Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Knile Davis has plenty of speed and strength, tools that are a must at running back. Genetics and a love of the weight room have helped make that possible for the Arkansas junior.

Balance and flexibility are other skills needed at his position that Davis is continually looking to improve. Staying upright and being able to move are just as important to fighting for yards as moving swiftly and with power.

When former Razorback Michael Smith suggested Davis join him in yoga class last year, Davis was hesitant. But most of Smith’s guidance regarding the running back position had proven to be helpful, so Davis agreed to give it a try.

How hard could it be, Davis wondered. Yoga classes aren’t exactly full of high-level college athletes, after all.

“It’s not as easy as it might sound,” Davis said, laughing as he recalled attending class through the fall and spring. “I’d challenge anybody to do yoga. Some of those poses, man, that was tough.”

(SIDEBAR: The Knile File)

Davis is considering going back this fall, though. Yoga is something he points to as helping his improvement last season. It was a gradual process, but Davis broke out later in the year as his tools and knowledge of the game improved.

Arkansas will rely on Davis to help bring balance and flexibility to the offense again this year. He ran for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns, including 12 scores over the final six weeks of the season. Davis emerging over the last half of the year allowed the Razorbacks to expand their offense and kept them from relying solely on the passing game.

SEC coaches thought enough of Davis’ effort to select him to the all-league team at the end of 2010. Davis averaged 101.7 rushing yards per game, ranking second in the SEC and 16th in the NCAA.

Strong running in 2011 will help the Razorbacks transition to a new quarterback. If Davis, who averaged 6.4 yards per carry, can again produce on the ground it will help open things up for Tyler Wilson or Brandon Mitchell in the passing game.

Coach Bobby Petrino wanted to see better production from Davis in the spring. But with the team breaking in a new offensive line, Davis stalled at times and didn’t break as many long runs as he had last year.

“I didn’t think he had as good a spring as I expected,” Petrino said. “I expected him to break a lot of big runs and do the same things we did last fall. … We’ve got to do a better job.”

Davis agrees there is room for improvement.

“It takes time,” he said. “It takes repetition. It will be worked out by the season. I can’t stay satisfied with last year.”

How does Davis plan to improve this summer? Film study will help. He’ll continue putting effort into the weight room and there might be some more yoga in his future.