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UF linebacker Andra Davis, back from 2000 knee injury, has two sacks and four tackles.
By DEBI JONES
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 2, 2001
GAINESVILLE -- When the game clock hit 34 seconds remaining in the first half, a flood of bad memories came back for middle linebacker Andra Davis.
During the Gators' season opener against Ball State last season, Davis injured his knee shortly before the end of the first half and sat out the remainder of the season.
But Davis made the most of his return with two sacks and four tackles against the Thundering Herd on Saturday.
"I just thank God, I thought about that right before halftime when there was 34 seconds left," Davis said. "That's when it happened last year."
The senior, who is in a tight battle with Travis Carroll for the starting job, is considered by his teammates as the "heart and soul" of the defense.
After learning he would not return for any of the 2000 season, Davis spent stood on the sideline waving a towel over his head and cheering on his teammates.
"I think Andra really makes me better," defensive end Alex Brown said before the season. "I can do things now that couldn't do when he wasn't there. We're on that page. When you make a mistake, Andra is there. I can get wide, and I can do what I do best, and I know that the running back can't break because Andra is going to be there to step it up. I think that's going to help a lot. I think that's going to help more than anything."
Part of Davis' success against the Herd may have been aided by his offseason training .
Davis said he gave up pizza and hamburgers and lost 12 pounds during the summer by eating cereal and Subway sandwiches. The 6-foot-1, 242-pound Davis reduced his body fat to 7 percent, which he said helped him add speed and agility.
"He had some big hits on the quarterback," defensive coordinator Jon Hoke said. "From a blitzing standpoint, he and Guss Scott were really putting pressure on the quarterback. He really kept the defense calmed down out there."
With Davis back in the lineup, the Gators held Marshall to 66 yards rushing -- lower than all of last season's games. .
In 2000, Florida gave up more than 100 yards seven times and allowed an average of 133.1 yards rushing.
Out of the game for year, Davis was eager to get back on the field and erase the bad memories .
"He's great, look at him," Brown said. "Don't let him fool you, his knee is fine. When we were back at the hotel, he had his pants on about an hour before we had to leave, he was just so eager to get out here tonight."