Malik Davis gets a carry at a recent practice. (Photo: UAA Communications)
Davis Quickly Back in Mix for Gators
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
In what remains a painful flashback for the Gators, the weekend of Oct. 28-29 last season is one they would prefer not to revisit. First, with head coach Jim McElwain's job status tenuous, the Gators got hammered 42-7 by Georgia in Jacksonville, their third consecutive loss.
The next night back on campus, Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin announced the school had reached a separation agreement with McElwain and that defensive coordinator Randy Shannon was the interim coach.
With the coaching change dominating the headlines around the program, Davis retreated into the shadows and began to deal with the grim end to his freshman season.
"It was the first time anything like this ever happened [to me], so I was devastated when it happened,'' Davis said. "I can't take anything back from what happened, so I just had to move forward and be positive. That's what I did."
Davis suffered the season-ending right knee injury in the first quarter, his final play of the season a 6-yard reception from quarterback Feleipe Franks for a first down. Florida already trailed 21-0 at that point and losing Davis, who took a hard hit from Georgia's Lorenzo Carter and J.R. Reed on the play, didn't help their chances of mounting a comeback.
In his first season out of Jesuit High in Tampa, Davis announced his presence with a 94-yard performance against Tennessee, the first of five consecutive 90-yard games. He ran for a career-high 124 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Vanderbilt.
However, less than a month later Davis was out for the season following knee surgery.
"I just wanted to practice, be able to work out,'' he said of the aftermath. "It was hard for me just sitting back and watching my teammates work out and have fun."
Davis rehabbed through spring camp and participated in limited drills under first-year head coach Dan Mullen. While running backs coach Greg Knox voiced optimism about his progress in the spring, Davis' availability for the upcoming season remained a mystery.
Once the Gators opened preseason camp, it was evident to anyone watching that Davis had made significant progress coming off reconstructive knee surgery.
"A lot of people have been telling me I look like I didn't miss a beat, miss a step,'' Davis said. "That's what I wanted. I wanted to come back and people not even able to tell I was hurt or anything."
Mullen said Wednesday that the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Davis will be ready to start the season 10 months after his surgery. Davis spent Wednesday's practice working in the sandpit after getting a lot of work in Monday's scrimmage.
"I know he's been training really hard and working really hard,'' Mullen said. "He's done a good job. He's got some talent. He's got some burst. He can play with power. For a guy that might not look like you're big, bruising back, can play with power and has speed.
"He's still learning. He's a little behind. He's crunched down in time even more because he didn't get to go through [spring] even though he was in meetings and walking through and seeing it in spring, he didn't get to physically do it, but he's coming along."
Davis rushed for 526 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per carry as the team's most reliable playmaker prior to his injury. With Jordan Scarlett back from a season-long suspension and Lamical Perine and Adarius Lemons vying for carries, the Gators' experienced backfield is one of their strengths.
Knox calls Davis a "home-run hitter," capable of breaking off a big run at any moment. Davis continues to learn the new offense.
"It fits me so I like it,'' he said. "It's a lot of read-option and stuff like that. A lot of running."
Davis has flashed the kind of quick cutting ability he showed in his breakout stretch last season. He wears a brace on his right knee now, but Davis is confident he can resume his career without any limitations.
"I'm feeling really good," he said. "I had a great support system after the injury. The training staff here has just been tremendous by helping me rehab and by staying on top of me. With them helping me and just staying on top of me, it's been easy.
"I want to be able to contribute to my team and win. That's the goal, to win."
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