The Mysterious Disappearance of Mike Davis
posted by Scott Hood on Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Really, what’s happened to the junior running back from Columbia? Has he disappeared from USC’s offense?
It seems like it.
I know Davis suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s when he was tackled hard and fumbled at the UF 38 after picking up a first down.
Here’s the punch line: the fumble came on Davis’ third carry of the game. Remember, we’re talking about the fourth quarter here.
It’s quite apparent senior Cory Boyd has become the ball carrier of choice for the USC coaching staff over the last five games starting with the road win at North Carolina on Oct. 13.
In that game, Boyd carried 20 times for 95 yards, while Davis had just five carries for 20 yards.
Over the last five games, Boyd has 79 rushes for 442 yards, an average of 5.6 yards per carry. Conversely, Davis has carried just 34 times for 133 yards.
The shift to Boyd was sudden, and still largely unexplained. The only thing the USC coaching staff has said is Boyd has been in the game for running plays while Davis has had the misfortune of being on the field when USC has thrown the ball.
I think there’s more to it than that. But what?
All I know right now is that if there is something, nobody is telling.
Davis had more carries than Boyd in four of the first six games of the season. When the Gamecock players walked off the field following the Kentucky game, Davis was USC’s leading rusher with 393 yards on 79 carries, an average of 5.0 yards per carry.
Boyd was averaging 4.7 yards per carry with 387 yard on 82 rushes.
So, through the first six games, the carries were split roughly 50/50 between Boyd and Davis.
But everything changed with the UNC game.
Over the last five games, Boyd has received close to 70 percent of the carries. Davis has received few chances to carry the rock, finishing with single digits in carries in four of those contests.
Maybe it’s just a production thing. Boyd has averaged 5.6 yards per rush in the last five games, while Davis is churning out the yards at 3.9 yards a clip.
But, I don’t think Davis has been given a fair chance to showcase his considerable skills.
Heck, he averaged 7.0 yards on this three carries against Florida.
Are all these extra carries a going away gift for Boyd? I doubt it. The USC coaches, especially Spurrier, will usually play the guy they feel gives the Gamecocks the best chance to win.
Right now, obviously, they believe that guy is Boyd. He’s had 17 or more carries in four of the last five games, including the last three.
Before the season started, Spurrier lauded the duo of Boyd and Davis as one of the best in the country. Remember, they out-rushed Clemson’s James Davis and C.J. Spiller by one yard in last year’s memorable duel at Memorial Stadium.
I thought Davis and Boyd both had a chance to surpass 800 yards rushing this year. They were on track to come close to that figure after six games.
Of course, Boyd has now reached 829 yards with a shot at a magical 1,000-yard season if USC manages to earn a bowl berth.
Davis has 516 yards, and the knowledge he’ll likely enter next season as the undisputed number one running back for the Gamecocks.
In this business, though, nothing is free. He’ll have to hold off Brian Maddox to retain that title.
What’s that number to call when you locate someone who’s reported missing?
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I was wandering through the dairy section of my local grocery store the other day when I saw it – the photo of Mike Davis on a milk carton.
Really, what’s happened to the junior running back from Columbia? Has he disappeared from USC’s offense?
It seems like it.
I know Davis suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s when he was tackled hard and fumbled at the UF 38 after picking up a first down.
Here’s the punch line: the fumble came on Davis’ third carry of the game. Remember, we’re talking about the fourth quarter here.
It’s quite apparent senior Cory Boyd has become the ball carrier of choice for the USC coaching staff over the last five games starting with the road win at North Carolina on Oct. 13.
In that game, Boyd carried 20 times for 95 yards, while Davis had just five carries for 20 yards.
Over the last five games, Boyd has 79 rushes for 442 yards, an average of 5.6 yards per carry. Conversely, Davis has carried just 34 times for 133 yards.
The shift to Boyd was sudden, and still largely unexplained. The only thing the USC coaching staff has said is Boyd has been in the game for running plays while Davis has had the misfortune of being on the field when USC has thrown the ball.
I think there’s more to it than that. But what?
All I know right now is that if there is something, nobody is telling.
Davis had more carries than Boyd in four of the first six games of the season. When the Gamecock players walked off the field following the Kentucky game, Davis was USC’s leading rusher with 393 yards on 79 carries, an average of 5.0 yards per carry.
Boyd was averaging 4.7 yards per carry with 387 yard on 82 rushes.
So, through the first six games, the carries were split roughly 50/50 between Boyd and Davis.
But everything changed with the UNC game.
Over the last five games, Boyd has received close to 70 percent of the carries. Davis has received few chances to carry the rock, finishing with single digits in carries in four of those contests.
Maybe it’s just a production thing. Boyd has averaged 5.6 yards per rush in the last five games, while Davis is churning out the yards at 3.9 yards a clip.
But, I don’t think Davis has been given a fair chance to showcase his considerable skills.
Heck, he averaged 7.0 yards on this three carries against Florida.
Are all these extra carries a going away gift for Boyd? I doubt it. The USC coaches, especially Spurrier, will usually play the guy they feel gives the Gamecocks the best chance to win.
Right now, obviously, they believe that guy is Boyd. He’s had 17 or more carries in four of the last five games, including the last three.
Before the season started, Spurrier lauded the duo of Boyd and Davis as one of the best in the country. Remember, they out-rushed Clemson’s James Davis and C.J. Spiller by one yard in last year’s memorable duel at Memorial Stadium.
I thought Davis and Boyd both had a chance to surpass 800 yards rushing this year. They were on track to come close to that figure after six games.
Of course, Boyd has now reached 829 yards with a shot at a magical 1,000-yard season if USC manages to earn a bowl berth.
Davis has 516 yards, and the knowledge he’ll likely enter next season as the undisputed number one running back for the Gamecocks.
In this business, though, nothing is free. He’ll have to hold off Brian Maddox to retain that title.
What’s that number to call when you locate someone who’s reported missing?
- Permalink, Discuss, Blog Home
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.