Top juco DE recovering from accident

As if being shot at in Fallujah, Iraq, was not enough, Mount San Antonio College (Calif.) defensive end Rulon Davis now can add being run over by a semi truck to his resume.

Davis was on his motorcycle on the 10-freeway in Southern California in early July when he was rear-ended by a vehicle, sending him flying into the air and underneath a semi truck. He then leaped to get out from under the truck, only to have his legs run over, leaving him in a hospital bed for two weeks. Fortunately, for Davis, he managed to escape the accident with his life intact and, equally amazingly, no broken bones.

"You can't even imagine it," Davis said of the accident. "I was in the hospital for two weeks and lost 20 pounds."

You may remember Davis as the guy who spent six months in Iraq as a reserve in the Marine Corps as part of the HMLA 775 helicopter squadron out of Camp Pendleton, California. He spent three of his six months in heavy combat near Fallujah.

"It was crazy man," Davis said back in June. "It's something you don't ever want to experience again."

Arizona, Utah, Washington State, Marshall, Nebraska, Arizona State, USC, Michigan State and Utah State have all talked about a trip for Davis during or after the season. However, Davis is still in the process of rehabilitation and needs to be cleared by a doctor before he can start thinking about football again.

"I'm not in pads yet, but I'm working out with the team until the doctor clears me," Davis said. "I feel like I'm about 65 percent."

Davis graduated from Charter Oak High School in 2001 and enlisted in the Marine Corps as a reserve. He played at Mt SAC as a freshman in 2003 and soon after received his call for duty in Iraq.

Davis was 6-foot-6, 275 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash around 4.9 seconds before the accident. He now is 255 pounds and working on gaining back his weight and getting stronger.

"I'm just working on getting stronger and gaining weight so that I can get back to where I was," Davis said.

When asked about a wish list, Davis said he liked Washington State.

"I really like their program," Davis said. "I like their d-coordinator and they have my best interest at heart."

Davis and the Mounties will open the 2005 season at Grossmont College on Sept. 3. Mt San Antonio is ranked No. 13 in California in The JuCal Transfer pre-season state rankings.