Tag: Malik Davis

Florida football down two key players for Vanderbilt game

Kaiir Elam and Malik Davis will miss the game vs. Vanderbilt.

Florida will look to get back in the win column after a disappointing loss at Kentucky last week, but it will have to do so without two of its key players, one on offense and one on defense.

Cornerback Kaiir Elam, who suffered a knee injury against Alabama and has missed the last two games, will be out for the third-straight week. The Gators will hope to have him back when they head to Baton Rouge to take on LSU next weekend.

Without Elam, UF is likely to start Avery Helm and true freshman Jason Marshall at the cornerback spots.

Running back Malik Davis, who leads Florida’s running back group alongside Dameon Pierce, didn’t dress for the game. In addition to Pierce, Nay’Quan Wright and former five stars Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman are likely to see action.

The Gators are heavy favorites against the Commodores and shouldn’t have much trouble despite being shorthanded.

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WATCH: Malik Davis runs for Florida’s first touchdown against Alabama

Davis powered through several Alabama defenders to score Florida’s first touchdown of the game.

Florida still has a long way to go if it’s going to pull off an upset of No. 1 Alabama, but a second-quarter touchdown run from Malik Davis is a start. After a disappointing start to the game offensively in which quarterback Emory Jones threw an interception and the team turned the ball over on downs, the Gators took over down 21-3 at their own 21.

After a 30-yard pass from Jones to tight end Keon Zipperer to get into Crimson Tide territory, Florida got some help from a pass interference call on fourth down on a pass intended for receiver Jacob Copeland. On the next play, Jones handed it to Davis, who burst through a hole in the ‘Bama defense and powered through two would-be tacklers to cross the goal line.

Chris Howard missed the extra point, but the touchdown showed signs of life from UF when the game was on the verge of getting ugly. Still, it will take quite an effort for Florida to crawl its way back into this one.

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Malik Davis ready to shine as Florida’s feature running back

The redshirt senior running back talked about his role in the expanded rushing attack this season.

Malik Davis‘ career has certainly taken quite a few twists. He burst onto the scene out of nowhere as a true freshman, finishing second on the team in rushing in 2017. He would’ve likely finished first were it not for a season-ending injury in the middle of the season.

But after that, he struggled to get back out on the field. After just three games in 2018, another injury ended his season prematurely. He’s seen quite a bit of action over the last two years, but his production has been limited.

That’s why it was at least a bit of a surprise to see the redshirt senior take the field as UF’s starting running back on Saturday night against Florida Atlantic, but he didn’t disappoint. He took 14 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown, marking the second 100-yard game of his career.

“It felt good knowing that people see the work that you’ve put in and knowing that the coaches believe in you and are putting you in situations to be successful,” Davis said after the game about being given the start.

He was just one piece of the puzzle for a massively successful UF rushing attack that went for 400 yards against the Owls, the most of the Dan Mullen era.

Davis said the team realized very early that FAU was struggling against the run and decided to exploit it.

“We just saw that they couldn’t stop us, honestly,” he said. “Everything we wanted to do, we did. For the stops that they did make, I believe we shot ourselves in the foot. We hurt ourselves at times in the game, but other than that I think that we just felt like they couldn’t stop us.”

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After almost exclusively looking for offensive success in the passing game with Kyle Trask last year, this team is expected to be much more balanced, especially with two quarterbacks rotating in and out who are dangerous with their legs.

Davis, who will likely be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this shift, alongside Dameon Pierce and Demarkcus Bowman, said that he’s excited for the schematic change.

“I’m definitely excited,” he said. “Because I’m a running back, but also because it opens up doors and opportunities for other guys. If teams know that we can run the ball a lot, it opens up plays for passes down the field.”

Davis was one of Florida’s biggest surprises in the season opener, and if he can hold on to the No. 1 running back spot and stay healthy, he should have the best season of his career in 2021.

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Florida football’s offensive identity is changing to fit the team’s talent

Florida’s rushing attack proved themselves last night behind Malik Davis and Anthony Richardson.

Florida isn’t the same pass-heavy team they were a year ago with Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts. In Saturday’s 25-14 win over Florida Atlantic, the new-look offense came out and ran up and down Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Gators amassed 400 yards rushing, breaking the team’s previous record of 369 yards on the ground in a season opener. Florida hasn’t produced that many rushing yards in a game since September of 2011. In fact, the Gators have only eclipsed that rushing total three times in the last 25 years.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson led the team with 160 yards on just seven carries, one of which was a 73-yard touchdown run. Starting running back Malik Davis joined Richardson in the 100-yard club with 104 over 14 carries.

It’s clear that the offense will lean more heavily on the run this year after seeing the team in action on Saturday. Davis doesn’t mind the extra responsibility, though.

“I’m definitely excited,” Davis said. “Because I’m a running back, but also because it opens up doors and opportunities for other guys. If teams know that we can run the ball a lot, it opens up plays for passes down the field.”

