HOOVER, Ala. -- Don't be surprised if Steve Spurrier receives a few boos the next time he is introduced at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Southeastern Conference Media Days ended with a bang Friday at the Wynfrey Hotel when Spurrier, the Gators legend and current coach at South Carolina, revealed that he was the man that left Florida quarterback Tim Tebow off a preseason All-SEC team coaches' ballot. Spurrier described his snub as a ``serious mistake'' and apologized profusely on Friday.

``I messed up,'' Spurrier said. ``I'm trying to correct it best I can, but I messed up.''

The SEC Media Days turned into a witch hunt this week when coach after coach told reporters that they voted for Tebow as the league's All-SEC first-team quarterback. The story grew and by Friday morning -- the final day of the three-days-long SEC Media Days -- it was a national headline. Spurrier, who won a Heisman Trophy at Florida and then led the Gators to national prominence as a coach, said he voted for Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead instead of Tebow.

``I take the blame,'' Spurrier said. ``I take full responsibility.''

Well, not really.

PLEADS IGNORANCE

Spurrier pleaded ignorance Friday for leaving Tebow off the ballot. The Ole' Ball Coach said a South Carolina sports information director filled out the All-SEC ballot. According to Spurrier, he signed off on the ballot without reading the names on the list.

``When all this came up Wednesday -- I guess, in the Thursday morning paper -- I read, `Some guy did not vote for Tim Tebow.' Who was that?'' Spurrier said. ``Our director of operations filled it out, brought it in to me one day. I looked at it quickly. I said, `That's fine.' I signed off on it.''

Spurrier, who looked uncomfortable but sincere as he explained the story, said his sports information director voted 10 Gators to the All-SEC first team but left out Tebow in an attempt to diversify the number of schools on the preseason All-Conference team. Spurrier spent all day Friday attempting to mitigate the media fallout.

He apparently called Tebow on Friday morning and apologized over the phone. Spurrier then contacted the SEC's front office and asked to change his All-SEC quarterback vote from Snead to Tebow. The SEC allowed the change.

``I was able to put in Tim Tebow [Friday], so it's unanimous,'' Spurrier said. ``I know some of you may think that's maybe not right, but we made a mistake there. I made a mistake there.''

`BEST IN THE COUNTRY'

``Tim Tebow is not only the best quarterback in this league, I think he's the best in the country,'' Spurrier said. ``I think he's the best football player in the country.''

The controversy surrounding the coaches' preseason All-SEC team raised several questions about the process by which coaches select their teams. Most coaches rely on their sports information directors to fill out ballots. Spurrier said he has never filled out a ballot in 17 years.

``I'm embarrassed about what happened,'' Spurrier said. ``It was something that just happened. I feel badly about it. In fact, I didn't sleep worth a dang last night thinking about it.''

In 2007, the year Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, Spurrier refused to disclose his ballot. Tebow accounted for seven touchdowns against the Gamecocks that year, including five rushing scores. In 2008, No. 3 Florida defeated No. 24 South Carolina 56-6. This season Florida plays at South Carolina on Nov. 14.