Tim Tebow stopped off in central Florida yesterday on the way to the Heisman Trophy presentation and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien awards.

The Florida sophomore quarterback beat out fellow Heisman finalist Darren McFadden of Arkansas and Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's best all-round player, at the college football awards show held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista.

"I just want to thank my teammates and all the seniors back in Gainesville," Tebow said. "I'm just glad to be a Gator."

Tebow, the first player in major college football to run for at least 20 touchdowns and throw for at least 20, is considered the favorite for the Heisman and is trying to become the first sophomore to win the award.

The Maxwell used to be considered a good barometer for predicting who would win the Heisman, but none of the last seven Maxwell winners have gone on to win college football's most prestigious individual award.

The other Heisman finalists who will be in New York tomorrow night for the award ceremony are Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel and Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan.

Tebow beat out Daniel and Dixon for the O'Brien award, given to the nation's top quarterback.

McFadden won the Doak Walker Award for best running back for the second consecutive season. Ricky Williams of Texas was the last player to win back-to-back Walker awards in 1997-98. McFadden ran for 1,725 yards and had 2,172 all-purpose yards, breaking the school records he set last year.

Penn State linebacker Dan Connor won the Bednarik Trophy as the nation's best defensive player, making it three straight and four overall for the Nittany Lions. Linebacker Paul Posluszny won the Bednarik the past two seasons and linebacker LaVar Arrington won it in 1999.

"It's the reason I went to Penn State because it's Linebacker U.," said Connor, who beat out LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis.

Dorsey won the Outland Trophy as college football's best interior lineman. The senior had already won the Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (outstanding defensive player).

Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree became the first freshman to win the Biletnikoff Award, given to the top receiver. Crabtree leads the nation with 125 catches and 1,861 yards receiving.

Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back, Thomas Weber of Arizona State took the Lou Groza Award for best kicker, and Georgia Tech's Durrant Brooks won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter.

The coach of the year was Kansas' Mark Mangino, who led the Jayhawks to a school-record 11 victories and their first Bowl Championship Series appearance.

WALTER CAMP AWARD

MCFADDEN IS FIRST RAZORBACK TO WIN

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was honored as the 2007 player of the year yesterday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the first player from his school to receive the honor.

McFadden, a junior, beat four quarterbacks for the award: Daniel of Missouri, Dennis Dixon of Oregon, Matt Ryan of Boston College and Tebow of Florida.

The announcement was made by foundation president John Barbarotta.

The winner was chosen by the nation's 119 Football Bowl Subdivision coaches and sports information directors. The trophy will be presented Jan. 12 at the foundation's annual awards banquet in New Haven.

"We are extremely pleased with the selection of Darren McFadden as our Player of the Year," Barbarotta said. "His all-around offensive performance for the Razorbacks — whether it was running the ball or passing it — has been most impressive and extremely worthy of this prestigious honor."

The 6-foot-2 McFadden set Arkansas single-season records this year with 1,725 rushing yards and 2,172 all-purpose yards, breaking the records he set last year. He scored 16 touchdowns and had nine 100-yard rushing games, including a 321-yard effort in a win over South Carolina Nov. 3 that tied an SEC record.

He is the Razorbacks' all-time leading rusher (4,485 yards) and all-purpose yardage leader (5,743).

Arkansas will play Missouri in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 1.

NAIA

MONTANA-WESTERN'S TOMMY LEE RETIRES

Montana-Western football coach Tommy Lee has announced his retirement after seven seasons at the NAIA school.

"I have thought about retiring the last few years and it was just the right time," Lee said yesterday in a statement released by the school. "I have been coaching for over 40 years and I want to spend more time with my family and on the golf course. I will miss the players and the relationships that develop with my coaches and players."

Lee is the brother of University of Hawai'i coaches Ron and Cal Lee.

Rich Ferris, the defensive coordinator for the past seven years, has been promoted to head coach.

Lee took the Bulldog program over in 2001 and compiled a 33-43 record including Frontier Conference co-championships in 2002 and 2004 and a spot in the NAIA playoffs in 2002.

"Tommy did a great job here and we are sad to see him go," said Western athletics director Mark Durham. "He is well respected in the coaching fraternity. His teams played a fun and exciting style of football."

A native of Honolulu and a Saint Louis School alum, Lee earned honorable mention All-America honors as a quarterback for Willamette College in McMinnville, Ore., where he graduated in 1963. He played one season in the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Rough Riders.

Lee also coached at Saint Louis, and was head coach at Willamette for 10 seasons.