TWO BITS: Tebow doused, can read defenses

1 » The hazing for Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow began on Aug. 2, but it continued yesterday as two of his teammates – tight end Daniel Graham and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd – decided to provide the former Heisman Trophy winner with an ice cold shower on the practice field Thursday. At least he was able to cool off in that harsh Colorado heat. Here is the caption from the The Denver Post:

[Tebow gets drenched with buckets of water] as he kneels in the mud after diving for a football during the rookies initiation at the afternoon practice August 5, 2010 at Dove Valley. Each rookie had to do the slip n slide for a loose ball in in the grass that was soaked with water prior to practice. Players came up from the slide all muddy and dripping in water.

2 » On a more serious note, Woody Paige tackles a reader’s question about the rumor that Tebow struggles with reading defenses and processing information quickly.

Josh McDaniels told me months ago that one of the major attributes Tebow possessed that impressed the coach was his ability to read defensive linemen and linebackers. Scott Loeffler, the quarterbacks coach at Florida (who formerly was in the NFL), agreed with that assessment.

McDaniels said he questioned Tebow about various alignments and defenses, and Tebow unquestionably knew how to read defenses. The coach also said he had quizzed another famous quarterback (drafted by another team this year), and he had no clue about reading defenses.

“When I asked him why, he said the coaches at (his college) never taught him how to read defenses,” McDaniels said.

When McDaniels asked why, on his own or with help, he hadn’t studied defenses between the end of the season and before the draft and gotten a better understanding of defenses, the quarterback replied that he intended to do that once he got to the pros.

I genuinely believe McDaniels in this case. He wouldn’t have put so much stock in Tebow if he didn’t believe the rookie was capable of recognizing defenses at the snap of the ball.

Photo Credit: John Leyba/The Denver Post