Just how much do the Davis brothers have in common?

Troy and Darren Davis hold the honor of being the only two running backs from Dade County to rush for 2,000 yards during a high school season; Troy ran up 2,211 yards in 1993 while Darren compiled 2,071 yards during his junior season in 1994.

Troy Davis went on to break the 2,000-yard barrier in his collegiate career, becoming only the fifth player in NCAA Division I history to do so. Will Darren follow suit?

The younger Davis is keeping his goals on a down-to-earth level. “I just want to help the team in any way I can,” Darren said. “I will do whatever [the coaches] want me to do, whether that means playing on special teams or getting in there to block a couple punts.”

With a talented stable of tailbacks that features Troy Davis and Graston Norris, Darren will be hard pressed to find time in the lineup on a regular basis. Although his role is not certain, Darren will be on the active roster this year rather than sitting out the year in a redshirt. The focus of both Davis brothers falls on the team. Despite the hype of Heisman candidacy, Troy doesn’t see the individual rushing yardage as a high priority. “I wouldn’t mind rushing for only 20 yards a game if it would mean that we could win more games,” he said.

Though he has only been a member of the team for a short time, Darren is aware of the needs the team has to address. “We need to come together and become a team this year if we want to move ahead,” he said. “Each member of this team has worked hard all summer to achieve that goal.”

With two backs with as much potential as the Davis brothers, will we be seeing them on the field at the same time?

“I really want to be back there with Troy, but I can’t really say yet whether you’ll see us together,” Darren said. “I guess we will find out in September.”

To ISU from Florida is a big transition, but Darren said his move from high school to college has been pretty smooth. “This is a great place,” the younger Davis said. “It feels like I’m at home.” His brother has a lot to do with the easy change from high school to college. Troy will be Darren’s roommate this year.

“Troy is there for me when I need help; he is the first person I go to,” Darren said. “I can talk to him about anything, which allows me to get a lot off my mind.”

Darren was also impressed with the atmosphere of the university. “My teammates have been really easy to get along with; I feel accepted on the team,” he said. “Coach [Dan] McCarney is a part of that; he’s a very nice guy. He is also easy to get along with, which keeps a smile on my face.

“My first goal for my career at ISU is to graduate, to get my degree,” Darren said.