JB Davis

J. B. Davis grew up in the cotton Mill Village in Guntersville. Like most of the Mill Village boys, he was expected to go to work in the cotton mill, but Davis had other ideas. He excelled on the football field as a 145-pound running back.

Under the famous University of Georgia coach Wally Butts, Davis lettered three years and was captain of the 1957 team. His junior year, he led the nation with a punt return average of 28.3 yards. Two of his returns in 1956 were for touchdowns, including an 80-yarder at Legion field against Alabama. It won the game for Georgia, 16-11. Davis had a 58-yard return against fifth-ranked Miami that earned the Bulldogs a 7-7 tie. For both games, he was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.

Coach Wally Butts said of J.B., “He has more guts and heart than just about anybody who has ever played at Georgia.”

Following his playing career, J.B. Davis became a successful Georgia high school football/baseball coach and school administrator.