Tebow’s playing status a game-day decision

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow’s status against No. 4 LSU appears that it will be a game-day decision.

Florida coach Urban Meyer said Wednesday that his medical staff told him to prepare as if the injured Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback will play Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Team doctors also warned Meyer that Tebow might not be cleared in time for the game.

“It was very simply, ‘Plan to play with him and plan to play without him,’ ” Meyer said following practice. “That’s day to day.”

Tebow practiced Tuesday for the first time since suffering the first concussion of his career Sept. 26 against Kentucky. He was hospitalized overnight, and there has been much speculation about whether he should return against the Tigers.

Meyer has left the decision up to the team’s medical staff, but there’s little doubt he would rather have Tebow running the top-ranked Gators in Death Valley instead of sophomore John Brantley making his first career start on the road and in front of a hostile night crowd.

Tebow was given partial clearance to practice Tuesday, with team doctors telling him to avoid contact for now. Although one concussion expert told Meyer he should let Tebow take a few light shots to the chest, the coach said it hasn’t happened.

Meyer also said doctors assured him Tebow would not be any more susceptible to a second concussion Saturday as he would be later in the season.

“You’re healed, you’re healed,” Meyer said. “So whether it’s next week or the week after, if you’re not healed, you’re not healed.”

Tebow and Brantley split repetitions Tuesday and again Wednesday. Meyer said Tebow, who was a little rusty in his first practice, looked better the second time around.

“He looked good today,” Meyer said.

But Meyer declined to speculate on the possibility of his star player playing against LSU.

“Is it an advantage, us not telling?” Meyer said. “I’m not worried about that right now. We’re game-planning as if there’s a chance Tim could play. There’s a chance he won’t play. That’s going to be pretty much the response until the foot hits the ball down there.”

Regardless, Florida intends to err on the side of caution.