OPINION

By Matt Hayes

updated 3:51 a.m. ET Sept. 21, 2007

Matt Hayes

Look, you can't make this stuff up. Here he is, everyone. Tim Tebow:

Superman, Superstar, Supernova.

Superhuman.

Once this spring, while speaking at an elementary school, Tebow was approached by a teacher with a Sharpie and a request: Sign my baby's forehead.

This summer, country music star Kenny Chesney's tour stopped in Gainesville. While playing a local club, he saw Tebow in the audience, pulled him on stage and got the loudest ovation of the night when he gave Tebow a mike and the two belted out "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy."

In high school, with his team holding a precarious 7-point lead in the state championship game, Tebow, an elite quarterback recruit, ran on the field and played nose tackle -- nose tackle -- without telling his coaches. The other team didn't score again.

He has been recognized by Gators fans in airports in the Philippines and Japan working as -- of course -- a missionary. He's larger than life, this comic book hero of college football.

When Tim Tebow does a push-up, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the world down.

Tebow's mom, Pam, is asked which Tebowism is her favorite.

"The Superman ones," she says.

Oh yeah? Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Tim Tebow laughs at Superman for having a weakness.

Like last week's little ol' SEC opener against Tennessee was going to affect Tebow. It was his first career start in the conference that grinds up and spits out quarterbacks. A chance to show his mere mortal side.

All he did was fuel the raging expectations in a 59-20 victory. The final numbers: 360 yards of total offense and four touchdowns. And you'd better believe the rest of the SEC was watching.

A week after LSU made a rousing statement by humiliating Virginia Tech, the Gators began league play with a counterpunch. The defense that replaced nine starters from last season's national championship unit held the Vols to 298 yards and forced three turnovers. The offense, meanwhile, scored the most points against Tennessee since a team coached by some guy named Spurrier got 62 in 1995.

"Tim Tebow is a terrific talent," Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer says. "He has played, what, three games? He hasn't even scratched what he can do."

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This much we know about Florida: Less than a month into the defense of its national title, this is a more dangerous, dynamic and complete offense with Tebow. What we saw in bits and pieces last season -- when Tebow was the nation's most publicized backup -- has come into full focus this fall.

Tebow, a sophomore, threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 61 yards and two TDs against the Vols and has been nearly flawless in three games. In fact, his only mistake this season -- a second half interception returned for a touchdown against Tennessee -- wasn't his mistake at all.

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Tim Tebow doesn't throw interceptions. Receivers run wrong routes.

"We had a young receiver who cut off a route," Florida coach Urban Meyer says. "Tim put that ball on the button."

And to think Tebow's passing was a real concern this spring, when his chronically sore arm had the staff perplexed. Instead of opting for rest and rehabilitation, Tebow was taken to the university's biomechanics and motion analysis laboratory (think: athletes hooked up to sensors that record their moves for video games), where his throwing motion and mechanics were broken down move by move.

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The analysis showed Tebow's sidearm throwing motion put stress on his shoulder and elbow, causing the chronic soreness. The staff tweaked his mechanics -- he now throws more over the top -- and the soreness went away. Months later and three weeks into this season, he has completed 73.8 percent of his passes.

The player who looked and played like a fullback last season has become a consistent, efficient and, yes, prolific passer.

"He's not just a runner," says Florida wideout David Nelson. "I'm more amazed by what he does every time he steps on the field."

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Early on in Florida's romp over Tennessee, Tebow threw a perfect deep ball that Riley Cooper cradled and ran in for a tone-setting score. Once Tebow got to the sideline, he was greeted by safety Tony Joiner. The team's respected senior captain bowed to the moment. He kissed Tebow on the cheek.

"I've only kissed two men in my life," Joiner says. "My dad and Tim Tebow."

Forget about Superman.

Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas.

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