Davis gains happy return in Wisconsin

Manchester, Mich., is in the middle of Wolverine country. Stationed roughly 20 minutes southwest of Ann Arbor, much of the town bleeds Maize and Blue.

Wisconsin kick returner Nick Davis isn't one of them. Although Davis has lived in Manchester since kindergarten, the sophomore flanker had no qualms about leaving the Ann Arbor area for the red and white of the Badgers.

"I wouldn't really say I was really a die-hard Michigan fan," Davis said. "I liked Michigan and Michigan State pretty equally when I was growing up."

Manchester, on the other hand, is pretty much a Michigan stronghold. So when Davis - who is third in the country in punt returns with 19.5 yards per return - was being recruited during his senior year of high school, there were quite a few Michigan suggestions offered to him.

But after wooing Davis heavily during the first part of the recruiting process, the Wolverines backed off, allowing Davis to sign with the Badgers.

"My stepfather went to Michigan, so he wanted me to stay home for college," Davis said. "Michigan went after me hard at the beginning, but then they seemed to lose interest.

"I think my parents were more disappointed then I was when Michigan stopped recruiting me. But they both were behind me 100 percent with the decision that I made."

Although Manchester is a pretty devout Michigan community, there wasn't any negative backlash towards Davis's decision to leave home. The stories of recruits being badgered by their community after forsaking the hometown team didn't happen in Davis' situation.

"I was really the only kid that has ever

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