“I feel great. I feel good right now. I had a fun time with the recruiting process but it’s stressful. I’m glad it came to the end and I picked the right school.”
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Davis joined at least three other area football standouts during national signing day to ante up for Big Ten football: Miamisburg offensive lineman Josh Myers (Ohio State), Piqua linebacker Darien Clemons (Michigan State) and Springboro kicker Charlie Kuhbander (Northwestern).
The week-long signing period for football and soccer runs through Tuesday. The early signing period for basketball and all other sports was last November.
Regarded as a four-star recruit (on a five-star scale), Davis chose to pursue football after also weighing many basketball offers. Unlike most high-level recruits, he did not verbally commit in either football or basketball, which fueled speculation on which sport he would pursue. He said he sided with football after his junior year, but didn’t publicly say so.
Among those to find out his intention on Wednesday was Wisconsin football coach Paul Chryst, whom Davis promised to call “in a couple minutes.”
“Of course I love basketball and football,” Davis said. “Everybody has basketball dreams. I’m a 6-2 guard and there’s a bunch of 6-2 guards. I have a different mentality in football. I love to compete against people. That’s what I love to do.”
An elusive 6 feet 3, 190 pounds, Davis is a rare four-year starter in football and basketball, providing an immediate high-profile impact. He also was among the most versatile football players in the Greater Western Ohio Conference.
As a senior he rushed for 1,195 yards (7.0 average) and scored seven touchdowns. He also had 22 receptions for 559 yards (25.4) and another six scores. He returned 14 punts for 194 yards (13.9) and scored once. He also was an accomplished kickoff returner, totaling 309 yards (22.1) on 14 returns.
Defensively, he toggled between the secondary and a roving monster back, wherever needed.
Davis was named the GWOC National East Division offensive player of the year as a senior. Springfield (7-4) lost a first-round Division I playoff game at Pickerington Central and was runner-up to Wayne in the division. He’ll play receiver for the Badgers.
“He’s a special kid,” gushed Springfield coach Maurice Douglass, who built the Wildcats’ offense around Davis after he left Trotwood-Madison for Springfield in 2014. “He’s one of the most humble guys you’d ever meet. If you saw him in the hallway you’d never know he has 30-some offers because he doesn’t carry himself that way. He’s a worker and he’s been a pleasure to coach the last three years.”
Davis has been named All-Ohio in both football and basketball. He’s led Springfield basketball in scoring the last three seasons and is averaging 19.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.2 steals as a senior for the Wildcats (13-2).
• Six other Springfield seniors also signed, but it was one who didn’t that was most noteworthy. Running back/linebacker Shane Ramey was thought to favor Toledo. Douglass said Ramey likely will sign with Marshall instead.
Other Wildcats seniors to sign to play football were De’Sean Bradley (Urbana), Kelley Kinser (Urbana), Malik Young (Central State), Walter Sanford (Wittenberg), Tyren De’Armond (Otterbein) and Zach Howard (Otterbein).
“That’s what it’s all about to me,” Douglass said. “If you can get a kid to go to school you can change generations for that family. Now, those kids will have power with that degree.”
• Three other Springfield-area seniors signed to play football: Ethan Bradds of Greeneview (Eastern Kentucky), Cooper Johnson of Urbana (Ohio Dominican) and West Liberty-Salem’s Trent Schmucker (Ohio Dominican).
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