In The Spotlight: Gators Receiver Andre Debose
Saturday, August 6, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Some of the Gators' top offensive threats sat at a podium in the center of the room where the players conducted interviews on Friday at Media Day.
Trey Burton, Jordan Reed, Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey shared stories and laughs in front of a group of reporters and several TV cameras.
Off at a side table was redshirt sophomore receiver Andre Debose, perhaps the most highly touted of any player on the roster coming out of Sanford's Seminole High in 2009.
Debose didn't seem to mind.
“I love the way it is now instead of always being 'the man' and always having everybody with their eye on you,'' Debose said. “I love being under the radar.''
In his two years at Florida, Debose spent his first season watching from the sideline after leg surgery prevented him from playing. Debose returned to the field last season and showed at times why he was such a sought-after recruit, returning a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and finishing second in the SEC at 28 yards per return.
But as a receiver, Debose never really found his role, finishing with just 10 catches for 96 yards. With new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis installing a pro-style offense, Debose is the type of threat the Gators will need in the passing game.
He missed most of the spring with an ankle injury and is ready to play catch-up when the Gators hold their first practice of fall camp on Saturday morning.
“Mentally, I'm 100 percent more prepared than I was last year,'' Debose said. “Last year I still had a lot of doubts in my mind about my injury and everything. Every year [since] I came to Florida I've always had something on my mind coming into the season.
“This is the first season I can actually just focus on football and have nothing else lingering in the back of my mind.''
Debose's said he discovered his new-found clarity over the summer when he re-prioritized his life and the role football plays in it. No heart-to-heart talk with a coach or parent. Just a renewed focus and commitment to becoming the best player he can.
“It's something that happened over the summer,'' he said. “I really just took football to another level. I have really made football a priority of mine.''
While he didn't get significant work in Weis' new offense in the spring, he likes what he has seen so far.
“In high school, I did play a lot of positions,'' he said. “Now being able to focus just on wide receiver … I feel like it's helping me a lot.
“You have to be more precise on your routes; you've got to know your depths more than in this offense. I feel like you've got to be more of a getting off one-on-one jams in this offense. In this offense your speed will be exposed. A lot of times the situation is going to be one-on-one. I feel like this offense will show your skills.''
That's what Gator fans are hoping for from Debose.
