"I do see where NFL coaches come from in that they need a guy to be able to throw the ball before the receiver is looking and have the whole thing perfectly orchestrated," said Brown. "But Tiller and Chaney were one of the first groups I saw that effectively taught the three-step drop from shotgun. If you think back to NFL guys like Marino and Elway and Jim Kelly who spent a lot of time in the shotgun in the late-'80s and mid-1990s, they never threw [quick] drop passes, which is precisely why Bill Walsh never liked the shotgun and you never saw much of it in the NFL until later. I think it still explains much of the animosity to spread quarterbacks. There's the idea that you can't teach timing. But it's also no surprise that Tiller thinks it's hogwash, because he's been doing it since 1997."
Florida coach Meyer has not yet enjoyed the same track record with his spread-groomed QBs. His acclaimed Utah protégé, Alex Smith, has largely been a disappointment for the 49ers after going No. 1 overall in the 2006 draft. Tebow's Gator predecessor, Chris Leak, went undrafted and now plays in the CFL. Under considerable scrutiny following his star-studded Florida career, Tebow has garnered harsh reviews for his practice performances this week leading into Saturday's Senior Bowl, none more so than from ESPN's draft analyst Todd McShay.
"I've never seen a quarterback at an All-Star game like this with such an obvious delivery issue," said McShay, who called Tebow a "third-round pick at best," adding, "He needs either to strip down and start over completely as a passer ... or he may need to play a different position in the NFL."
