EMILY REID/Arizona Daily Wildcat Physical education senior Tony Davenport studies in the Main Library earlier this week. In order to graduate this semester after a motorcycle accident, Davenport is currently taking 31 credits.

After crashing his motorcycle into a curb at 70 miles per hour in February, senior Tony Davenport got to his feet to assess the damage to his bike.

Although he didn't immediately notice his three broken leg bones and torn pectoral muscle, he had to drop his classes last spring to go through therapy for his injuries.

So this semester, Davenport, a physical education major and U.S. Marine, is taking 13 classes totaling 31 credit hours.

Since the Marines only allot a break of four years for college, Davenport, 26, was forced to make up for lost time.

The credit hours started stacking up over the summer when Davenport completed 19 credits over the summer via online courses from Rio Salado College, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests and summer classes at UA. However, to be able to student teach in spring 2003, he had to complete the 13 classes he now takes.

His schedule this year is rigorous, even before class starts.

"I'm up at 5 (a.m.) and at the university by 6 (a.m.). Then, for Marines, we have to do physical training from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. After that, I go to the (Student Recreation Center) to shower. And then I do the readings for some classes," he said.

Next, he spends about six hours a day in class. The classes are senior level and the time spent studying out of class takes even more time, he said.

He still finds time to do extra work.

"I create homework for myself on the weekends. I do extra stuff just to help. If the book comes with the CD-Rom, I'll play with that or I'll do the questions in the back of the chapter," he said.

When Davenport gets home, he immediately hits the books.

"I don't know too many people that could (handle 31 credits). But he's pretty grounded," said friend Renee Carroll. "He's a great guy."

Davenport is over the crash.

He's accepted his class load and brought a new motorcycle after crashing his 1989 GSX-R 750.

"There's two types of motorcycle riders: There's those that have been down and those that are going to go down. Eventually, you will go down · I wasn't planning on it at the time but, it's a fact of life."

Davenport also maintains a social life and regularly watches his favorite television show, "The Simpsons," and even sleeps ÷ five to eight hours a night.

"Sleep to me is a big thing · most of my work is reading-intensive. So I need to be awake," he said.

To take any more than 19 credits, a student must get an advisor to sign off on the course schedule. Thirty-one credits, however, isn't something students usually want to deal with, said education advising director Sandy Garber.

"There's probably 800 to 900 education students and I'll probably only sign off on 10 or 15. And usually, a student isn't trying to do more than 21 or 22," Garber said.

While teaching physical education is something Davenport cares about, he said he'd rather return to the Marines. But because of his injury, he may get medically discharged.

To avoid this, he has to spend a great deal of time rehabilitating his leg and getting back into shape to even have a chance to continue with the Marines after college.

"I have to be able to run three miles in 27 minutes on a regular basis. And that's considered slow for the Marines · But if I can run that · I could stay in as a staff sergeant," he said.

Davenport says he's no genius and credits the Marines with making him mentally tough enough to make it through the semester.

"The pain is temporary," he said. "It's going to end soon. You just have to be strong enough. I know I have the mental strength to get through it."