Gators coach Dan Mullen was reluctant to call his team a run-first team but acknowledged that the team’s strengths were on the ground against FAU.

“We’ve done it before,” Mullen said. “We are going to do what our guys do well, that’s what it is. Honestly, I would love to continue to be balanced. We ran it a bit more than we threw today, 46 runs and 35 passes, but some of those were scrambles too. I think you’re able to stay balanced, but our explosive plays came on the ground and so we got to look at that a little bit.

“Are we taking the shots down the field to be explosive in the pass game as well? We’re going to do what we’re going to do, if we need to lead the nation in rushing, we’ll do that. We are going to do what our guys do well.”

After Richardson’s emergence led to Florida putting up the most rushing yards so far in the Dan Mullen era, it’s safe to say that the thing the team does best right now is running the ball.

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These eight Gators made the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl watchlist

Which of Florida’s seniors will wind up in the Reese’s Senior Bowl at the end of the year? Here are some to keep an eye on.

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Eight Florida football players made it onto the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist: safety Trey Dean III, defensive lineman Zachary Carter, linebacker Ventrell Miller and Jeremiah Moon, tight end Kemore Gamble, running backs Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis, and offensive tackle Jean Delance.

Last year, Kadarius Toney, Trevon Grimes and Shawn Davis represented the Gators in the Senior Bowl. Toney and Davis were selected in the 2021 NFL draft along with quarterback Kyle Trask, who turned down an invite to the game due to injury. For NFL hopefuls, the final game of their collegiate careers can make a world of difference in terms of draft stock. The annual game is coached by personnel from two NFL teams typically and consists mostly of prospects for the NFL draft.

Carter, Gamble and Miller perhaps have the best chance of the eight to see some action in the game. Miller and Carter could have declared for the draft after last year but both decided to return. Carter has the benefit of returning to his natural edge position after filling in at tackle last year. Gamble is finally getting a crack at the starting tight end role after sitting behind Kyle Pitts and he’s ready to make the most of it.

The Senior Bowl will be played on Jan. 29 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

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Florida football’s running back room is deep and diverse

Not many running back rooms in the country have the luxury of having a unit that can do it all like Florida will have this season.

Coach Dan Mullen and running backs coach Greg Knox have quite a luxury in their running back room this upcoming season. They have five tailbacks that deserve snaps and specialize in a different aspect of the game.

Florida running back Dameon Pierce was asked at Pre-Fall Camp Media Availability to break down the whole room. He said that he was the bruiser of the group while his teammate Malik Davis is a really good pass catcher and likes to play in the open field. Pierce compared Nay’Quan Wright to a Swiss Army Knife and finally said Demarkcus Bowman and Lorenzo Lingard were the speedsters in the unit.

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The depth and diversity in the Gators running back room are why many media experts believe they can be the best in the SEC. However, Gene Chizik, an analyst on SEC Network, isn’t one of them. He placed running backs rooms at Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn ahead of Florida.  Pierce and the rest of his teammates will quickly prove Chizik wrong where he’ll have to bump Florida up during the season.

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Ignore the hate, Florida’s running back room is one of the best in the SEC

The disrespect the preseason magazines like Athlon and Lindy’s Sports Magazine have shown Florida’s running backs corps is unwarranted.

Florida’s running back room is loaded. It has five players with varying skills who can put up eye-popping numbers on paper.

Dameon Pierce is a human bowling ball. Malik Davis stars in the passing game. Nay’Quan Wright is a Swiss Army knife, and Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman are the ones who can do it all.

Only time will tell if the talent will translate into production, but it’s still mildly surprising that none of the Gators tailbacks made any of Athlon’s or Lindy’s Sports Magazine All-SEC teams. Athlon also rated the group as fifth-best in the SEC, which adds insult to injury.

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Athlon ranking the bunch fifth is the most shocking despite the struggles Florida endured on the ground last season. However, most of the blame can be placed on the offensive line because the group struggled to generate enough push up front and reach the second level of the opposing defense.

Florida will have to rely on the running game instead of its aerial attack this season because of new dual-threat quarterback Emory Jones. Coach Dan Mullen also favors run plays over passing ones typically. The last two seasons with Kyle Trask were an anomaly because of how special Trask was.

It’s unlikely any of the five backs ranks near the top in any rushing statistical category this season because of coach Mullen’s propensity to rotate backs to keep them fresh. But Athlon’s disrespect to the group as a whole on paper is unwarranted.

The only running back room that matches Florida’s depth and talent is Georgia. The Bulldogs return multiple five-stars, such as Zamir White and James Cook, and former four-star Kenny McIntosh.

Regardless of what the preseason magazines think, the Florida running backs don’t care.

 “The sky is the limit,” Davis said, according to Swamp247. “We’ve got guys returning and got experienced guys. So we’re definitely excited to get out there and see what we can do.”

