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thedrifter
12-24-08, 08:07 AM
Cal's Davis is tough to the corps
By Jonathan Okanes
Staff writer
Contra Costa Times
Updated:12/24/2008 05:42:56 AM PST


BERKELEY — Rulon Davis doesn't fit the blueprint of the injury-prone athlete.

The summer before his sophomore year at Mt. San Antonio College, Davis' legs were run over by an 18-wheeler in a motorcycle accident where Interstates 605 and 10 intersect in Southern California. All he suffered was some soft tissue damage and swelling in his calves.

Davis also spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately after graduating from Charter Oaks High-Covina, a stint that included a six-month tour in Iraq. Presumably, there's nothing lacking in the mental toughness department.

That's why it is so maddening to Davis that he's spent so much time on the training table during his three years at Cal. An assortment of injuries has forced him to miss a substantial chunk of each season, leaving those close to the program wondering what could have been for the physically imposing and athletic defensive end.

"I don't understand how I can get run over by an 18-wheeler and break nothing and have no damage, then come here and have injuries," Davis said. "It doesn't make any sense to me."

Davis played one year at Mt. SAC and was going to play another before the accident forced him to miss the season. He ended up redshirting and came to Cal as a sophomore. He saw immediate playing time before missing the final six games because of ill-ness and a bone bruise in his leg. He won a starting role in training camp last season but was forced out of seven more games with foot and knee injuries.

After starting the first four games this season, he suffered a broken foot against Colorado State on a play that almost never happened. As the Bears began trotting off the field for halftime, officials granted the Rams timeout with one second remaining. Davis was hurt on the following play.

"I went over that over and over, to the point where it literally kept me up at night," Davis said. "I just had to move on and put it behind me. It should have never happened, but it did. I was in the end zone and looked at the clock and there was one second on the clock. I said, 'Are you kidding me?' You have to deal with it."

Davis missed four games but is back in his role as starter as the Bears prepare for Saturday's Emerald Bowl against Miami. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds, Davis possesses the quickness, strength and athleticism that make him a legitimate NFL prospect.

Some around Cal wonder just how good Davis could have been had he stayed healthy during his entire career in Berkeley.

"He's got that prototypical body that the NFL guys like," said Cal offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who goes against Davis every day in practice. "When he's healthy, he shows flashes of being a great player. It would be great to see him put it all together."

The intrigue of Davis' story goes well beyond the unfulfilled potential of his college career. It started in the eighth grade, when he and his cousin, Justin Francis, were awarded scholarships to play at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas. That set the course for Davis' aspirations to include both the military and football in his life.

Davis came back to attend Charter Oaks, where he said he didn't really take football seriously until he was a senior. He played offensive line in high school but was converted to defense when he got to Mt. SAC.

In between was an experience that Davis politely chooses not to discuss. It's not that he's not proud of his time serving his country; it's just hard to relive some of it.

Davis worked on helicopter maintenance during his tour of Iraq and got close to some of the pilots. He ended up seeing the horrors of war a little too up close and personal.

"Rulon experienced death firsthand," his mother, Sylvia, said. "He saw his colleagues get blown up. It's tough to talk about it."

Davis' stint in the Marines means he's significantly older than his teammates, literally and emotionally. He turned 25 during the summer, a fact that could turn off potential NFL suitors. But Davis is confident he'll be in an NFL training camp next fall.

"My age and my past injuries are always brought up," Davis said. "Yes, I did spend four years in the Marine Corps. I went to Iraq. I chose to serve my country before I started playing football. You can knock me for that, but what should really matter is how well I play. That's what it boils down to."

Davis didn't think he would survive during those fleeting moments when he attempted to crawl across the asphalt to avoid the oncoming truck in 2005. He said he lost control of his motorcycle when a car nudged him.

After an ambulance arrived on the scene, Davis called his mother, who had warned him about the dangers of riding a motorcycle.

"That is a parent's worst nightmare," Sylvia said. "I knew something was wrong right away. I could hear the stress in his voice. He said, 'Mama, I should have done as you instructed me to do. I didn't listen to you, Mama. I just got ran over by a semi-truck. I'm laying on the 10 freeway.' "

These profound experiences have helped shape Davis. He is intelligent and introspective at the same time. He's fiery on the field but a practical joker off it. Sylvia remembers well.

"When he was younger, he'd get home before me and hide in the closet before I got there," Sylvia said. "He'd wait up to a half-hour sometimes. I'd get home and be walking through the house doing what I normally do, and all of the sudden he jumps out at me. Even now, I walk with my back up against the wall."

It's clear Davis' experience in Iraq left a profound impact. He grew up in a hurry as a Marine and has a sense of maturity rare for a college football player.

"He's a lot more introverted now," Davis' younger sister, Aryiana, said. "He just didn't seem like my brother when he got back at first. A lot of soldiers suffer from that. After awhile, he started to socialize and assimilate back into normal society. But he was a lot quieter, and he's pretty much still that person. That experience really changed him a lot."

Contact Jonathan Okanes at jokanes@bayareanewsgroup.com

Ellie