Posted by bambi2godzilla on 12/13/2007, 7:09 pm
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Herald Player of the Year: Chad Davis the best on defense
Davis' intelligence helped him become county's best LB
Ken Ottmar
MOnterey Herald
12/13/2007
Walk past Chad Davis on the street and you might not take a second glance.
Stop by a classroom at Palma High and Davis blends in like any other senior.
Bump into Davis at the supermarket and his most likely response would be, "pardon me."
On a football field, the nice guy act gets checked in at the locker room.
Once the shoulder pads are pulled on, the helmet strapped up, the mild-mannered Davis — who will talk at length about his desire to be a plastic surgeon but knows next to nothing about the Heisman or Super Bowl races — transforms into what every defensive coach dreams about.
"He's a guy that makes plays from any point on the field," said Palma coach Jeff Carnazzo. "When we needed a big play — interception, sack or big tackle — Chad would make it happen."
Carnazzo doesn't keep defensive stats. With Davis, stats would only begin to tell the story. There is no doubt he was the best linebacker in Monterey County, and The Herald's Defensive Player of the Year.
At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Davis has the size necessary for the position. Yet a linebacker who has strength without intelligence is like having a strong-armed quarterback who can't make a read.
As it turns out, Davis might be among the smartest linebackers in the state.
"People sometimes laugh at the idea, but I want to be a doctor," said Davis. "The most interesting classes I've taken are science and math related. That's the area I excel at."
And it's not just any doctor either. Davis has his sights set on becoming a plastic surgeon, an interesting dichotomy for a guy who spends his time on the gridiron trying to rip opponents' faces off.
Hyperbole aside, the point is Davis isn't your typical football player, and far from your typical linebacker.
"He's more than a student of the game," said Carnazzo. "He's a guy that takes videos home and studies game film. He made all of our defensive calls this year, and like any great captain, he was an extension of the coaching staff out on the field."
A three-year starter for the Chieftains, Davis led the team in tackles for the second straight year. An explosive hitter with deceptive speed, it was a rare sight to see Davis not in on a tackle. Many times, he'd come clear across the field to either assist on the play or make the tackle himself.
"There was a play in the Salinas game that really demonstrated his ability," said Carnazzo. "They ran a screen pass to the opposite side of where Chad was lined up. Out of nowhere, he comes in and blows it up. There really wasn't anybody who could do what he did."
Davis also was a two-way starter for Palma. On offense, he was the Chieftains power back, a guy they called on to get the tough yards.
His numbers were hardly gaudy — just 73 carries for 455 yards and four touchdowns.
"But a lot of that was because for the first part of the season we limited his amount of plays on offense," said Carnazzo. "Once we shifted back to running some of the fly, his number was called more often. If he was just a running back, he'd be a great one, too."
For his part, Davis appreciates both positions. But if he had to choose, he'd be a linebacker.
"Some people say there's some similarities between the two," said Davis. "But I like having a lot of responsibility. As a linebacker, you have to read, react and make quick decisions. You have to be big and physical. You have to make plays."
Davis certainly doesn't lack confidence. But he isn't unrealistic either. There is no bigger critic of Davis than himself, and whether it was his own performance or that of his team, he took responsibility for whatever mistakes were made and goals that weren't met.
And this year, there were plenty of both, at least by Palma standards.
For just the second time since 1984, the Chieftains failed to win a league title. They were also knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.
For a program that enters every season as one of the favorites to win a Central Coast Section title and possibly vie for a state championship, this was a down year for Palma.
No one person could be blamed for the 8-3 record. Still, Davis knows his season was far from perfect.
"As coach said, when you go 8-3 and are disappointed, it shows what kind of football environment you come from," said Davis. "Yes, we didn't have the season we wanted. And there were a couple of games I didn't play well. But we all tried our best, and at the end of the day, that's all that can be expected of you."
What the future holds for Davis is still very unclear. He definitely wants to play football next year, something his coaches believe will happen.
"There's no doubt he'll play somewhere," said Carnazzo. "He's too good of an athlete and a football player not to be."
Davis, however, has one big stipulation.
"If I receive a scholarship, then yeah, I'll play," said Davis "But if I don't, then I'll probably will walk away from football. I know that down the line, it's unlikely I'd play professionally anyway."
There are plenty of schools interested in Davis, from San Jose State to UC-Davis to even some Pac-10 schools like Cal and Washington.
UC-Davis is the one Davis is leaning toward most, primarily because it has one of the best medical schools in California.
But Davis is serious. He'd be just as content to not play another snap. As much as he loves the game, he knows what his priorities are.
"I've got a pretty good idea of what I want in life," said Davis. "Football has always been a part of that, but I'm ready to take on the next chapter in my life, with or without the game."
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