Why Utah State football added former BYU running back Miles Davis

When Bronco Mendenhall took over Utah State’s football program in December, he inherited a talented running back room.

Between Rahsul Faison, Herschel Turner, Robert Briggs, Derrick Jameson and even Nick Floyd, USU was loaded at the tailback position. Combined, the five runners have rushed for over 3,300 yards and 22 touchdowns in their time at Utah State.

That didn’t last for long, though.

Every one of the aforementioned players has transferred out of Utah State — save for Jameson.

Faison landed at South Carolina and is currently trying to get another year of eligibility from the NCAA.

Turner moved on to Nevada, where he is expected to “lead the running back room,” per Chris Murray of Nevada Sports Net.

Briggs made the move to Southern Mississippi — following his former head coach at USU, Blake Anderson.

Floyd left too, and according to 247 Sports, he is still in search of a landing spot.

The departures left USU with a nearly empty running back room and a desperate need for some new players.

“Utah State had strong running backs a year ago, and I remember them from playing against them when I was coaching in New Mexico,” Mendenhall said at Mountain West media days last week. “Those players left and so there is a void and opportunity.”

Enter Miles Davis.

A former BYU running back who played five seasons for the Cougars, Davis was the second established Division-I player to announce his transfer to Utah State after Mendenhall took over.

Davis is expected to be a key contributor for the Aggies this season, platooning with New Mexico transfer Javen Jacobs. It won’t be a surprise to see him outperform any of his previous collegiate seasons in his one year in Logan. Davis’ best season to date was in 2022, when he rushed for 225 yards on 40 carries and had 27 receiving yards via six catches.

Other than a desperate need for bodies at running back, why did USU go after Davis? Of the many running backs who entered their names into the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, why did the Aggies want Davis?

Mendenhall explained it pretty simply.

He and his staff knew about Davis because of his long time at BYU and that familiarity played a role.

“We know the coaches at BYU really well, and we knew Miles,” Mendenhall said.

There was more too it, though.

In Davis, Mendenhall and his staff saw something of a depressed asset. A player who hadn’t yet reached his full potential but whom they thought they could get the most out of.

“We saw the opportunity,” Mendenhall said. “We saw how he was performing his current role. We believed he is capable of more, would become more with an investment and an opportunity. Just thought that’d be a great fit, and we had a need.”

Davis will likely slot in as a change of pace back for USU, with Jacobs being more of a bruiser, while Davis is more of the home run threat.

Given his background at wide receiver and speed, Davis — in theory — could provide USU quarterback Bryson Barnes with a great safety valve while operating in open space behind linebackers who will be focused on Barnes’ running ability.

Whatever role Davis plays for the Aggies though, the expectation is that he will be the best he’s been in college yet. That is why the Aggies brought him to Utah State. Because of his unrealized potential.