SportsLine wire reports
April 7, 1999

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Andra Davis hasn't completely sworn off fattening food, he's just moved it down on his list of priorities.

The sophomore middle linebacker has seen himself move into the first-team defense this spring, and would like to see himself in the same place in the fall. He just does not want to see so much of himself.

"I've got to stop eating all the junk food and get my body fat down so I can go out and play hard every play," the 250 pounder said.

Davis seems to be playing plenty hard, though.

The Live Oak native made a name for himself as a tenacious special teams player last season, but even before that, he earned a reputation among his fellow players as a quick learner.

ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE HE IMPRESSED was Johnny Rutledge, the man Davis could succeed as the Gators' starting middle linebacker.

"Dre always knew what to do from his first day here," Rutledge said. "Some freshman don't know how to do that. He just brings a presence. He's a leader out there. Dre's just going to go out there and give you his all."

Rutledge also noticed something else about Davis.

"Shoot, man. He could eat chicken all day," Rutledge said.

The older backer said Davis always was on the big side, but it never stopped him from moving around well or finding his way into the play. And that is why Rutledge chose to help bring Davis along.

Davis said Rutledge and former UF middle linebacker Dwayne Thomas took him under their wings and showed him what it would take for him to eventually crack the lineup.

UNFORTUNATELY, PLAYING BEHIND RUTLEDGE last season gave Davis little chance on Saturdays to show what he had learned. Davis saw limited action in all 12 games, recording 11 tackles and three "big plays."

Next year, Rutledge will play on Sundays, though. And that frees up Saturdays for Davis.

"(Rutledge and Thomas) taught me a lot," Davis said. "The mistakes that I made, they corrected me on. I give them a lot of credit."

The lessons apparently stuck.

UF defensive coordinator Jon Hoke feels Davis has made the most strides of any of his younger players.

"HE'S DONE THE BEST JOB OF ALL the young guys of adjusting to being a full-time guy," Hoke said. "I probably have more confidence in him than in any of the young guys. He's established himself pretty good."

And Hoke said the issue of weight never came into the picture.

"I don't know what they weigh," Hoke said. "I let (inside linebackers coach) Jim Collins worry about how much they weigh. If (Davis) is getting too big, he'll tell me. If he's not making the plays, I may say something."

But that has yet to be a problem this spring for Davis, who would rather have a full plate on the field than in the dining hall.

"Hopefully in the offseason, I can lose 10 good, solid pounds so I can keep my body fat down and make plays," Davis said.