"Ray Davis will get it done," but don't expect another Snell, Rodriguez

by:Nick Roush•01/29/23•

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Two of the three best running backs in school history have played for Mark Stoops over the last seven Kentucky football seasons. Ray Davis is the UK backfield’s next physical rusher, but that does not mean he will be the same as his predecessors.

Last year Davis was one of only four players in the SEC to rush for more than 1,000 yards, tallying 1,042 and five touchdowns for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He was one of the most productive tailbacks in the transfer portal, but his commitment didn’t receive as much fanfare as other prolific players. After watching him from the sidelines, the SEC Network’s Cole Cubelic believes he’ll be a difference-maker in Lexington.

“The thing nobody’s talking about with Kentucky, and I’m telling you, listen to me on this one, Ray Davis will get it done. Vanderbilt running back transferring in, tough, physical, big, not super break-away speed, but he’s got enough ability to get you some explosive plays. He is exactly what they need in this system,” he said on the Cube Show.

“He’s a little bit more physical, a little bit less shifty Chris Rodriguez, but they sort of meet in the middle on some things, very close. But Ray Davis has not played in a system that has allowed him to be successful and even behind an offensive line that would allow him to be successful. He will be big for Liam Coen’s offense.”

“I gotta be Ray Davis”

As Cubelic did, many will be quick to compare Ray Davis to Chris Rodriguez or Benny Snell. It makes sense, even if there are plenty of differences between the big running backs. However, Davis doesn’t want to compare himself to his predecessors. When asked what he has in common with C-Rod, “We both went to Kentucky,” he replied.

“At the end of the day, I gotta be Ray Davis. That’s just what it is. I was born to be Ray Davis. I wasn’t born to be C-Rod. I wasn’t born to be Benny Snell. What those guys did was historic. Benny is in the history books, C-Rod’s in the history books, but right now I gotta focus on just getting my foot in the door. Once I’m able to establish that, then Lexington’s going to know who Ray Davis is and I can be able to put myself in a category with those guys. But I can’t think that far into it.”

One thing they certainly do have in common is an ability to carry a heavy workload. Last year he averaged 19.3 carries per game, more than Rodriguez ever did in a season and right around Snell’s career average. He can be a bell-cow back, if he earns the right to receive the lion’s share of carries over JuTahn McClain, Ramon Jefferson and Jamarion Wilcox.

“I definitely believe I can handle that workload. I had 232 carries at Vandy. I’ve proven it, I’ve done it my younger career as a freshman, but when that time comes, that time comes, but I can’t think about that right now. I gotta think about going out there and winning that job,” said Davis.

Looking Back on his Big Game vs. Kentucky

Kentucky fans learned all about Ray Davis before he ever entered the transfer portal. He was a Wildcat killer. Davis tallied 129 yards and a touchdown to help the Commodores knock off Kentucky 24-21, dramatically changing the outlook of the Wildcats’ 2022 season. Ray Davis probably would not be at Kentucky without that game, but he isn’t bringing it up too often around his new teammates.

“If anybody wants to talk crap in practice, I’ll just bring up the game against Vandy and tell ’em, ‘129 yards,'” he laughed. “I’m a Kentucky Wildcat. I’m not a Vanderbilt Commodores anymore. That’s in the past. If anybody wants to talk a little smack, that’s my comeback right there until we start spring ball and once we start spring ball, it’ll be different.”