Apples & "Oranges", Sarge.
Manning was essentially a 4-year starter in a pro-style offense as opposed to a 3-year starter in a gimmicky (yet effective) college-centric scheme. Tweaking a few things is way different than completely blowing everything up and starting from scratch. I'm very certain Peyton didn't decide to change how he grips the football, for instance, nor did he have to learn how to consistently handle the Center exchange or correctly execute a 3/5-step dropback without tripping over yourself.
My earlier point was that he could've already fixed the mechanical part last year at this time, so now all he would've had to do was adjust to a new scheme. Everyone knew this was going to be an obstacle for him.
Tebow's career completion percentage is better than Mannings was.
He threw for 88 TDs to Mannings 90.
He threw 16 INTs to Mannings 33
He threw for 9.33 yards per attempt to Mannings 8.27
He threw for 14.04 yards per completion to Mannings 13.16
Looking at what little film I can find of Tenny back then, Manning had Jamal Lewis to do his running. Tebow didnt. Looked like quite a few 3 and 4 WR spread sets for Manning back then. Saw quite a few "gimmick" plays.
Sure he was under center more. The spread wasnt hot then like it is now. I dont remember that many HS QBs who werent under center then. Thats changed now.
Regarding "fixing things last year", it is not the job of colleges to get players ready for the NFL. Do some do it, yes they do, but to expect Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, Pete Carroll, Jim Tressell, Brian Kelly, or any other college coach to change his entire offense and throw winning out the door to get a guy ready for the NFL is BS. Tim Tebow, like Colt McCoy, Terrell Pryor, Drew Brees, etc etc etc went to their schools to win. I guarentee you ask any one of them to choose between losing and being drafted in the 2nd round or winning a national title and going in the 3rd or 4th, and they will take that title every time.
Comparing Tim Tebow to Danny Wueffel isnt a fair comparision either. Tebow is a different kind of QB than he was.
So he doesnt fit your 6-5 statue QB prototype? People said the same shit about Drew Brees and he turned out well. Jeff Garcia wasnt too bad. I remember a guy named Randall Cunningham that did well. Hell even Vick won playoff games before he drowned the dogs.
By your standards, Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, and David Carr should have turned out to be super stars and those guys should have been bench warming busts, but as history shows that argument isnt going to work for you.
In case you missed it the last decade or so, the spread offense is the thing in college and high school now. Take a look around, and you will see tons of QBs who are at D1 schools and never had a hand up a centers ass. Thats the way of things now. The NFL is going to have to either adjust to this, which some teams are, or they are going to have to learn to find guys with raw talent and ability who are smart enough to be molded into what they want them to be, and stop hunting for 6-5 statues.
Tim Tebow could have sat back, not done a damn thing, and got drafted high. I will give him he has balls to face this stuff head on and show teams he WANTS to get better and WILL take coaching and WILL work his ass off. I'll admit, as Floridas QB I hated the guy. As a pro QB prospect with heart, desire, and the strength to face his flaws and actually try to correct them and get better rather than sit on his ass and do nothing, I respect him.