Daisy Poised For Huge Step Forward This Season

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - October 1, 2025

UAB wide receiver Xavier Daisy is in his fourth season as a football player. To clarify, it’s not his fourth season as a college football player. It’s simply his fourth season as a football player.

Daisy, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound sophomore from Norcross, Georgia, figured that basketball was his athletic path. He dabbled in some flag football as a child but stuck with basketball when he entered Greater Atlantic Christian. Two years into high school, the school’s linebacker coach suggested he give football a try. After a short time working with the outside linebackers, he moved to wide receiver. A football career was born.

“I'll say a couple of weeks into our summer practices in high school, I was like, I really enjoy this,” said Daisy, who played football as a junior and senior in high school.

Nearly four years later, Daisy is poised to take a huge step forward. He is coming off his second college start and the most snaps he’s ever taken during a college game. He not only replaced suspended starter Corri Milliner in the starting lineup but he had a productive game with three catches for 42 yards, including a highlight reel catch that he made after falling down and a 19-yarder that set up the game’s final touchdown in the 56-24 loss at Tennessee.

“It was a great environment to play in,” Daisy said of Neyland Stadium. “There were about 101,000 people there. They packed it. It was a great experience seeing fans all the way to the top of stadium. You take it in the first time you step on the field, then you have to turn it off so to speak. Once it comes time to play, then I’m locked in. I don't even hear the crowd at that point.”

It was a veteran approach for a player that hasn’t seen much game time action in his two years in the program. Physically, Daisy looked the part from the moment he stepped on campus. That’s understandable considering his dad, Anthony, is a sports and fitness trainer in the Atlanta area and his mother, Denise, is a physical therapist.

“I started training when I was like three,” Daisy said. “My dad trained me and my mom was on the therapy side. In high school, they would help out. To be honest, I didn’t like training at first. I was kind of forced into it. (But) my parents always helped me keep a clear mind, even in the tougher times.”

He made an immediate impact once he joined the UAB program. But his first practice opened his eyes.

“The first practice, I was like ‘Holy crap this is fast,’” Daisy said. “It was super fast-paced. I felt like I was falling behind a little bit, even though I prepared really well in the summer. As time went on, I felt like I was separating myself from the other freshmen in being able to learn things a little quicker.”

Daisy played in 10 games last season and his lone catch of the season gained 24 yards against Tulsa. He’s also fought through injuries. Ask Daisy about his injuries the past two seasons and the checklist includes “tendinitis, knees, hamstring, shoulder, the AC joint, I hurt that a little bit.”

Now, though, he’s feeling good.

“All that is fixed now,” Daisy said. “I’m glad to be back out moving 100 percent.”

That wasn’t the case early in camp. Daisy was running with the second team when fall camp opened and was looking forward to push for a starting spot. He fell behind, though, after getting banged up again. Daisy played in the first three games but his only catch during that time gained 10 yards in the opener against Alabama State. His play against Tennessee showed he’s ready for a bigger role, which is important with the uncertainty of Milliner’s availability moving forward.

“He’s had (four to five) incredible weeks of practice,” UAB head coach Trent Dilfer said. “You know, you win football games with complete football players, not one-trick ponies. Xavier understands that. He went to a great high school program. His parents are awesome. He’s come in here and worked his tail off. He’s overcome some boo-boos, some soft tissue injuries, a chronic knee thing and he’s play fast. He’s all about that business.”