The Times West Virginian

WVU Sports

April 10, 2010

WVU’s Davis set for last chance

By Bob Hertzel For the Times West Virginian

MORGANTOWN — Eddie Davis is running out of time.

See, he has this dream.

“I want to be in the NFL. I’ve had that dream since childhood,” he said.

The problem is that childhood is now a long time ago.

To many, Eddie Davis would be considered a success as a college student. He has a degree and is working on his master’s, but then there’s that dream.

In the end, that’s where he wants to be and at present, it just doesn’t look like he’s going to get there.

It isn’t really a case of not having the talent.

He was always a talented athlete, maybe too much so.

See, no one has ever really know what to do with Eddie Davis.

He was a star at Tampa’s Freedom High, but when it came to being recruited he had the tag of “athlete.”

Sounds good, until you realize it means that you can do a lot of things but coaches don’t know where you fit in.

Are you a running back? Are you a defensive back? A wide receiver? A kick returner?

Offense or defense?

He came to WVU in 2006 as a running back. Opening day, against Eastern Washington, he gained 65 yards on 15 carries.

He also aggravated an injury he brought with him from Tampa, an injury he suffered in a track meet just a couple of months before he got to school.

The coaches decided rather than keeping him going, they’d wrap him up, give him time to heal.

After all, he was an athlete.

And so he took the medical redshirt that year.

The next year he started at running back, moved to wide receiver.

The year after that he started at wide receiver and moved to cornerback.

Are you getting the picture?

He was everywhere and he was nowhere.

They used him on special teams, made some tackles, played well but there were these other guys ahead of him and it just didn’t work out.

Now, he’s in his final season.

“It was a long time ago,” Davis admitted. “I wish I could have done more.”

Now he’s learning that new wide receiver position and actually has a really good chance to contribute for the Mountaineers are down in numbers at wide receiver.

He has this spring to make an impression, which may not be easy, but he has the chance.

Two of the expected wide receivers, Logan Heatsie and Deon Long, did not show.

That’s what made wide receiver coach Lonnie Galloway ask him to give it a try this year.

What’s more, starting wide receiver Brad Starks is wearing a green jersey, limiting his participation due to an ankle suffered playing an offseason basketball game.

This means he’s trying to impress while trying to learn assignments and techniques, a rather difficult assignment in part because the worth thing an athlete can be doing is thinking while performing. He’s leaning on the other receivers to help him understand his assignments, but against it’s a difficult thing to do.

One thing is certain with him, though.

“I want to play on offense,” he said. “Any way I can get the ball in my hands is how I want it.”

He has his chance now to show that he can do that.

E-mail Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com.

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