GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? The most anticipated matchup in the 17-year history of the Southeastern Conference Championship Game is only a day away, and the status of the best player remains uncertain.
Will Florida junior Percy Harvin, recovering from an injury to his right ankle, line up for the No. 2 Gators (11-1) on Saturday in Atlanta against No. 1 Alabama (12-0), or will Harvin watch from the sideline?
His official playing status remains questionable, according to Florida coach Urban Meyer, and the decision to play the dual threat wide receiver/ running back likely will be made the day of the game. Kickoff is set for 4 p. m.
If Harvin?s ankle is too weak for action, Florida isn?t letting on. According to Meyer, Harvin is ?getting better and better,? but he still hasn?t done much on the practice field in the past few days other than pester the coaching staff about his playing time.
Harvin, who has accounted for 16 touchdowns this season, sprained his ankle against Florida State last Saturday, and since then, he has been lobbying Meyer for a quick return.
According to Meyer, Harvin is making every effort to find a way on to the field.
And that includes dropping reminders to Meyer about the 2006 SEC Championship Game.
Harvin was voted the Most Valuable Player of that game.
?Harvin is as competitive a human being as I?ve ever been around,? Meyer said Monday.
?He plays well in this game. He has made that very clear to me a couple thousand times in the last two days.?
Harvin did not attend practice Wednesday and instead worked with trainers in Florida?s swimming pool to build strength in his ankle.
Meyer said Harvin has spent 10 hours a day aggressively rehabilitating his ankle.
Injury-prone since his freshman season, Harvin has missed four games during his three-year career. In several more, he has played despite being injured.
One of Harvin?s most dramatic turnarounds occurred the week before the 2006 SEC Championship Game.
Harvin suffered a neck injury against Florida State in 2006 and was carried off the field on a backboard. He even reported numbness in his neck.
Similar to this week, Harvin didn?t practice the week before that championship game.
None of that mattered. He scored two touchdowns in a 38-28 victory against Arkansas, rushing for 105 yards on six carries and catching five passes for 62 yards.
The university has guarded Harvin from the media this week, but Meyer said Harvin is in good spirits despite his latest setback.
Harvin had heel surgery over the offseason to correct a chronic bone injury and, according to the university, missed the season opener because of it.
?He?s doing everything he can possibly do, and our training staff is the best in college football, so it?s all positive,? Meyer said.
?The negative is, it?s a sprained ankle, and we know what sprained ankles mean.?
Florida running back Emmanuel Moody suffered a sprained ankle earlier this season and missed three games.
Harvin missed action his freshman season because of a sprained ankle.
Whether Harvin is healthy enough to play Saturday or Meyer uses this multitalented playmaker as a decoy, Alabama?s defense is preparing for Harvin the same way ? as if he had ungoverned access to his abilities.
Harvin has at least one touchdown in 14 consecutive games (the top active streak in the nation), leads the Gators in receiving (35 receptions for 595 yards) and is second behind Chris Rainey in rushing (61 carries for 538 yards).
?He?s a great player,? Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas said. ?He?s a great playmaker. When you think of the Florida Gators, you think of Percy Harvin. He?s kind of the first thing that comes to mind.?
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still no final word on Percys status.
He is going to play , lets just face facts.
you know what to do Alabama defense.
snap , snap , snap