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Running back Malik Davis hopes to close out Florida career on a positive note

Davis hasn’t been able to match the production from his freshman season, but he’ll hope that in Year 5 he can reach his full potential.

Name: Malik Davis

Number: 20

Position: Running Back

Class: Redshirt Junior

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 205 pounds

Hometown: Tampa, Fla.

High School: Jesuit

Twitter: @Campaign_Lik

2020 statistics:

ATT YDS AVG TD LNG REC YDS AVG TD LNG FUM LST
66 310 4.7 0 39 31 377 12.2 0 39 0 0

Overview:

A three-star recruit out of Tampa, Davis wasn’t expected to contribute much as a true freshman when he signed with former Gators coach Jim McElwain. But during his first year on campus on 2017, he was one of the lone bright spots in an anemic Florida offense. He played in seven games (and started two) before an injury ended his season, but he still managed to finish second on the team in rushing with 526 yards and two touchdowns on 79 carries.

He was expected to be a major part of the offense in 2018, but just three games into the season, he suffered another injury that ended his campaign, as he finished with just 61 yards on 13 carries. He took a medical redshirt for the season.

Davis returned healthy for the 2019 season, but he saw his role on the team diminish considerably. Florida didn’t run the ball much, and Davis found himself third on the depth chart behind Lamical Perine and Dameon Pierce. Despite appearing in 12 games, he only had 86 yards on 34 carries with a touchdown.

He slightly returned to form in 2020, though UF’s run game as a whole struggled once again. Davis played in all 12 games and started two of them, finishing with 310 yards on 66 carries, the most since his freshman season. He didn’t manage a touchdown, though.

Davis returns for his final season of eligibility as a redshirt senior in 2021, and though he’ll likely be playing behind Pierce (and will have to compete with former five-stars Lorenzo Lingard and Demarkcus Bowman, as well as Nay’Quan Wright for backup reps), he’ll try to maximize the potential he’s shown in flashes throughout his career.

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What can LSU do defensively to take down Florida?

The LSU defense has struggled this season, but has a chance to right the wrongs against Florida this weekend.

LSU has struggled defensively all season, showing problems in all facets of defense through eight games.

As the Tigers head to Gainesville on Saturday, an upset is unlikely for LSU, but the defense could end up being the talk of the game for the Tigers if the offense struggles like last week.

Bo Pelini and the staff have worked to try to fix the issues on this side of the ball all season, but it’s something that is taking patience each game.

Here’s a look into what LSU must do defensively to get the win over Florida.

Contain Florida’s deep attack

When Florida quarterback Kyle Trask begins to find his rhythm, it is hard to keep him contained from throwing the deep pass.

But, the Gators have a trend in 2020 of starting games slow on offense, which has led to teams keeping a close score until the second half.

That’s where the Tigers have an advantage. If Florida starts off the game slow, it could help the defense put pressure on Trask.

LSU had trouble last week with Alabama as Mac Jones and Devonta Smith torched the Tigers defense for three first half touchdowns on deep throws.

This week, Derek Stingley Jr. has to be covering the Gators’ top receiver. Against Alabama, Cordale Flott covered Smith and that did not work out well for LSU.

If the Tigers can force Trask into unwanted throws down the field and cause turnovers, the secondary can have a solid game.

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WATCH: Mullen on Nay’Quan Wright, Gators running back rotation

Redshirt freshman RB Nay’Quan Wright led the Gators in rushing on Saturday with six carries for 31 yards and UF’s only rushing touchdown.

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Florida struggled a bit to find success on the ground on Saturday. Just 90 of the team’s 402 yards of offense came in the rushing game.

But one back in particular is, a bit surprisingly, standing out through the first three games.

Redshirt freshman running back Nay’Quan Wright led the Gators in rushing on Saturday with six carries for 31 yards and UF’s only touchdown on the ground all game.

At his press conference on Monday, coach Dan Mullen said that Wright, who already has more yards than he did a year ago, has become a key part of the Florida offense.

“He’s a guy that, since he’s been here, takes care of his business every day,” he said. “Very quiet, not the loudest guy out there, extremely intelligent football player. I think you can see that not just with his talent but with the plays that he makes. His reads, his patience running the ball, understanding the system, how to run routes, he’s got great hands coming out of the backfield.”

In the first two games, backs Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis saw the bulk of the carries. But Mullen said that having a wide running back rotation makes it very difficult for opposing defenses to prepare for the Gators’ offensive attack.

“I think we have several guys that can contribute and do different things and bring little different styles to the game, that work hard and deserve those touches,” Mullen said. “I also think when you put different people in, plays hit a little different. I always say that. Plays hit a little differently depending on what backs are in the game. We’re not running different plays, but they kind of fit and hit differently and the same with guys running routes and how defenses want to match up with those people are different.”

UF will hope it can exploit some of those mismatches moving forward to balance out its offensive game plan, which has been overwhelmingly pass-first in the first three games.

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