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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:58 p.m., Monday, March 31, 2008

CFB: Florida WR Harvin might need heel surgery

Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin will miss the rest of spring practice and might need surgery to repair a heel injury.

Coach Urban Meyer said today that team doctors were consulting with specialists to determine how to treat Harvin's nagging right heel.

"It's unique," Meyer said. "Not many guys have ever had this, and the MRI showed that it's a significant injury."

Even if Harvin does have surgery, Meyer said he will be back at full speed before fall practice in August.

Florida opens its season by hosting Hawaii Aug. 30.

"Everything I've been told, there's no chance of any issue in the fall," Meyer said. "They just want to fix it."

Harvin first felt heel soreness in high school, and it really started bothering him last summer. It was initially treated as tendinitis, but doctors now believe it is a bone-related injury.

Harvin also has dealt with pain in his knee and hip, something Meyer said was a result of the speedy junior trying to compensate for the heel injury.

Harvin ran for 764 yards and six touchdowns last season and caught 59 passes for 858 yards and four scores.

He hasn't played every game in either of his two seasons, missing time because of an ankle injury in 2006 and sitting out two games last year because of migraine headaches. He's also missed practice because of heel, knee and hip soreness.