This season, University of New Mexico senior Ahmari Davis ran over 100 yards in three different games. His 832 total rushing yards so far in 2019 dwarf those of his first season with the team, when he ran for only 185 yards on 51 attempts. During New Mexico’s Oct. 26 game against Hawaii, he rushed for 200 yards total.
According to Davis, that was also his favorite game of the season.
"Certain games you feel it more than others, and I could say (in) that game I really just felt it," Davis said. "I felt my speed was coming back. I felt aggressive. That morning, I prayed and felt protected. I just felt like having fun that game. I ended up with 200 yards and two touchdowns. It was great."
Davis starts as running back for the football team. This season was his second year on the team and at UNM. He spent his freshman and sophomore year at Laney College in his hometown of Oakland, California.
The team has played ten games so far with two more games to finish out the year. Davis said during this season, the Lobos' biggest problem has been their inability to play a fast-paced game.
"We came out and started off slow. After we saw that we had more potential to win we tried to pick it up, but we couldn’t really beat the time," Davis said. "It was kind of too late to come back."
Over the weekend, UNM lost 42-9 against Boise State in Idaho. They are scheduled to play against Air Force on Nov. 23 and Utah State on Nov. 30 at home.
"I’m hungry for these (wins) we can get. If we beat these teams it would mean a lot to us, just because of the losses that we took," Davis said. "We almost took two losses this season. So, you know, we’re going to keep our head up, chests up and try to fight these next (couple) games."
The losses Davis referred to are head coach Bob Davie's heart attack at the beginning of the 2019 season and the loss of teammate and friend Nahje Flowers, who took his own life two weeks ago.
"I’m holding up," Davis told the Daily Lobo when he spoke about Flowers’ passing. "He comes to my mind a lot, but I can say I’m holding up. I can’t really say I was very close to him, but he still is my teammate. He was still someone I’d see every day. Still somebody that I talk to. He was a nice guy, he was a nice friend. I feel bad for the people that were closer. I wish that I could talk to him more. I wish I could talk to him again."
Davis and his teammates took a week to mourn Flowers’ death before preparing for the Boise game last Saturday. The originally scheduled Air Force game was postponed to give the team time to work through any emotions and thoughts before getting back on the field.
After his college days are over, Davis has his sights set on reaching the highest level of the sport.
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Davis is on track to graduate in the spring of 2020. After he graduates, he wants to train and hopefully find an agent who can help him get into the NFL.
"If somebody wants to try and recruit me, I’m going to try and do something. I’m going to train and see if there’s a camp I can go to or something. Try and go to the league," he said.
Right now — as it stands — the Lobos currently hold a 2-8 record. Davis has started nine of the team's ten games played and is looking to finish out the season just as strong.
Angelina Pompeo is a sports reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @PompeoAngelina
