Davis to return to USM
By By Stan Caldwell / EMG Sports Writer
Jan. 15, 2003
HATTIESBURG The 2002 football season is barely over, but already there has been significant news as the University of Southern Mississippi begins to look toward the 2003 season.
Head coach Jeff Bower has made a number of major changes to his coaching staff, but the biggest news for the Golden Eagles so far this new year involves no change at all.
When USM tees it up against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at M.M. Roberts Stadium for the season opener next fall, they will have their defensive leader on the field with them.
Middle linebacker Rod Davis, the acknowledged leader of the Nasty Bunch defense, announced Tuesday that he will return for his senior season, ending weeks of speculation about his future.
Davis made his decision after visiting practices for this weekend's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and talking to draft experts about his probable draft position.
Still, it was a hard decision, so much so that Davis waited long after his self-imposed deadline of New Year's Day.
To be sure, Davis was none too happy about the overall play of the Golden Eagle defense last season, although USM's difficulties in stopping the run could in no way be attributed to his play.
Davis, a first-team All-Conference USA selection for the second year in a row, led USM in tackles (168), solo tackles (122), sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (23.5).
Davis received the 2002 Conerly Trophy, signifying the top college player in the state of Mississippi, and was a third-team All-American selection by The Associated Press, first-team by CollegeFootballNews.com, third-team All-American selection by The Sporting News and honorable-mention selection by CNNSI.com.
Davis is on track to graduate in May with a degree in management, and he said that played a big role in his decision to return.
And now that he knows that the leader of the defense is coming back, linebackers coach Lytrell Pollard can move forward with a game plan for next season.
Davis also has one goal that has so far eluded him at USM: a Conference USA championship.
Davis' announcement culminated a whirlwind two weeks for Bower. The USM coach replaced offensive coordinator Chris Klenakis with former Memphis coach Rip Shearer and hired a new wide receivers coach in David Warner, formerly the passing game coordinator at the University of Houston.
Bower has also apparently retained defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix, after a strong bid by new Alabama head coach Mike Davis to lure Nix to Tuscaloosa. And that, too, played a role in Davis' return to the Golden Eagles.
