Ponte Vedra Beach Nease QB Tim Tebow commits to Florida

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Posted 6:06PM on Tuesday, December 13, 2005

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Tim Tebow, considered the nation's best high school quarterback by many recruiting services, is going to Florida. Tebow, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Ponte Vedra Beach Nease standout, committed to the Gators on Tuesday, spurning Alabama, LSU, Michigan and Southern California, among others. ``This is a very big day in my life. This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make,'' Tebow said. The left-handed Tebow led Nease to this year's state Class 4A championship, capping a career where he threw for 9,940 yards, completed 631 passes, totaled 13,050 yards in total offense and had 159 touchdowns all state records. His ability to both run and throw would seem to make him the ideal fit for Urban Meyer's spread offense with the Gators. Tebow's Nease team utilized a very similar system. ``It's just a very exciting time at the University of Florida,'' Tebow said. ``And I want to be part of it.'' Flanked by his parents, Tebow made the announcement on national television during an event at Nease, a school he led to prominence but never attended. Tebow, whose father is a full-time evangelist, is home schooled. Tebow said he was enamored with Meyer's character, although added that he felt he couldn't have gone wrong with any of his five finalists. Tebow was Florida's ``Mr. Football'' for 2005 after scoring 55 touchdowns, six coming in the state title game where Nease defeated two-time defending champion Seffner Armwood 44-37. Tebow threw for 3,442 yards and 34 scores in his final high school season, plus rushed for 1,045 yards and 21 more touchdowns. ``It was a magical season,'' Tebow said. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)