College Football Betting Odds

Gators' Harvin Nearly 100 Percent - July 21st, 2008

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook

Want to find a Heisman sleeper this year? Look no farther than Gainesville. No, I’m not talking about reigning Heisman winner Tim Tebow but about the most explosive player on the Gators if not in college football: receiver Percy Harvin.

UF coach Urban Meyer said his multipurpose threat is "ahead of schedule" after having surgery on his right heel in the spring and is expected to make a full recovery.

"He's starting to run full speed ... and is as strong as he's ever been," Meyer said. "It's been a very good summer for Percy."

Nagging injuries seem to plague Harvin as he enters his junior and likely last season in Gainesville. He will definitely be lining up at tailback as well as receiver this year. In 2007, Harvin put up a total of 1,622 yards (764 rushing, 858 receiving) on 142 touches –11.4 yards per touch. He also scored 10 TDs.

Harvin had surgery in early April, hoping to relieve years of pain in his right heel that had bothered him off and on since his high school days in Virginia Beach.

 

“He's doing tremendous," Meyer said. "What happens with skilled athletes and you see it all the time -- especially with the race-horse-type guys -- if they hurt a certain part of their body, another part of their body takes over and then you start having the hip flexors, hamstring issues, quad issues. So we're being very cautious."

Harvin hasn't played every game in either of his two seasons, missing time because of an ankle injury in 2006 and sitting out two games last year because of migraine headaches. He opted to have the heel surgery, which caused him to miss spring practice and the Orange and Blue game, in an effort to open the season fully healthy. He also spent plenty of time in the weight room bulking up.

According to Meyer, Harvin should be 100 percent for the first day of practice Aug. 4.

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