It had to happen eventually.
Jesuit Football AMDG: "After Malik Davis is Gone".
Malik Davis couldn’t stay in Jesuit blue for more than four years. Now he is in Gator blue and orange in Gainesville.
Davis leaves behind a legacy that will last for a long time in Hillsborough County and the entire Tampa Bay area.
He became the all-time rushing record in the county on October 14, 2016 in a win over Robinson. It was in the second quarter when Malik took a handoff and burst down the right side of the field for a 30-yard touchdown. This was the play that rushed Davis into the history books. Malik passed Sickles’ Ray-Ray McCloud (Clemson) who had set the previous Hillsborough County rushing record of 5,765 yards.
At the end of the 2016 season, Malik walked away from his high school career with 7,029 rushing yards. He is the first runner in Hillsborough County with both 6,000 and 7,000 career rushing yards.
When Malik was a freshman, Matt Thompson was entering his first season as the head coach at Jesuit.
Now, Thompson will have to realize what coaching at Jesuit is like without a premiere running back. But that’s okay with him.
“You can’t replace Malik,” said Thompson. “He is an amazing young man. We have some young guys who can step up. A couple freshmen who could be really good.”
Thompson also mentioned junior running back Matthew Pittman, a bruising runner who averaged nearly five yards per carry in 2016. Pittman ended last season with five touchdowns on the ground and help change the pace of the rushing attack after Davis had broken off a long run.
But Jesuit is losing far more than just an iconic high school running back. It is losing a quarterback, Danny Boone, who threw for 1,566 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2016. Malik’s best friend Travell Harris, now at Washington State, was a runner, a receiver, and a special teams gem for the Tigers.
Between those three players, Jesuit is losing 5,742 yards of total offense and 67 touchdowns. And that is just from 2016!
Last season the Tigers had 82 total touchdowns.
Speaking of quarterback, the Tigers will head to camp this Thursday with as many as five QBs competing for the job under center. Proving that replacing a solid quarterback remains perhaps the greatest challenge to any football coach.
“Danny won 26 games for us in two seasons,” said Thompson. “He never lost at the JV level. He is an incredible talent and it’s going to be tough but we will figure it out.”
Offensive coordinator Joe Gerena will be keeping a close eye on the quarterback battle. Senior Brendenn Flynn threw the second-most passes on the team in 2016, going 4-for-4 with 39 yards and one touchdown. The only other listed QB on the roster, according to Maxpreps, is Nash Chilura.
While that may be an area of concern for Jesuit, one area that has never concerned him is the defense.
In 2016 the Tigers starting 11 on D gave up less than 11 points per game.
“We have four senior linebackers all with Division-I offers, “ said Thompson. “We are in good shape on this side of the ball.”
“This defense is going to need to step up this year,” said junior free safety Dane Belton, who will be starting for the second straight season. “The offense is losing some key guys, but it will still be good.”
“This offseason has been as different as any that I can recall,” said senior defensive lineman A.J. Pinion. “We are replacing some great guys and we need to just work harder than before. The target is on our backs.”
Could offense come by way of the defense this season? In 2016 Jesuit had 18 interceptions. The defense returned two of those picks for touchdowns and also has three fumbles returned for a touchdown.
“I think our defense has all the experience to step up and get points,” said Belton. “We have guys who want the ball.”
“Our guys need to dig a little deeper than they ever have before,” said Thompson. “We just need to work hard and the results will come for us.”