Road to recovery
August 31, 2006
The situation for Jon Davis didn’t look good.
Midway through spring practice, Iowa State’s senior wide receiver went down in a heap during a non-contact drill.
It was a tear in his Achilles tendon and surgery awaited.
“After I did it I heard so many different things,” Davis said.
“I could miss the first two or three games, I heard I won’t be back until late September or that I would straight up miss half the season.”
The senior receiver was going to team with Todd Blythe and Austin Flynn, giving Iowa State an extremely talented one-two-three punch in its passing game.
Blythe was the big play guy, Flynn was the possession receiver and Davis was the group’s wheels.
“He’s the fastest receiver on our team,” said coach Dan McCarney. “The name of the game is speed.”
Davis was a threat every time he touched the football, a 77-yard touchdown reception against Nebraska in 2004 an example of his ability to burn opposing defenses.
His senior season was in jeopardy.
That was the first week of April. Now, just five months later, Jon Davis is back.
And he’s ready to play.
That Davis will be on the field when Iowa State welcomes Toledo to Jack Trice Stadium is – in McCarney’s words – nothing short of a miracle.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” McCarney said.
“In my wildest dreams I didn’t think he’d be ready for Toledo. I’m not a doctor and I didn’t go through the injury myself, but I thought it would definitely take more time [to recover].
“It’s a miracle. I don’t care what doctor you talk to, it’s one thing to be able to walk normal or jog, but he’s out here playing full-speed, Big 12 football.”
His recovery has also impressed teammates.
“He’s a medical marvel,” fellow receiver Flynn said. “That’s what we call him – the medical marvel.”
The injury was nothing short of freak, happening during a non-contact drill during spring practice.
Davis went to make a cut and went down.
“It’s a weird feeling,” Davis said of the injury.
“People told me before that [an Achilles injury] feels like someone kicking you in the back of the leg. That’s the first thing I thought; that someone just kicked me in the back of the leg. When it happens it hurts, but after that it’s just numb.”
Davis went through a long, grueling summer of rehab, working to get back on the field and up to full strength.
“It sucks, doing that rehab and then walking with a limp and it still being sore after I got done with it,” Davis said.
“It’s frustrating, but you have to stick with it. I saw improvement, but of course I wanted it to be quicker than it was.
“After I got out of my cast [the doctors] were pleased with how much movement I had. At that moment I was thinking to myself, I have a decent chance to come back early.”
With the injury behind him, Davis is expected to flourish in Iowa State’s balanced offense.
He’ll be teaming with Blythe, Flynn and junior quarterback Bret Meyer to lead a potent passing attack.
The three receivers combined for 148 receptions and nearly 2,000 yards last season.
Davis caught 41 of those balls, and he scored two touchdowns.
“He’s a major cog in the receiving corps and there’s no reason why – barring injuries – this shouldn’t be one of the better receiving groups in the history of Iowa State football. Not just in the time I’ve been here but in the history of this place,” McCarney said.
“I have no idea why Iowa State fans wouldn’t want to come out and watch this group of receivers.
“What are you waiting on? How many lifetimes do you have to wait to see that group of guys?”
With one season of eligibility to go, Davis has put his offseason behind him.
The injury is in the past and he’s ready to go.
“I’ve gotten hit on [the ankle] and it’s been stepped on, so that reassures me that it’s not messed up,” Davis said.
“Overall I’ve gotten better to the point where I don’t even think about it.”
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