Davies Driven to Succeed in Life

By Shannon Sherman
Lincoln -- By all accounts, Judd Davies is a stand-up guy. He plays for the team. Competes through pain. Studies hard. Speaks with purpose.

And he’s not a bad cook, either, as his former roommate, Patrick Kabongo, will attest.

"Judd was always cooking for me," Kabongo said. "But every time I tried to cook for him, I screwed up. This one time, I was trying to make some orange juice for him, but I put too much water in because I didn’t read the instructions.

"I didn’t want Judd to know that I had screwed up cooking again, so I put some orange flavoring in it to try to make it taste better. He figured it out right away."

Kabongo used the story to illustrate Davies’ personality.

"Judd," he said with a smile, "would never forget to read the instructions."

One of 34 seniors being honored today, Davies has come to be known by his teammates for his conscientious nature and meticulous approach to everything from cooking to studying. Those character traits have served Davies well in his four years with the Nebraska football team, where he has found success on and off the field.

A three-year starter and a three-time first-team academic All-Big 12 selection, Davies has embodied the definition of student-athlete.

"The main thing about Judd is that he is very wise," Kabongo said. "He is very diligent. He always has a purpose."

Things weren’t always so clear for Davies, who arrived at NU in 1999 as a highly touted fullback from Millard North High School.

After redshirting his first season and serving as Nebraska’s No. 2 fullback in 2000, Davies secured the starting job in 2001. He totaled 238 yards on 40 carries and scored four touchdowns but suffered an ankle injury mid-way through the season.

In the years since, Davies has struggled with injuries. During his senior season, Davies has rushed 25 times for 67 yards and four touchdowns, but he continues to play with pain.

"Some weeks are good, some are not," Davies said. "It’s a battle. I have really been challenged."

The experience has pointed Davies, a former elementary education major, toward a new career. He is planning on going to medical school and hopes to become a surgeon, or maybe a transplant specialist.

"I think my injuries have been a blessing in a way," Davies said. "I’ve thought a lot about life after football."

Life after football is already taking shape for Davies. The Omaha, Neb., native married the former Traci Wyzgoski, also a Millard North graduate, June 13. And though he has years of school ahead of him, Davies doesn’t mind.

"I have always put a lot of time into studying. I like it, and it’s fun to me," said Davies, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. "Even when I was younger, I never wanted to just get by in school."

As he goes through the application process, Davies has grown to appreciate the academic and community outreach opportunities that have been available to him at Nebraska.

Davies also credits the NU coaching staff for helping him succeed on and off the field. Davies said his senior season has been particularly enjoyable because the Huskers have been able to overcome adversity and move past a 7-7 season in 2002.

"I think in a few years, I’ll look back and think how amazing it was, what we accomplished in one year," Davies said. "There were so many changes on the staff, and yet we’ve played very well at times this year. I think that is special. We figured out a way to make it work."

Those experiences have made Davies’ relationships with his teammates stronger.

"Patrick is kind of at the other end of the spectrum from me," Davies said. "But he helped me just as much as I helped him. I have made friends on the team who will be with me for the rest of my life.

"I love playing with them, no matter how much it hurts sometimes. I realize that this is going to be it more me. I am not going to go on in football. I’ll never get that feeling back for the rest of my life ? that rush you get on gameday. But I will leave with a lot of good memories."