Cam Davis Has Turned into 2019 Richard Newton: All TDs, No Starts

Cameron Davis comes off the bench at running back for the University of Washington football team, backing up Wayne Taulapapa. He's dealt with assorted bumps and bruises limiting his snaps at times. He didn't even play against Stanford.

Yet the 6-foot, 208-pound sophomore from Rancho Cucamonga, California — say that real fast 10 times — leads the Huskies in touchdowns so far this season.

In his five outings, Davis has found the end zone seven times, providing three scores last weekend at Arizona State.

He's putting on a Richard Newton show, the 2019 version.

Three years ago, Newton, the 6-foot, 212-pound junior from Lancaster, California, topped the UW with 11 touchdowns, 10 rushing and the other on a reception while never starting a game.

Now it's Davis' turn to play a lead role in production while getting second billing on the depth-chart marquee below Taulapapa, the Virginia transfer.

"I'm not surprised," the confident Davis said of his team-leading TD total, which is one off the Pac-12 best. "When you work hard and prepare, you expect good things to come."

Cameron Davis didn't score on this play, but he rushed for 42 yards against Arizona State, providing the Huskies' longest run of the season.

Cam Davis fakes a handoff against UCLA as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. hangs onto the football in Pasadena. Davis ran just three times for 8 yards against the Bruins and this marked the only game in which he played but didn't score.

Carrying two guys into the end zone, Cam Davis scores against Michigan State with a first-quarter, 1-yard run on the Huskies' game-opening possession. This marked his fourth TD in three outings. Center Corey Luciano (74) signals the score.

Running back Cam Davis returns to the Husky sideline after putting his team up 7-0 with an opening-series score and he's greeted enthusiastically by UW coach Kalen DeBoer.

Cameron Davis trails Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on an option play to the left side against Michigan State, ready for a pitch if necessary. Davis led the UW in rushing that day with 69 yards on 17 carries.

Surrounded by teammates, a joyous Cam Davis applauds the moment after putting the Huskies ahead 7-0 with his 1-yard run to cap an opening 7-play, 77-yard drive against the visiting Michigan State Spartans.

Cam Davis scored twice against the Portland State Vikings, shown here scoring his second six-pointer on a 3-yard run at Husky Stadium. Davis provided 70 yards rushing on 10 carries that day.

In the second game of the season, Cam Davis scored twice. Here he's shown crossing the goal line on an 8-yard run on his team's opening series to give the Huskies 7-0 lead. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) and offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten (73) both signal touchdown.

Cam Davis signals a first down for the Huskies in their non-conference win over Portland State, a game that ended up 52-6. Davis was one of five UW running backs who drew carries that day.

Late in the first quarter of the season opener, Cam Davis scored on a 1-yard run against the Kent State Golden Flashes, giving the UW a 21-7 lead. Davis ran the ball 8 times for 18 carries that night.

He opened the season with a 1-yard scoring run against Kent State to give the Huskies a 21-7 lead in the first quarter.

A week later, Davis scored twice against Portland State, crossing the goal line on an 8-yard TD romp on the UW's opening series and again on a 3-yard run in the third quarter.

He scored in his third consecutive game when he found the end zone on the Huskies' opening series against Michigan State on a 1-yard plunge.

Against Arizona State, Davis carried the ball just nine times but he scored on second-half runs of 4, 1 and 5 yards, providing a TD on his every third carry.

"I'm just ready whenever my number is called," he said.

He still has six games left to add to his touchdown total in the UW's new high-powered offense, one that averages 41 points per game.

Entering the season, Davis had just 2 career Husky touchdowns to his name.

Of course, while emulating Newton's previous high-scoring ways, he needs better luck than his fellow veteran Husky running back thereafter.

Since his big point-producing output during Chris Petersen's final year as coach, Newton has scored just three touchdowns for the Huskies in three seasons. He joined this team late after he suffered a season-ending knee injury against UCLA in 2021 and butting heads with the Jimmy Lake coaching staff and sitting much of 2020.

For now, Davis brings his high production while rotating in. He ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in overall scoring. And not only did he go for a touchdown trifecta against Arizona State, he broke a 42-yard non-scoring run in the desert, one that ranks as the UW's longest of the season.

"I just want to contribute to the team as much as I can," Davis said. "If that's getting into the end zone, I'm going to let it be that. I'm not going to shy away from that."

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