Austin Davis

23

Class: Senior Hometown: Normal, Ill. High School: Normal Community

Height / Weight: 6-1 / 220 Position: LB Experience: 3L

2011: Started 10 games and played in all 11 as the weakside linebacker ... forced a team-high four fumbles ... ranked fifth on the team with 53 tackles, including 29 solo takedowns ... also added seven tackles-for-loss, a sack and two pass breakups ... recorded a season-best seven tackles, including six unassisted and 2.5 tackles for loss against Morehead State ... had six tackles versus Western Illinois.

2010: Started all 11 games as the strong side linebacker ... was second on the team with a career-high 75 total tackles, which included a career-high 35 solo stops ... also recorded six tackles-for-loss, two pass breakups and a two quarterback hurries ... posted double-digit tackling efforts in first three games of the season ... tallied 10 tackles, two TFLs and a forced fumble in the season opener against Central Missouri ... tied career high with 11 tackles and two TFLs at Northwestern ... returned a fumble recovery 36 yards against the Wildcats ... named Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week after recording 10 tackles and first career interception in a win at No. 20 South Dakota State ... finished with eight tackles in the Homecoming win over No. 20 North Dakota State.

2009: Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team selection ... played in 10 games, with nine starting assignments ... ranked second on the team with 60 tackles, including 24 solo stops ... credited with a sack and 5.5 tackles-for-loss ... added a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries ... posted eight tackles in first career game at Eastern Illinois ... recorded a half sack and 1.5 TFLs against Austin Peay ... set a career high with 11 stops in a win over Western Illinois ... posted nine tackles and 1.5 TFLs at Youngstown State ... finished the season with eight tackles against No. 9 Northern Iowa ... named the top defensive newcomer and the Hammer Award winner following 2009 spring practice.

2008: Redshirted.

Normal Community HS: Two-star ranking by both Rivals.com and Scout.com ... three-year starter ... named all-state by Rivals.com as a senior ... named to the Bloomington Pantagraph's 2007 All-Area Team ... received honorable mention all-state honors from the Champaign News-Gazette ... posted 77 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a senior ... as a part-time offensive player, totaled 400 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns, while averaging 6.6 yards per carry his senior season ... as a junior, collected 61 tackles, including 21 solo stops, and three interceptions ... as a sophomore, rushed for 1,162 yards on 237 attempts ... the Ironmen compiled a 38-3 varsity record during his three seasons as a starter, and won the 2006 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 6A State Championship ... coached by Hud Venerable ... also lettered in track and field.

Personal: Born October 6, 1989, in Normal, Ill. ... son of Josh Davis and Amanda Nagy ... Illinois State alumnae in his family include both of his grandmothers and an aunt ... former prep teammate of fellow Redbirds Billy Dickson, Jake Detmers, Marcus King and former Redbird Michael Cross ... major: undeclared.