Once Forgotten, Gators RB Malik Davis Ready To 'Refresh' Memories
Adversity hits everyone at different times, but when it hits all at once, consecutively, it can be rough - especially if you're a college athlete trying to find your way in a crowded backfield. That athlete is Gators running back Malik Davis. Once thought of as a sure-fire All-SEC tailback, suddenly he was gone, almost forgotten.
"That’s fine, I love it. Let them forget, I like it,” Davis told reporters on Wednesday when asked about being thought of as a "forgotten" player among many. After dealing with a knee injury in 2017 and then a foot injury in 2018, many past him by, while he seemingly stood stagnant.
In 2017, Davis rushed for 526 yards on 79 carries, averaging 6.7 yards-per-carry on the year. He added two touchdowns to boot, playing in replace of former Gators running back Jordan Scarlett, who was out due to a suspension for much of the span. Seemingly the future at tailback looked bright, and he was shaping up for a great season the year after.
When 2018 didn't work out due to another injury, 2019 didn't appear to be much better. Although he didn't get injured, Davis was largely ineffective, rushing for only 86 yards and averaging a lowly 2.6 yards-per-carry. The Davis of old hadn't been able to properly train his body over the two years prior, and it was clearly catching up to him.
Now that he's fully healthy, Davis was finally able to take advantage of the Gators' strength and conditioning over the offseason, working with coach Savage as much as he could through a pandemic and upon returning to campus when it was permitted. Now up to 205 pounds from around 195, Davis feels better than he has in the past, refreshed.
"I think the main thing coming back from injuries, and the injuries that I had, is just being able to come back and being comfortable, and trusting that you’re okay," said Davis. "Now that I got a whole offseason with coach Savage — this is my first real offseason with coach Savage being not injured — so now that I got that whole offseason with coach Savage, I definitely feel more comfortable and stronger."
The Gators' offensive backfield will operate much differently than last season. While, certainly, there will be one guy leading the way at some point during the season, Davis made a point to say the team has rotated all running backs within the room, allowing everyone to get an opportunity to receive a proper evaluation from the team's coaching staff.
Competitiveness is a part of every athlete's overall makeup, there's no other choice. It's be known, or be forgotten, and Davis isn't ready to have the latter be his legacy.
"When people go down with injuries, people tend to forget. That’s how sports go. I’m ready to refresh their memory," said the redshirt junior. "Hearing that and just thinking about people forgetting, it gives me chills. It pumps me up."
Watching his former teammates have fun on the gridiron seemingly without him last season was "hard" on the running back. While he was wasn't injured, he still wasn't able to get out on the field and contribute much towards the team's goals, "but I just kept my head down, kept working, and everything just turned out just how it was supposed to be."
Gators coach Dan Mullen has already seen a transformation from the running back, telling the media last month that Davis finally looked like the player he saw when Mullen first arrived in Gainsville. That ought to bold well for his future in what could be one of the last season's Davis has at Florida.
In order to step it up, Davis will need to work on other areas of his game, and it appears he has taken that to heart, improving as a pass-catcher, something former Gators running back Lamical Perine did last season which ultimately led to him being selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
While Davis feels he's always had a pass-catching ability, due to his injuries, he wasn't always able to showcase it as much as he wanted, unable to make the moves that are required for success.
"Now that I’m 100 percent comfortable and healthy, it’s easy for me to go out there to make those plays like they know I can."
This season will be a great opportunity for Davis to jog everyone's memories, or create new ones for those who have yet to see his talents at Florida. Either way, he's healthy, he's ready to roll, and he's ready to be remembered - not forgotten.
