Andre Debose never wanted to be “the next Percy Harvin.”
He wanted to blaze his own path, and that just got easier to do.
Rather than play in the slot — Harvin’s former position — with Chris Rainey, Debose will line up on the outside Saturday against Miami (Ohio) and back up Deonte Thompson at the X receiver position.
Coach Urban Meyer mentioned the switch Monday, and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio said it was done to make Debose more versatile so he can see more playing time.
The reasons weren’t important to Debose, who’s happy to treat his new role like a football: just take it and run with it.
“[Coaches] really didn’t explain to me at all what it was, it was just, ‘We need you to play X,’” Debose said. “That’s the coach, and you listen to the coach.”
“It’s very new to me,” he added. “The X position is a lot of one-on-one matchups. I’m not involved with the linebackers and safeties, it’s just pretty much me and somebody the same size as me. It’s different, but I’m enjoying it.”
Redshirts for Orr, Trail: Florida’s coaches expect freshmen to contribute on the defensive line this season, but Leon Orr and Lynden Trail won’t be among them.
The pair will redshirt this year, defensive line coach Dan McCarney said.
Rivals.com listed Trail as the No. 7 weakside defensive end in the 2010 recruiting class and ranked Orr as the No. 11 defensive tackle.
“[They’re] not ready to play in the SEC, not ready to play winning football,” McCarney said. “They’re both going to be really good prospects. But at this time, through 20-some practices and scrimmages, they’re not ready yet.
“I’m really glad they’re at Florida and so is everybody in the program, but they’re not ready right now to go out there and play winning football.”
Moody fully healthy: Emmanuel Moody can finally stop worrying about his ankles and focus on breaking his opponents’ instead.
Moody said the surgery he underwent this offseason to remove bone spurs from his right ankle put a stop to the injury that plagued him in 2009.
“I don’t have pain when I run anymore,” Moody said. “I had pain all throughout the season last year. It would limit how I practiced. Preparing for the Sugar Bowl, I sat out like four practices and had to give it a rest for a whole week. The pain was pretty severe.”
His health is one of many reasons Moody is looking forward to this season. With quarterback Tim Tebow in the NFL, the Gators will rely more on running backs to carry the ball, and Moody’s looking forward to working out of the I-formation.
“We never used the I last year,” Moody said. “It’ll help out a lot with just putting the defense on their toes. They won’t really know how to line up with us when we’re going from the spread to the I.”
New uniforms revealed today: Florida is one of 10 schools being outfitted with uniquely designed Nike Pro Combat uniforms for at least one game this season.
The jerseys and game dates when they’ll be worn will be announced today at 10 a.m., and the press conference will be carried on GatorZone.com.
Alabama, Boise State, Miami, Ohio State, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, Texas Christian, Virginia Tech and West Virginia are the other schools participating.
