When the NIU football team’s top two running backs went down against Eastern Michigan, Adrian Davis finally got his chance.

The senior running back played sparingly in his first three seasons but in his first career start rushed for 252 yards in a 34-3 victory over Kent State.

Davis sat down with the Northern Star to talk about his break-out game, his deceptive size and his flag football class.

Northern Star: I heard you took a flag football class. Doesn’t that seem a little unfair?

Adrian Davis: That class was cool. I would kind of just let everybody play until fourth down, then I would go deep and catch a touchdown and we’d win so I didn’t think it was unfair.

NS: Did you learn anything new in that class?

AD: Yeah, they got different rules in flag football so I learned a few things.

NS: Wouldn’t you be considered sort of a ringer?

AD: A lot of times they would try to get me to sit on the sidelines and referee and just call some plays. They called me in a couple times and I just went in there and did something.

NS: I also heard you can bench press quite a bit.

AD: I can bench press around 400, well it’s probably more like 395. Not to brag, but for my size I guess it’s pretty good.

NS: Where do you get your strength?

AD: I’m southern and I’ve just been eating beans and rice all my life.

NS: Do you have a pre-game meal?

AD: I don’t really have a set pre-game meal, I just try to eat a light brunch.

NS: Ball State allows 256 yards on the ground; you technically average 252 yards per start. Will that equal a big day for you?

AD: You never know. I know my boy A.J. [Harris] will be back so we’ll be splitting that time, so hopefully we can both get 200 or 150 yards each.

NS: Do you have any nicknames?

AD: They called me A-train back in high school, but that name is kind of lost because I stopped growing. I only grew about two inches in high school, so they just call me little A.D. now.

NS: Do you think your height is an advantage?

AD: Yeah, they can’t see me. Once the linemen stand up it’s like a needle in a hay stack, they look clean over my head.

NS: What are your hobbies in the off season or on an off week?

AD: I go to movies a lot. I’m easily amused so I kind of like horror flicks.

NS: Do you have a favorite album that you listen to before games?

AD: I like Jagged Edge. The slow music is relaxing, and you don’t want to get too geeked up before the game.

NS: The Kent State game was the biggest game of your career. Does it bother you that it came so late?

AD: I wish I could’ve got in earlier, but it came at a nice time toward the end of my career so I [can] go out with some type of a bang.