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Ray Davis and His Journey From Homelessness to the NFL, “When I Was on the Field, All My Worries Disappeared

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2 months ago

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Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis opens up about his journey from homelessness to the NFL, and his desire to help others.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Ray Davis has faced more challenges than most on his way to the NFL. Growing up, he experienced homelessness, moving from shelter to shelter with his family. Kentucky Insider wrote about this last season. But rather than let these hardships define him, Davis used them as motivation to chase his dreams of playing football at the highest level.

In a recent interview with Good Morning Football, Davis opened up again about his past and how his experiences shaped him. He explained that during those difficult years, football provided an escape and a sense of purpose. “When I was on the field, all my worries disappeared,” Davis shared.

His college football journey was unique, he started at Temple University, where he impressed with his strong performance as a freshman. Afterward, he transferred to Vanderbilt, where he continued to hone his skills against top competition. Finally, Davis found his way to the University of Kentucky, where he became a standout running back. At every stop, he faced adversity and improved from it.

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“I just kind of kept putting my head down and understanding every adversity that came towards me, I got to face it,” Davis said. “There’s no running away. If I ran away, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t be able to have this voice, this platform, and just this ability to showcase a new world where no matter who tells you you can’t make it, if you live by what you believe in, you will achieve anything that you want to achieve.”

Now in the NFL, Davis hopes to continue sharing his story. He uses his platform to encourage people going through tough times to stay determined. “No matter how tough life gets, don’t give up,” he advises. His journey reminds us that success isn’t just about talent—it’s about perseverance, dedication, and staying true to your dreams.

Davis not only plays for himself but also for all those who face similar challenges. He hopes his journey from homelessness to the NFL can inspire others to believe in themselves, no matter their circumstances. His story is one of resilience and a relentless belief that hard work can change lives.

“For me, it was about, at the day, everybody goes through adversity, everybody faces challenges that, you know, they feel like they can or cannot overcome,” Davis said. “And I understood the position I was in, that if I were to give up, who would be an advocate for kids, who would be a spokesman, who could be a mentor, who could be a role model? I felt that at the age of 12 and at the age of 14, 15, and so on, that I was going to have to be that role model. I was willing to take the lead and to show everybody that there is a way, there is a possibility to achieve the dream that you want. It may not be the most easiest ride, but at the end of the day, there might be a lot of bumps and bruises, but you’ll make it there. You’ll get there.”

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Catch the full interview here.

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Kentucky Athletic Collectives Rank 11th of 16 Teams in SEC, Bring in over $11 Million

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2 weeks ago

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December 10, 2024

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Kentucky ranks 11th of 16 SEC teams in collective fundraising.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

For better or for worse of college sports, NIL is here to stay and it certainly gives an advantage to schools with more money. Just looking at the SEC alone, collectives raised more than $200 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Unfortunately, Kentucky is ranked in the lower half of that.

According to documents from the House v. NCAA proposed settlement, Kentucky raised $11,254,204 from athletics collectives for the 2023-24 fiscal year. That ranks 11th of the 15 public universities in the SEC and is just more than half of the top collective, Texas who raised over $22 million.

Full Rankings

Rank
School NameCollective Funding
1Texas22,272,474
2LSU20,137,141
3Georgia18,326,566
4Texas A&M17,228,714
5Alabama15,995,406
6Florida15,802,237
7Oklahoma14,817,595
8Tennessee11,602,164
9Auburn11,588,953
10Arkansas11,544,039
11Kentucky11,254,204
12S. Carolina9,554,700
13Ole Miss8,872,378
14Missouri7,146,859
15Mississippi St.6,467,166
NRVanderbiltNot Available (Private School)

While collective funding is low, Kentucky has been a top 20 athletic program in total revenue, partly thanks to being a school that profits from its basketball program. Looking ahead to 2025, Kentucky is expected to stay in the top 20 nationally in athletic revenue, fifth in the SEC by bringing in an estimated 131,139,792. Ahead of programs like Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Tennessee.

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With revenue sharing coming in the near future, even more money is going to be involved in roster and program building. Schools in the Big Ten and SEC have an even bigger advantage due to their new TV deals, giving them up to an extra $70 million or more.

A new era of college sports is here. It’s time to prepare and embrace it.

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Kentucky Wide Receiver Calls for “A Lot” More Leadership and Accountability from Staff

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3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks onto the field before the game against the Louisville Cardinals.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

A poor offensive line. Inconsistent quarterback play. A lot of things led to Kentucky football’s abysmal 2024 season. However, they had the talent to finish better than 4-8, only defeating one power opponent this season. So what could have helped?

Kentucky wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin was asked that question after the Wildcats’ loss to Louisville on Saturday. To his credit, he answered honestly and professionally.

“A lot more leadership,” Maclin said. “Holding guys accountable for things. A lot more discipline for all the guys… All around, players and coaches. We’re still a team, I don’t want to point at any one person or specific group. All around we need better leadership.”

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Maclin is a junior and could return for another season. Despite talking about Kentucky taking the next step, he has not made his decision and will be returning home to talk to his family to do so. If Maclin does return, it sounds like Kentucky will have a leader in the receiving room.

Despite being a 1,000-yard receiver at North Texas, Maclin was not targeted often. However, on his 13 receptions, he caught four for touchdowns, the most of any receiver on the team.

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Kentucky Player Seen At Concession Stand During Kentucky’s 41-14 Loss to Louisville

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3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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A Kentucky football player was seen at buying food from the concession stand in Kentucky's 41-14 loss to Louisville.

Kentucky’s on-field product against Louisville was poor to say the least, sending 99% of Wildcat fans home early. It even sent an injured player from the sideline to get a snack…

Yes, offensive lineman Gerald Mincey, one of Kentucky’s most expensive transfer portal additions, was seen at one of the concession stands at Kroger Field during Kentucky’s 41-14 defeat.

Watching a 4-8 team is bad, but even worse to do on an empty stomach.

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Mincey is a senior and will not be returning next season, but it is nice to see him reinvesting some money back into the program.

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