Sept. 19, 2003
No, this isn’t another article about the California recall election. But the focus of this week’s Friday’s Freshman could probably tell you a thing or two about elections.
Champ Davis, the Hawkeyes’ newest fullback, has a love for government and is majoring in political science. And one day, he hopes of being the first lawyer in his family – if not something grander.
“I want to be a lawyer and a senator or a governor someday,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do something like that.”
It also happens that the lessons of political compromise and versatility taught in his classes on one side of the Iowa River may yield major dividends while playing football on the other.
Davis was brought into the Iowa football program under the general title “athlete”. And according to Coach Kirk Ferentz, Davis had a lot of potential as a utility player.
And that title is just fine with the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Texan.
“I like that title,” said Davis. “I like being able to be seen as a person who can be used in more than one place.”
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“I want to be a lawyer and a senator or a governor someday. I’ve always wanted to do something like that.”
Iowa freshman Champ Davis
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The true freshman has big plans for the position of fullback on the Iowa squad, fitting it to his own athletic prowess.
“I think in a couple of years I can change around the fullback position,” Davis said. “Right now, it’s mainly a blocking position. It’s kind of like the offensive line – we open up a lot of holes. But I think that being able to receive out of the H-back will open it up more.
“I just hope to add to the offense and contribute the best way I can.”
Through the first two games of the season, Davis had been used as a No. 2 receiver for quarterback Nathan Chandler.
Davis had three receptions for 33 yards and had five carries for 30 yards, showing promise as a backup to leading receiver Maurice Brown.
However, an ankle sprain during Iowa’s 56-7 victory over the University of Buffalo on Saturday, Sept. 6, forced Davis to sit-out of Iowa’s win over Iowa State last Saturday, and he remains questionable when the Hawkeyes host Arizona State tomorrow night.
“I had just rolled it and sprained it a little bit,” understated Davis. “I’m letting it heal right now and we’ll see how it goes.”
And while the incident is unfortunate for Iowa and for Davis, it seems that the 19-year-old is aptly prepared for the mental strains of football and injuries.
“God has a plan for everybody,” said Davis, recounting his personal words to live by. “You go through a lot of ups and downs, and they make you stronger. Something good will happen.”
And so far in Davis’s career, there have been a lot of ups.
In his two-year stint as a resident of West Des Moines (1999-2000), Davis became the first freshman to play varsity football at West Des Moines-Valley High School.
Earning two letters while at Valley, he rushed for 505 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore in the CIML Iowa Conference, one of the largest and most competitive in the state.
When he returned to Plano, Texas, he earned two more varsity letters, was named to the second team all-conference squads as a sophomore and junior and was an all-conference honorable mention as a senior.
In his high school career, Davis rushed for 1,398 yards and totalled 583 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns.
Barry Pump, hawkeyesports.com