Arkansas Football: Why a Bigger Knile Davis at RB Means Problems for the SEC
In 2010 the Arkansas Razorbacks offense was centered on the quarterback. Ryan Mallett was pegged as poster boy and team leader for the Razorbacks, and he performed admirably.
In 2011 the Razorbacks will be without Mallett, who is headed for the NFL, but they will still have a player they can rely on to lead them through a difficult SEC schedule.
That player is Knile Davis. Davis is bigger and hopes to be better in 2011, as he tried to lead the Razorbacks to a national championship.
Davis Emergence
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Last year when the season started, the Razorbacks had a stable of running backs. Head coach Bobby Petrino toyed with the running-back-by-committee philosophy. Petrino hoped that one of the running backs would emerge as a starter and make his decision easier.
That player turned out to be Knile Davis.
Davis took advantage of his playing time to become the most dangerous player on a team filled with weapons.
2010—Breakout Year
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At the start of the season, Davis was not the main runner and he never got more than six carries in the first four games of the season. Then after some injuries in the backfield, Davis got his chance to shine, and he never looked back.
He started to impress with every carry and as the season progressed, he became the featured back. He ended the season with five straight games with over 100 yards rushing and that was against some stiff competition to include Ohio State, LSU and South Carolina.
Davis left his impression on this team and vowed he would be even better in 2011.
New Year, New Look
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As part of the changes, Davis wanted to put on more weight so he would be harder to stop. The Southeastern Conference’s leading returning rusher from a year ago is back and bigger than ever. He reported to practice at 230, much bigger than the 218 he ended the season at.
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Packing on the Muscle
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Davis did more than just pack on the pounds during the break, Davis also brought on the muscle. Putting on weight is much more than eating cheeseburgers; to be an efficient running back, strength is important.
Davis bench-pressed 415 pounds, ranking fourth on the entire team. Davis brings some added muscle to all that weight.
Faster than a….
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Davis is also fast for a player of his size. On test day before practice started, Davis ran a very impressive 40 time. His 40 time ranked third on the team and it was enough to show that Davis is ready for the 2011 season.
Hit the Books
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Davis understands that football is not all about the body; it is also about the mind. Davis spent the offseason learning more about football. He emerged in the offense and honed his fundamentals. Davis wants to be a better blocker, rusher and receiver. Davis wants to be the total package.
Leader of the Pack
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The Razorbacks lost several players that were leaders on this team. On offense Ryan Mallett, D.J. Williams and DeMarcus Love, provided leadership that kept the offense focused on the goal at hand.
This year Davis has embraced that role and is already become the vocal leader during practices. This drive and focus will improve his game and help his teammates emerge as better players.
Change is good
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Davis set goals leading up to spring practice and up to this point he has met them all. He reached the weight he wanted, increased his strength and his speed and is now seen as a leader.
This improvement will translate to better play on the field and the respect of his teammates and the opposition. Playing in the toughest conference in college football won’t be easy, but Davis is up to the challenge.
Potential Unlimited
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This year the sky is the limit for Davis and the Razorbacks. Petrino’s offense is high scoring, but features the running back more than people think. Davis will get an entire year to display his skill set and if last year is any indication, he could lead the SEC in rushing.
The SEC better be ready for Davis, because Davis is ready for the SEC.
Heisman?
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It is not a stretch to believe that Knile Davis will be a candidate for the Heisman Trophy. The Razorbacks return an experienced team and Davis will be the focal point of the offense.
Last year Davis finished second in rushing yards to Cam Newton and that was without as many carries as he will have this year. The Razorbacks are poised for a successful season, and if they reach a BCS game it will be because Davis had an excellent year.
If that falls into place, then Davis will get an invitation to New York as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
Here we go…
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The Razorbacks look forward to the 2011 campaign and should be among the elite in the SEC. Knile Davis is eager to face the opposition and lead the Hogs to a shot at the national title.
Running the ball is never easy, but it will be exciting to watch Davis take on the SEC and mow down the opposition!
Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews and predictions. Feel free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com.
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