebow breaks down Spencer Rattler, the state of South Carolina’s offense."
