[media-credit name=’Ben Smidt’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The Wisconsin offense revolves around the running game, and for the past four seasons the Wisconsin running game has revolved around Anthony Davis.

“He is our team,” fullback Matt Bernstein said. “I think he’s the heart of our team. He’s the guy back there who’s making plays, bursting through holes and just playing awesome. I think we’d be a different team if he wasn’t there.”

The statistics certainly support Bernstein’s assertion. Davis has solidified his place in Badger history this season, moving past Billy Marek into second on Wisconsin’s all-time rushing list. Despite missing eight full games over the past two seasons, Davis has compiled 4,469 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns in his illustrious career.

Since his first game as a freshman, in which he posted 147 yards on 24 carries (6.1 yards per carry), Davis has been the figurehead of the Wisconsin attack. After exploding onto the scene as a freshman with a conference-leading rushing total of 1,466 yards, Davis broke Ron Dayne’s Wisconsin sophomore rushing record (1,457 yards) with 1,555 yards as a sophomore.

Davis had more yards than any back in the nation over his first two seasons, posting 3,021 yards in the two-year stretch. While injury prevented him from recording similar numbers in 2003, the Badgers expected the standout tailback to return to his prolific production this season.

“If he stays healthy, he’ll have as good a year as any back that has ever played here,” offensive coordinator Brian White said during preseason workouts.

Unfortunately, injury struck again. An eye injury suffered in the season opener sidelined the star tailback for three games, preventing him from making a run at the Heisman trophy in his senior season.

It is remarkable to consider what he may have accomplished if injuries had not limited his action. The Plainfield, N.J., native has averaged 127.7 yards per game this season. Had he posted similar numbers in the three games he missed this year, he would have 383.1 more yards, putting him over the 1,000 yard mark in 2004. A projection of his season averages over the past two seasons estimates that Davis would have recorded 5,278 yards up to this point had he played every game over the past four seasons.

For his part, Davis has never reflected on what could have been.

“I’m not really one of those guys who lives in the past,” Davis said. “I just try to keep it moving and look ahead to what’s in the future.”

Instead of bemoaning his lost time, the resilient tailback has done his best to overcome the injuries that have plagued him over the past two years. Often, that has meant playing hurt.

“If I’m capable of playing, even if I’m not 100 percent, I’m going to do everything in my power to try to help the team out,” Davis said.

He displayed that determination earlier this season, taking the field against Northwestern while operating at around 80 percent of optimal health due to a quadriceps injury suffered the previous week against Purdue.

“I think it’s just sometimes taking responsibility,” Davis said after the Northwestern game. “There was no way that I could get in the huddle, look in the eyes of all those guys busting their tails to open up these holes and not find some way to play.”

The same competitive spirit that has allowed Davis to play through the pain has made the star tailback a leader in practice and on the field.

“He leads all the drills, and not only that, he just works as hard as possible,” Bernstein said. “Every play he’s in he’s running, he’s hitting people, he’s doing everything.”

Davis’ unrelenting spirit has set the tone for the entire running game. His work ethic has raised the bar for his teammates, who are driven to match his intensity on the field.

“If there was a certain tailback that was slacking off, then maybe I would slack off too,” Bernstein said. “But because he works so hard, everyone else works so hard. It really brings a lot to our team.”

Davis’ intensity and unique athletic ability has fueled the entire offense. In addition to setting the standard for the running back corps, Davis’ presence in the backfield energizes the offensive line, which plays with the knowledge that he will hit every hole they open up.

“It’s a great feeling,” right tackle Mike Lorenz said. “You just have to get that little seam and he’s going to burst through and go off 10, 15 yards or go in for six. You just try to get him one-on-one with the safeties.”

Bernstein, who has blocked for Davis from the fullback position for the past three seasons, relishes the opportunity to play alongside the standout back.

“With him in there, everyone’s real fired up,” Bernstein said. “He just makes everyone feel real great when they block and they know that he’s back there and he can run right through. Sometimes you don’t even have to make your block that hard and he’ll just run right by. When you hit somebody and you feel AD just run right by you and you know that your block sprung him or even your block helped a little bit, it’s an awesome feeling. He hits those holes so fast.”

“To see him score a touchdown is the best thing ever,” Bernstein continued. “He’s just such a good guy that you want to do that for him, you want to block for him.

On the field, Davis demonstrates tremendous intensity and competitive drive. However, a different aspect of his personality emerges off the field.

“He’s a great guy, a jokester,” Lorenz said. “He’s kind of quiet, but he’s always up to something funny. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

As his collegiate career nears its end, Davis can reflect on plenty of poignant memories. Though he will never again take the field at Camp Randall, Davis will continue to represent the cardinal and white for three of the biggest games of his career. When No. 28 plays out his final games in a Badger uniform, he will do so as a Wisconsin legend.

“I think it’s been a good one,” Davis said of his career. “Football-wise, I would say I really enjoyed myself out there. I learned a lot about football and I’ve had some good memories here at this place.”