RB Davis suffers another season-ending injury

GAINESVILLE — For the second time, promising UF tailback Malik Davis’ season will be cut short by injury.

Davis suffered a broken left foot during the Gators’ 48-10 win Saturday against Colorado State and will be out indefinitely, coach Dan Mullen said Monday.

“We're all praying for Malik for a speedy recovery,” quarterback Feleipe Franks said.

The Gators, however, did get some good news regarding injuries. Mullen expects linebacker David Reese, who led UF with 102 tackles in 2017, to return after missing the first three games with an ankle injury.

Davis, a sophomore from Tampa, rejoined the Gators ahead of schedule after he tore the ACL in his right knee Oct. 28 against Georgia.

Davis was the team’s leading rusher at the time and one of the few bright spots during a 4-7 season. The 5-foot-11, 191-pound Davis returned this summer with the cutting ability and acceleration that distinguished him in the Gators’ crowded backfield.

Serving as redshirt junior Jordan Scarlett’s back-up, Davis ran for just 53 yards on 10 carries during the first two games behind the Gators’ struggling offensive line. He ran for eight yards on three carries last Saturday prior to the injury.

Scarlett and junior Lamical Perine could receive Davis’ workload, beginning with Saturday’s visit to Tennessee. Mullen also could give more carries to explosive freshman Dameon Pierce, who had a 68-yard touchdown run late in the game against CSU.

Pierce’s 162 rushing yards lead the Gators, but he did not carry the ball in the Gators’ SEC-opening loss Sept. 8 to Kentucky.

Mullen said Pierce’s opportunity will hinge on how he develops the rest of his game.

“I think he’s a good player with the ball in his hands,” Mullen said. “It’s doing the other little things that he’s learning. He has to know what route to run, how to run routes, how to catch the ball, how to protect within pass protection.”

Yet, Pierce has shown Mullen he is willing to learn. The 5-foot-10, 216-pound dynamo has two tackles on special teams, which have been a major emphasis for Mullen and his staff.

“We put him on special teams to see his effort and his performance level on special teams,” Mullen said. “That’s usually a pretty good indicator if a guy is going to continue to take steps forward.”