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College practice reports

By PETE YOUNG, ALEX ABRAMS and ANTONYA ENGLISH

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 3, 2001

USF's Hicks is eligible

South Florida wide receiver Elgin Hicks has regained his eligibility and could play in Saturday's game at Utah.

Hicks, a transfer from Florida, was removed from the team by coach Jim Leavitt late this summer for academic reasons. Last week Hicks returned to the team as a practice player only, and he became eligible when he made up work from a class he took this summer and the grade was changed.

Hicks, who came to USF just after the start of the 2000 fall semester, was ineligible because he had not earned 24 credits in the academic year.

"He got eligible (Monday)," said Steve Horton, USF's assistant athletic director for compliance. "We received a note saying he got a grade changed ... from an F to another grade.

"His GPA is okay, that wasn't the issue. He will be eligible (immediately)."

Hicks, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore, redshirted in 1999 as a freshman at Florida and did not play last season for USF. He has been dogged by injuries and illness since an All-America high school career at Punta Gorda Charlotte.

ALMOST THERE: Wide receiver DeAndrew Rubin, a standout in the first two games but nearly invisible in the past two games because of turf toe in his right big toe, said before Tuesday's practice that his toe felt fine and was "97 percent" healed.

FSU starter out 3-4 weeks

TALLAHASSEE -- Starting defensive end Alonzo Jackson will be out 3-4 weeks with a sprained right MCL. He will not need surgery.

"I was praying for it to be a bruise, but I think my prayers were answered by (the MCL) just being sprained instead of torn and stopping the season," said Jackson, who walked with a crutch.

Starting noseguard Jeff Womble is day-to-day with a sprained ligament in his left elbow. He practiced Tuesday with his hand in a cast and could play against Miami on Oct. 13.

NOTES: Highly recruited freshman Eric Shelton will work at running back and fullback after asking coach Bobby Bowden about playing more. ... Running back Greg Tony was released from the hospital after suffering a small compression fracture of the mid back. He will be out 6-8 weeks.

Gators focus on LSU

GAINESVILLE -- The focus of practice this week has been just that: a message to stay focused.

Coming off a 52-0 win over Mississippi State, the last thing the Florida coaching staff wants is for the Gators to start believing they are that good.

So everything this week is geared toward reminding the players of that.

It started with tape review on Monday. Instead of watching the entire game, defensive coordinator John Hoke said he put together a tape of just the defense's mistakes, which they watched and dissected.

"I thought it was a good idea," defensive end Kennard Ellis said. "Obviously we knew we played a good game so to correct our mistakes was the best thing to do."

"It wasn't all of the mistakes we made, just the biggest mistakes," defensive tackle Ian Scott said. "We watched about 10 or 15 plays."

END OF THE SEASON: Defensive tackle Kenny Parker and linebacker Travis Harris, both sophomores, will be redshirted, Hoke said. Parker had back surgery in the offseason and is rehabilitating. Harris had shoulder surgery in the preseason.

LSU'S DAVIS DOUBTFUL: Injured LSU starting cornerback Robert Davis is doubtful, coach Nick Saban said.

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