Tebow practices with cast; Trautwein returns

Tim Tebow practiced for the first time with his non-throwing right hand in a Gator blue cast on Thursday, but said he's adjusting to playing with one hand.

Tebow broke the hand during the third-quarter touchdown run in last Saturday's game against Florida State.

“I’m not sure exactly how it broke, I guess I hit someone going in,’’ Tebow said. “It’s painful, it’s a broken hand. But I was too excited, it being Florida State, to worry about that.’’

Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen said he's not concerned about Tebow being able to play in a bowl game.

"Shoot, he played with a broken leg in high school,'' Mullen said. "The hand was something pretty minor. They grabbed me after the game and said take a look at this. I said what hand is that? They said right. I said then it’s no big deal, we’re good to go.''

Also on Thursday, center Phil Trautwein practiced after missing the season with a broken right foot. The foot is still heavily taped.

"I went full go today,'' he said. "I feel good. I did everyting the offensive line did today. I just had some soreness because my ankle hasn't been doing this much, but that's it.''

Trautwein said he's eager to get into bowl practices, which will give him an opportunity to get a head start on the spring after missing so much.

"That's another kind of spring,'' he said. "I get 15, 20 practices to get better, so
that's what I'm looking at.''