Why did Ray Davis transfer to Kentucky? Wildcats RB returns to Vanderbilt on Saturday
Ray Davis was one of the SEC’s breakout stars in 2022, rushing for 1,042 yards for Vanderbilt football.
The fifth-year senior is continuing that trend as the starting running back at Kentucky after transferring in the offseason. Davis has 236 rushing yards and three touchdowns with a 7.15 yards-per-carry average this season, which ranks second in the SEC and 13th nationally. He also has caught nine passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Davis is set to return to Nashville to face the Commodores for the first time on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, SEC Network).
Here's a look at Davis's transfer to Kentucky:
Why did Ray Davis transfer to Kentucky?
As a graduate transfer, Davis could change schools without being subject to NCAA rules that would require him to sit out a season.
With a Vanderbilt education in hand, that led Davis to Kentucky and marked his second time transferring in his career (he played his first two seasons at Temple before arriving at Vanderbilt).
Ironically, Vanderbilt beat Kentucky in the 2022 season, with Davis rushing for 129 yards and a touchdown in the 24-21 win. But Kentucky has been the better program in recent years, which is why historical success might be a better indicator of Davis' decision-making than the head-to-head matchup.
More: Kentucky football, behind Devin Leary's much-improved start, rolls past Akron to 3-0 record
The Commodores have only made nine bowl appearances in school history, with their last appearance a loss to Baylor in the 2018 Texas Bowl. Kentucky, by comparison, has made seven straight bowl appearances under Mark Stoops.
In Davis’ two seasons at Vanderbilt, the Commodores finished with a 7-17 record.
"I just knew if I wanted to compete with the best and really test my skills as a player, staying in the SEC was a no-brainer," Davis told the Louisville Courier-Journal in February. "A majority of my offers came from the SEC, which was great because it showed my hard work paid off."
Ray Davis stats at Kentucky
With Chris Rodriguez drafted to the Washington Commanders, Kentucky had a need for a workhorse running back.
Rodriguez ranks third in Wildcats history in rushing yards (3,644) and handled 175 carries last season. With Rodriguez gone, and backup Kavosiey Smoke now at Colorado, 233 carries from last season were up for grabs.
In an offense that has sent multiple running backs to the NFL, those carries are valuable. Since 2016, each of Kentucky’s leading rushers have been drafted, with Benny Snell selected in the fourth round to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lynn Bowden taken in the third round by the Las Vegas Raiders and Rodriguez to the Commanders in 2023.
Davis could join the group. He's rushed for 236 yards with three touchdowns on 33 carries through three games this season. Davis also has 143 yards receiving and two TDs on nine receptions.
More: How Ray Davis' unique path to Kentucky football prepared him to fight for starting RB job
Ray Davis stats at Vanderbilt
Davis rushed for 1,042 yards with five touchdowns on 232 carries at Vanderbilt in 2022. He also had three touchdown receptions.
Davis' stats in two seasons at Vanderbilt: 1,253 yards with six TDs on 276 carries; 196 yards receiving with three TDs on 34 receptions.
Who is Ray Davis?
Davis started his career at Temple in 2019, where he played two seasons before transferring to Vanderbilt for the 2021 season. He played two seasons with the Commodores before transferring again to the Wildcats for 2023.
The Blairstown, New Jersey, native was a three-star recruit in 2019. He wasn’t a highly sought prospect, ranking as the No. 116 running back nationally, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings.
Davis recently made headlines after an ESPN commentator compared Davis’ transfer to his time in the foster care system.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why did Ray Davis transfer to Kentucky? RB returns to Vanderbilt
