It’s time for football season again and Troy Davis has been preparing for it all summer.

While Davis has improved his physical numbers, his class room numbers stand as his biggest accomplishment. Davis enrolled in summer classes in order to raise his grade point average so he would be eligible to contribute as the Cyclones starting running back this fall.

As a freshman, Davis failed his track-A math class the first semester. He passed the track-A class the next semester, but still needed to pass the track-B class this summer to play football this fall.

“I was worried at first. I thought I’d fail. I’d think about it every night.” Davis said. “They told me I wouldn’t lose, because I’m a winner. I just had to think positive and everything worked out all right.”

With hard work, a new found confidence, and a math tutor, Davis earned his eligibility.

“I kept trying and trying and I passed everything. My tutor stayed with me until the last exam. I appreciate her helping me pass that math class.”

Iowa State head football coach Dan McCarney spoke highly of Davis’s new found commitment to academics.

“The maturity and improvement that he has made in his whole attitude is completely different now about academics. He is looking forward to the end of the tunnel and looking forward for the degree. I love the look in his eye, and he’s already starting to show leadership as a sophomore,” McCarney said.

While Davis worked to improve his academic standing, his love for football proved to be his biggest motivational tool.

“If I wouldn’t have passed, I wouldn’t be here right now. I love playing football. If you don’t have the grades you can’t play football.”

Now that Davis has completed his math course, he said additional math classes are not in his immediate plans.

“I’m ready to teach math now, I feel like I’m really on track,” Davis said.