Florida fans need to lay off embattled QB Leak

	Chris Leak doesn't have a Heisman or a national title, but how can you begrudge a guy who's thrown for 8,271 yards and 65 touchdowns? Bob Rosato/SI
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As loyal Mailbag readers are well aware by now, I don't have a problem criticizing college football figures when I feel it's deserved.

I don't mind sticking my neck out there, even if it comes at the potential expense of my own safety. (One of the scariest moments of ACC media days this week was stepping off a hotel elevator to find myself alone in a lobby with the Mailbag's recently dubbed "worst coach," Chuck Amato. There would have been no witnesses.)

However, it should also be noted that I'm often the first to come to the defense of someone I feel is being unfairly vilified, as was the case last December with Ohio State tight end Ryan Hamby, the guy whose third-quarter touchdown drop against Texas in the second week of the season inexplicably turned him into a Bill Buckner among some Buckeyes fans.

To that end, I'd like to make the following plea to all the Florida Gators fans in the audience: For God's sake, lay off poor Chris Leak!

I see another frustrating season coming up for the Gators with Chris Leak under center. What are the chances of seeing Tim Tebow at QB this season when/if Leak struggles again?
-- Mike, Dunedin, Fla.

OK, we know Chris Leak has the starting QB job at Florida, but how many losses do you think it will take for Urban Meyer to pull him in favor of Tebow? I'm guessing two -- out of the title race and probably a little peeved at the whole season.
-- Joe Ballou, Apex, N.C.

OK, guys. I'm going to offer you a list of three potential culprits for Florida's offensive struggles last season. Tell me which one you think was the least troubling.

1. A trio of running backs that combined to average 110 yards per game (there were 18 ballcarriers around the country who averaged more than that on their own).

2. An offensive line that purportedly blocked for those runners while also allowing 35 sacks in 12 games.

3. A quarterback who completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.

I understand that the folks in Gainesville are getting a little antsy, seeing as it's now been five years since the Gators were serious contenders for an SEC or national title. I also understand that Steve Spurrier left a legacy not only of winning but also of scoring a lot of points. And I also understand that the quarterback is always the primary scapegoat when an offense struggles.

But Leak is not the problem, people. Is he the world's greatest runner? Not exactly. Could he have made better decisions at times? Sure. But in his three years as the starting quarterback, I've never seen him go out there and absolutely stink up the joint. He's never had a Chris Simms/Chris Rix/Brock Berlin-caliber meltdown. He's probably going to finish his career as one of the most prolific passers ever to play for quarterback-rich Florida. And yet people want his head.

I attribute this phenomenon to several factors: a) Leak was such a highly touted recruit four years ago that nothing short of the Heisman and/or national title seems befitting of his reputation; b) Spurrier set a precedent for such things by juggling quarterbacks like they were hot potatoes; c) Leak's robotic personality, once viewed as a reflection of his "dedication to the game," hasn't exactly endeared him to the masses; and d) most Florida fans have already moved on to their new Leak: Tebow.