Hamstring woes hobbling Debose

Andre Debose, who may have a torn tendon in his hamstring, was billed as one of the key players who could help make up for Percy Harvin's departure after his junior season for the NFL.

That may not happen.

Florida coach Urban Meyer said after Saturday's practice that Debose is having more problems with a hamstring injury first suffered at the state high school track meet. It appeared the injury had cleared up over the summer but it now appears to be more serious that first thought.

"Debose, we found out there is some damage to his hamstring that doesn't happen very often," Meyer said. "It's a tendon. We're going to evaluate the significance of it, though, it's a real injury. We worried it was just a tight hamstring or a hamstring pull or a hamstring strain. It might be something more than that. We'll have more details over the weekend and Monday.'"

Debose was at practice Saturday, but he didn't participate.

"I don't know,'" Meyer said of any possible surgery. "I just found this out last night. They are doing more research on it. It's not a common injury. It must have happened in that state track meet. A lot of times you don't MRI hamstrings. You just heal them and get going."

Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey and Brandon James are all veterans who have seen time in the "Percy position" during preseason drills, which ended Saturday.

UF has the rest of the weekend off and begins preparation for next Saturday's season opener against Charleston Southern on Monday.

DOE BACK: Senior LB Dustin Doe, suspended during preseason after legal issues surrounding driving repeated times with a suspended license, returned to practice Friday.

Doe is on probation and must do community service. He likely will miss at least the season opener, if not more games.

"His status I'll announce sometime next week,'" Meyer said.

NOTEWORTHY: LB Lerentee McCray has a broken bone in his hand and is in a cast. Fellow LB Brandon Hicks (ankle) is jogging and should be back Monday. DT Lawrence Marsh (ankle) is also slowed. ... WR Carl Moore (back) is still out, but Meyer is hopeful he will get back. ... Rainey has a sore shoulder and was held out Saturday. Meyer said Demps is leading the fight for the starting running back job, but starters won't be announced until next week.