Fifth-year senior running back Malik Davis caps his college career on Thursday a mile from where he starred in high school. (Photo: Chris Kim/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Davis Right At Home As College Career Closes
Tuesday, December 21, 2021 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
TAMPA — Florida's unexpected season has created unexpected serendipity for running back Malik Davis.
A fifth-year senior, Davis will play his final game for the Gators in his hometown, about a mile from where he starred at Jesuit High School. As a prep senior in 2016, Davis rushed for nearly 2,500 yards and capped his career with a Hillsborough County record 7,029 yards, winning the Guy Toph Award as the county's most outstanding player.
Malik Davis during his youth-football days growing up in Tampa. (Photo: Courtesy of Davis family)
Davis' college career has not been as productive, hampered by a pair of season-ending injuries in 2017 and '18. Davis worked his way back and through injuries and coaching changes, he turned in Florida's only 100-yard rushing performance by a running back this season with 104 yards in the season-opening win against Florida Atlantic.
He enters Thursday night's Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium against UCF with 401 yards on the season, tied with injured redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Richardson for third on the team.
For his career, Davis has rushed for 1,384 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry with seven touchdowns. He had never played at Raymond James Stadium until earlier this season when had 22 yards on seven carries in Florida's 42-20 win over USF.
He didn't know at the time he would be back so soon.
"It's definitely special,'' Davis said Monday when the team arrived here. "It'll definitely be exciting. You know, last game of the year, at home, in the Raymond James. So, it'll be fun."
There is a special sidebar to Davis' return.
On Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Jesuit won its first state championship in 53 years by defeating Pensacola Pine Forest in the Class 6A Championship Game. The last time Jesuit won a state title, future Gators running back Leonard George, the first Black player to sign with the Gators, starred for the Tigers.
Davis was unable to watch the game but planned to congratulate his alma mater in person. Florida is scheduled to practice at Jesuit on Tuesday afternoon.
Davis appeared ready for stardom as a true freshman when he piled up 526 yards in his first seven games, including his first career 100-yard rushing game (124 against Vanderbilt). However, he suffered a season-ending injury in Florida's loss to Georgia. He returned the next season but went down with a season-ending knee injury three games into the season.
Davis is a grizzled veteran three years later, hoping for one final shot at Orange & Blue glory in his hometown.
"I mean, any game that we're going to go play has importance,'' he said. "You know, it's an opportunity for us to go out and showcase our talent, and [an] opportunity for us to just go play the game that we love. So, we're definitely pumped up."
