Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

UF freshman restores element of wonder

By JOHN ROMANO
Published September 10, 2006

GAINESVILLE - You cannot count on the kid. He is simply too young. And, surely, you cannot build the offense around him. He still has too much to learn.

You cannot do anything but appreciate the breadth of his talent, and wonder exactly how it will play out in the weeks ahead.

Can Percy Harvin really be the difference between where the Florida Gators have been, and where they are going?

There was much to appreciate in UF's 42-0 victory against UCF on Saturday night. The defense was stifling, and Chris Leak was fairly brilliant.

But the most noticeable change in the Gators from last year to now is the 18-year-old freshman receiver from Virginia Beach.

A lot of athletes can make plays, and the Gators have several. But Harvin is one of those rare performers who can make memories.

It is something to consider in the days leading up to the Tennessee game. There have been too many times in recent seasons when the Gators were a play or two from victory, and had no one capable of answering the call.

"The question of the year was what did you learn about the SEC," coach Urban Meyer said of his first year around the conference in 2005. "The thing (I learned) last year is that it's 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 plays that win a game against these great defenses. So having that much more firepower makes you feel good."

Even now, two games into his college career, Harvin appears to be the type of player who can make a difference against the nation's elite teams .

He is quick, and he is elusive. He also appears to have a star's instinct for big plays and game-changing moments.

Oh, he is going to make mistakes. Harvin stopped short on a pattern against Southern Miss and it caused a Leak interception. He fumbled Saturday, and dropped a pass, too. There are too many inconsistencies in his game to consider him the focal point of the offense.

But, when he is on the field, there is a dimension that has been missing from Florida's offense for far too long. It is not just the 8-10 times he touches the ball that changes the offense, but his presence draws attention from UF's other receivers and backs.

"He draws a lot of attention," Meyer said. "A player like that is what everybody in college football is looking for."

When was the last time UF had a player who could make an opposing defensive coordinator wake up drenched in sweat? Rex Grossman? Fred Taylor?

Harvin has been a small part of Florida's game plan the past two weeks, yet led the team in rushing in the opener, and in receiving against UCF. After two weeks, he is averaging 100.5 yards combined rushing and receiving, and that doesn't include a nearly 75-yard run Saturday called back by a penalty.

It is silly to make comparisons of someone so young. But it gives you an idea of the way Harvin jars the imagination when you hear teammates laughingly call him Reggie Bush. Or when recruiting analysts used the name of Deion Sanders. Or when his high school coach referred to him as Michael Jordan in cleats.

A playmaker, is what Meyer calls him. He says the same about freshman quarterback Tim Tebow.

Tebow, like Harvin, gives Meyer options that did not exist last season. Florida has a different offense when Tebow is in the game. Not necessarily a better offense, just a different one.

With Leak at quarterback, Florida has a formidable passing attack but not much of a running threat. With Tebow, the Gators can actually run Meyer's preferred spread option.

It is no coincidence that the biggest running plays of the game came in Tebow's first drive in the second quarter. He makes defensive players choose whether they are going to chase a tailback or the quarterback.

Understand, he is not nearly as polished as Leak and shouldn't challenge him for serious playing time. But Meyer can make life annoying for opponents by slipping Tebow into the huddle at odd moments to change the way the offense looks.

Does any of this mean the Gators are ready to reassert themselves at the top of the Southeastern Conference after five years of falling short?

It is too soon to tell. UF had too many misfires in the first half Saturday night to be completely sold on Meyer's second season in Gainesville. There were dropped passes, silly penalties and too many balls put on the ground.

It is also important to remember that the freshmen have not been on the road. They've not played an SEC opponent. They have not met a ranked team.

There is no way, really, to know how they will react Saturday in Knoxville.

But there is enough there to make you wonder.

[Last modified September 10, 2006, 01:57:33]