JACKSONVILLE— Davis Dominates: If there’s one thing you should’ve taken away from Florida’s 24-10 win over Georgia, it’s that Jarrad Davis may not be human.
Like something out of “The Terminator,” the linebacker played through a lingering ankle injury and led the Gators with seven tackles, two and a half of which went for losses.
After the win, Davis said he brushed off any pain he felt on the field.
“Pain is one thing that is temporary,” he said. “I felt it initially but once the game starts going and the bullets start flying you don’t really worry about pain…Even though I was hurting I had something else to really think about.”
And after returning for his senior year, Davis was determined to not miss his last Florida-Georgia game. The Kingsland, Georgia, native hails from just 45 minutes up the road from Jacksonville.
“I didn’t come back to sit on the bench because of an injury,” he said. “With me being from Georgia, it’s something I took personally and I wasn’t going to let that one slip.”
Cronkrite not with team: Running back Jordan Cronkrite didn’t make the trip with the team to Jacksonville, and UF coach Jim McElwain said he is currently not with the team.
“He’s right now trying to figure out whether he wants to play or not,” McElwain said after the game. “Our door’s always open for him until he finds his way in what he wants to do we’re here to support him.”
Though it’s unclear why the sophomore didn’t travel, he injured his leg in the Missouri game, which may have factored into it.
Cronkrite became the second running back to not make the trip after redshirt junior Mark Thompson was cited for marijuana possession Thursday.
Dawson answers the call: It was no secret teams would start picking on nickel cornerback Duke Dawson following Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson’s big games against Missouri.
And late in the game Saturday, he stepped up.
Dawson broke up a 4th-and-2 sideline pass from UGA quarterback Jacob Eason in the fourth quarter. The play, his second pass break-up of the quarter, helped stop Georgia from making a late comeback attempt.
“I thought Duke defended unbelievably well in the pass game,” McElwain said.
Return of the D-Mac: Jarrad Davis wasn’t the only Florida linebacker who turned heads.
Though Daniel McMillian hasn’t seen much action this season thanks in part to injuries, the senior made the most of his minutes Saturday. He tallied four tackles, his first since recording three in the season opener against Massachusetts.
A Jacksonville native, McMillian said he felt at home.
“I’m from here,” he said. “I might as well go out there and have fun. It’s my last go-around.”
Contact Patrick Pinak at ppinak@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @pinakk12.
Jarrad Davis (center) makes a tackle during Florida's 24-10 win over Georgia on Oct. 29, 2016, in Jacksonville.
