1 » ABC is making the most of its subsidiary’s employment of former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow, according to The Hollywood Reporter, by having the Heisman Trophy winner sit in Friday as a guest co-host on Good Morning America. Tebow, who signed with ESPN in December to cover college football and be the face of the SEC Network (set to launch as its own channel in August), will join the Time Square-based show to discuss the forthcoming Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and his former team, the Denver Broncos.
2 » The highest-profile former Florida player actually participating in Sunday’s big game is Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has a penchant for stepping up when championships are on the line. Harvin was cleared to return to practice last Wednesday and will be full-go for the Super Bowl with head coach Pete Carroll saying the playmaker has looked “great” in practice. Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey called Harvin “a dangerous man” on Sunday, “one of the most explosive guys coming off the ball” and someone who can “change the game.” Harvin on Tuesday declared himself “ready to go.” “This is what I live for,” he said. “I’m used to playing in big games since I was younger, whether it was in Pop Warner or the two with the Gators.” As a freshman, Harvin picked up 82 total yards and a touchdown in Florida’s 41-14 2007 BCS National Championship win over Ohio State. Two years later in the 2009 BCS National Championship, Harvin exploded for 171 yards and a touchdown in UF’s 24-14 victory against Oklahoma.
3 » Though Harvin has certainly dealt with more adversity this season, Denver defensive end Jeremy Mincey has also had an up-and-down 2013 campaign. Late to numerous meetings while with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Mincey was listed as inactive for consecutive weeks, returned to the field in a victory effort and then got cut the following week. Former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, now defensive coordinator with the Broncos, picked him up – and now he’s playing in the Super Bowl. “I didn’t think I’d be here this year, but I’m here now,” he said Tuesday, according to the Florida Times-Union. “I’m just enjoying the moment. It’s a blessing. … I didn’t expect to actually be in the mix the way I am, but [Denver] threw me in the fire. I responded, and we’re here. … I’m just trying to bust my butt and make every play.”
4 » Former Gators DE Jarvis Moss, as first reported by OnlyGators.com, was arrested in Gainesville, FL on Jan. 13 and charged with both felony tampering of evidence and misdemeanor possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis after initially being pulled over for running a stop sign. Moss was accused of intently chewing “large pieces of cannabis,” which he denied, but did admit that he had been “smoking cannabis earlier” in the evening. Charges were dropped Monday when, during the prosecution phase, a judge found insufficient evidence in the case. Moss had entered a plea of not guilty.
5 » Former Florida forward Alex Tyus, now playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League, threw down this highlight dunk on Sunday. Throgh 13 games, Tyus is averaging 5.2 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 62.5 percent from the field.
6 » Cornerback Marcus Roberson‘s decision to leave the Gators early is looking better with each passing day. Though there remain legitimate concerns about his injury history and minor off-the-field problems, scouts are finally coming around to unanimously believing he is a better NFL prospect than teammate Loucheiz Purifoy. In fact, CBSSports.com draft analyst Dane Brugler has him listed as the No. 16 overall player on his board, calling Roberson “a fearless confident cover corner” who when healthy “has the footwork, movement skills and competitive nature to blanket receivers along with the instincts to make plays on the ball.” Purifoy is not even listed among Brugler’s top 50 prospects available for selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
