FAYETTEVILLE -- Tim Tebow, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and most popular man on Florida's campus, graced another magazine cover this week.

It was a big one, too. Sports Illustrated.

But unlike his other magazine covers over the past few years, this one doesn't show the dual-threat quarterback smiling or posing with a football in his hands.

Instead, the latest Sports Illustrated cover features a photograph of Tebow getting hit by Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy as he attempts a pass. The headline reads, "Rebels Rise," and the picture was taken during Ole Miss' 31-30 upset in The Swamp last Saturday.

Perhaps the last thing Tebow needed during a trying week that has seen both him publicly apologize for the loss and Florida drop out of the top 10 was a constant reminder of it on newsstands.

"Everybody's been very supportive, very nice. Everyone in (the) community and in class has been extremely supportive," Tebow said. "'We love you (and are) praying for you.' That means a lot."

College football's most popular player isn't having the best week ever. In fact, the past few days have been tough as he has prepared to face Arkansas at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Florida's coaches have tried to turn Tebow, who set an NCAA record by rushing for 23 touchdowns as a quarterback last season, into more of a pocket passer. But his numbers are down and last Saturday's loss caused some critics to question the decision to tinker with the Heisman Trophy winner.

"I'd let Tebow be Tebow," Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley wrote this week.

Tebow has also received plenty of attention for his emotional speech following the Ole Miss loss, which served as a severe blow to No. 12 Florida's national championship hopes.

The quarterback, with his eyes red from apparently crying in the locker room, stood in front a group of reporters and told Florida fans that he was "extremely sorry" for the loss. He had hoped to lead the Gators to an undefeated season.

"But I promise you one thing: A lot of good will come out of this," Tebow said during the speech in which he stopped several times to compose himself. "You have never seen any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of this season."

Tebow's words even caught the attention of several Arkansas players, who are also at a crossroad in their season after a pair of lopsided losses to second-ranked Alabama and No. 5 Texas.

"I think Tebow is going to have his team rallied," Arkansas center Jonathan Luigs said. "You could see from the comments, the way he talked to the press after the game and the attitude he has."

One thing that could help Tebow get over the past few days is a big performance against Arkansas, which showed in last Saturday's 52-10 loss at Texas that its defense has trouble stopping a running quarterback.

Texas' Colt McCoy did his best Tebow impersonation, beating the Razorbacks with his arm and legs. He completed 17-of-19 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns to go along with his nine carries for 84 yards and two touchdowns.

And even though Tebow isn't putting up the same mind-blowing numbers that helped him edge former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden for last year's Heisman Trophy, the Razorbacks have taken notice of him in preparations this week.

"He's a giant," Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said of the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Tebow. "He's a lot bigger than the kid we played last week (McCoy)."

Arkansas' coaches respect Tebow so much they used three quarterbacks to try to replicate him in practice this week.

Through Florida's first four games, though, Tebow hasn't looked like the same playmaker who accounted for more than 50 touchdowns running and passing the football last season.

Florida coach Urban Meyer wants Tebow to stay in the pocket and find his receivers rather than being so quick to tuck the football and run.

The change seems out-of-character for Tebow, and he has looked uncomfortable at times as a result. He has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for six touchdowns with no interceptions, but he has rushed for only 125 yards and two touchdowns.

"I think we've made a conscience effort for him to sit in the pocket," Meyer said. "But that's healthy as well."

Of course, there is a chance that the hard-running, fan-taunting Tebow of old could make a return Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville.

Said Tebow: "Possibly we'll spread it out a little more."