re: Chips are down: Most immediately impactful true freshman in your team history?

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Thought he was the best of the bama backs (in college), ahead of Ingram and personal preference over Henry (in college)

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It's a defensible argument. There's a reason he was a top 3 pick in the draft. I think Henry's heisman campaign was better than any season Trent had, but Trent was ready to go the day he arrived

His recruitment and commitment were what gave the Saban regime legitimacy and cemented that '08 recruiting class.

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His recruitment and commitment were what gave the Saban regime legitimacy and cemented that '08 recruiting class.

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I ask in earnest, how likely would Quintorris have gone to another school other than Alabama since he was from Foley?

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Kevin Faulk or Patrick Peterson

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Stingley over Peterson, which is crazy to say. Don't think Peterson started beginning of the year. Stingley was instrumental in the title year and played almost every snap.

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Stingley over Peterson, which is crazy to say. Don't think Peterson started beginning of the year. Stingley was instrumental in the title year and played almost every snap.

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How was Mathieu his freshman year?

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Unexpected response. What happened to him? Was it injuries?

If he was a TR FR in 2003 why did he get passed over by backs like Alley Broussard?

Or was this a case of flash in the pan like Michael Dyer (Auburn)?

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He got fat and slow. He loved the bars.

Broussard had he not been hurt would've been an all time Tiger IMO.

1. Tim Tebow
1a. Emmitt Smith


Smith broke the UF single season rushing record as a true freshman, and he did so on a shitty team. That record has only been surpassed by him as a junior. But Tebow's impact on games as a true freshman was just otherworldly. The crowd would just buzz when he went into the game and actually boo when he came out of the game. I wonder what it was like being Chris Leak as a senior, 4 year starter, and all time UF passing leader to hear those boos when he went back in the game.

Honorable mention: Percy Harvin

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1. Tim Tebow
1a. Emmitt Smith


Smith broke the UF single season rushing record as a true freshman, and he did so on a shitty team. That record has only been surpassed by him as a junior. But Tebow's impact on games as a true freshman was just otherworldly. The crowd would just buzz when he went into the game and actually boo when he came out of the game. I wonder what it was like being Chris Leak as a senior, 4 year starter, and all time UF passing leader to hear those boos when he went back in the game.

Honorable mention: Percy Harvin

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I think Harvin would be the most impactful for Florida, on the field.

Tebow's impact on the field were converting key/clutch short yardage situations as a freshman, which for a championship season alone is worth its weight in gold. His off field impact is unquantifiable and Florida is still seeking some sort of life after his graduation, nearly 20 years ago.

Harvin I think was the best WR AND RB the moment he took the field as a true freshman for Florida.

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It's a damn shame he had those injuries. He had an inside track to becoming one of the greatest of all time in the conference, alongside Bo and Herschel.

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Lattimore's freshman season was 2010. SC beat UGA in week 2 or whatever and Lattimore was unstoppable. The column in the AJC Sunday morning was, I think Mark Bradley, and the lede was, "I've seen Herschel. I've seen Bo. Now I've seen Marcus."

In 2010, that wasn't hyperbole. Marcus was an absolute wagon.

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I think Harvin would be the most impactful for Florida, on the field.

Tebow's impact on the field were converting key/clutch short yardage situations as a freshman, which for a championship season alone is worth its weight in gold. His off field impact is unquantifiable and Florida is still seeking some sort of life after his graduation, nearly 20 years ago.

Harvin I think was the best WR AND RB the moment he took the field as a true freshman for Florida.

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Harvin was the most talented, but I disagree he was the most impactful. Tebow forced the whole team to raise their level of play just by the way he carried himself. He was the leader from the minute he stepped on campus. Harvin was truly electric, though, it's a good argument.