Marshall University Athletics
MCGILL: Davis adds another dimension to versatile game
9/29/2018 12:53:00 AM | Football, Word on the Herd
Marshall (2-1) plays at WKU (1-3) on Saturday
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Keion Davis is on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List, an honor that states its mission to "recognize and reward versatile, high-level performs" in college football.
The Marshall senior running back landed on the list because of his ability to make a difference running the football and returning kickoffs. He has added another dimension to his game this season. Davis, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound fifth-year player from Fairburn, Georgia, has developed into a dangerous pass catcher out of the backfield, which is a plus for the Herd offense and redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Green.
"We have a good connection," Green said. "Most of the time he's in there blocking and he sees me about to roll out of the pocket and he slips through and finds an open spot. I'm able to get myself out of trouble and he makes plays for me."
Green hopes Davis has a few more plays to make in Saturday's Conference USA opener at Western Kentucky (1-3). Kickoff between Marshall (2-1) and its East Division rival is set for 7:30 p.m. (Eastern).
In last weekend's loss to North Carolina State, Davis set a new career high for receptions (six) and receiving yards (99). Now, he is one of three FBS players who have at least 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards and 100 kickoff return yards this season, joining Rice's Austin Walter and Purdue's Rondale Moore.
"First, I had to listen to my coach (Pepe Pearson)," Davis said of his development as a pass catcher. "I feel like he doesn't get enough credit. Coach Pearson does a great job. I listen to him all of the time. He always tells me to run my routes to a certain depth and be where I'm supposed to be and I'll get rewarded."
So far, so good. Davis actually has more receiving yards (125) than rushing yards (112) through three games. He only needs another 10 receiving yards to set a career high for a single season.
"He's doing a great job of catching the football," MU head coach Doc Holliday said. "He loves to play. He shows up every Saturday. He's a good player; he's deceptive. He doesn't look like he runs very fast but nobody ever catches him."
Davis is considered a bigger back, but he looks up to some of the most versatile players in the National Football League. He trains in the offseason with Jerick McKinnon, an Atlanta native and running back for the San Francisco 49ers. Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints has twice as many receiving yards as rushing yards this season, and has a fan in Davis. Kamara, like McKinnon and Davis, is from Atlanta.
"I try to mimic both of their games," Davis said. "Right now, those are my two favorite running backs."
Green, who is also from Atlanta, has loved watching Davis showcase another aspect to his game, but is hardly surprised at the versatility. He has been watching this version of Davis since they were kids back home.
"When we were in high school he played wide receiver, defensive back, kick returner and running back," Green said. "He's a great athlete. Always has been."
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This will be the sixth time in the Holliday era that Marshall has opened C-USA play on the road. MU is 3-2 under Holliday in those games. Last season, the Herd opened C-USA play on the road with a 14-3 victory at Charlotte.
This will be the first time Marshall has played a conference game in September since 2012. The Herd outlasted Rice, 54-51, in double overtime on Sept. 22.
The last four meetings between Marshall and WKU have taken place in November. Only one of their nine meetings all-time have come in September: Sept. 28, 1996, a 37-3 win for MU in Huntington.
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The Marshall running game generated 54 yards on 22 carries against NC State, an average of 2.45 yards per attempt.
"Every offensive lineman wants to run the ball," senior guard Jordan Dowrey said. "That's something you need to be a balanced offense. We work hard at it every day. Whatever plays they call, I'm going to run them as hard as I can. I'm happy with the guys I'm playing next to and the guys who are carrying the ball behind me.
"There are obviously things that we have to work on as a unit, but I'm not concerned with the guys we have on the field and how hard we play. There's things we have to work on and improve on, but we're moving in that direction."
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a six-time winner of the National Sports Media Association West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year award. In addition to HerdZone.com's Word on the Herd, McGill is the editor of Thundering Herd Illustrated, Marshall's official athletics publication. Follow him on Twitter (@chuckmcgill) and Instagram (wordontheherd).
