Andre Debose isn’t used to this. He isn’t used to special teams being his only outlet. He isn’t used to being an afterthought.
He isn’t used to last season.
“It was the first time it didn’t feel easy,” he said.
From the moment Debose committed to the Gators, live on ESPN, two and a half years ago, the Percy Harvin comparisons became unavoidable. Considered one of the best prep pass catchers in his class, Debose was seen as the perfect do-it-all mismatch maker to fill the cleats of No. 1, who bolted for the NFL weeks before Debose signed his letter of intent.
And from the moment Debose committed, he has done everything he could to dispel the Percy 2.0 hype. No use.
Eyes track him every time he steps on the field, fans hoping to see the rare Harvin-like explosiveness that could ignite a stagnant offense.
And at times, he’s flashed that potential, just watch film of him taking kicks to the house against LSU and South Carolina. But both those games ended in losses, and, likewise, Debose did little else, ending the season with just 10 catches for 96 yards.
Urban Meyer and former receivers coach Zach Azzanni criticized Debose for not learning the playbook.
Earlier this month, Debose admitted he took plays off in practice last season, something he had been able to get away with in high school. But he also said he never struggled learning Meyer’s playbook; the coaching staff was just too tightly wound, he said, benching players if they made minor mistakes.
“You go into practice just scared to mess up; of course you’re going to play slower and probably mess up more,” he said.
On the offense’s side of the room at Florida media day on Aug. 5, returning weapons Trey Burton, Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey and Jordan Reed all sat front and center. Debose was tucked into the edge of a table on the left side of the room, far from the center of attention.
He isn’t used to that.
Maybe he won’t need to be.
Debose
