Thursday May 10, 2007

The Judge

The Judge
I remember the 1980 Clemson-North Carolina game where Jeff Davis set the Clemson record for tackles against an ACC team with 24 tackles as he outplayed Lawrence Taylor.

I remember Jeff pounding Herschel Walker in 1981 time and time again in helping the Tigers to a 13-3 win in Death Valley.

I vividly remember Jeff and the fumble early against Nebraska that set the tone for the game and the National Championship.

But I really did not know the value of Jeff Davis until January of 1984. My dad played in college with then Clemson assistant Les Herrin and the Clemson coached came by our house when he was recruiting Rodney Williams. I remember asking Herrin about his national championship ring and the coach said he gave it to his father. He also told me the story of how the national championship team would not have been if it were not for Jeff Davis.

Herrin told me then and Jeff has since confirmed the difference from Jeff’s junior season and his senior year. Both said, like many teams they had racial issues in 1980. The team came into the South Carolina game at 5-5 but the orange pants made their debut and Willie Underwood played the game of his life in upsetting the Gamecocks.

The Championship Season
It was the momentum of the season-ending win and Jeff Davis that changed the off-season. Jeff was the strongest player in Clemson history at the time and he had the respect of his teammates. The Judge told his teammates that the racial issues were to be put aside. He said from now on when the team went anywhere on buses they were to sit black-white-black-white. He said when they roomed together the night before the game they would also room with a white player and a black player in each room. They became a team and the other issues went away.

There were times when freshman sensation William Perry got out of line in practice and took some plays off. Soon after Jeff would assert himself and put the Fridge in his place. Like the rest of his teammates, Perry respected Jeff enough to do as he said.

The Leader
The early examples of Jeff’s leadership continue today. When I introduced my kids to Jeff I told them, “There have been better athletes to play football at Clemson and there may have been better football players but Jeff Davis is the most valuable player in Clemson football history.” Leadership was the key to the 1981 national title and no one led like Jeff. I feel sure that without Jeff Clemson would not have won it all that season.

Jeff talks about his mother and grandmother like they hung the moon. He says everything he has he owes to his grandmother and mother. Whatever they did it worked.

When he first got to Clemson he said he was a shy kid but he did not take long assert himself on the field. He started as a true sophomore and did not miss a start the rest of his career. He is still third in career tackles with 469. The ACC Player of the Year was also named the defensive MVP of the 1982 Orange Bowl game.

If you put out an All-American team in 1981 Jeff was on it, the Associated Press, UPI, Football Coaches Association, Football Writers, etc. But if there was a Heisman Trophy for leadership then Jeff would have been the runaway winner that season.

Jeff played six seasons in the NFL and when he retired he was the all-time leading tackler in Buccaneer history. His leadership was felt in the NFL as he was captain of the Bucs for four seasons.

The Salesman
Life after football has been no different for Jeff. When he retired from the league he had no idea what he would do but a close Clemson friend owned a car dealership in Tampa. He told Jeff that he wanted him to come and work as a salesman at the dealership.

Jeff says he had not bought many cars in his days and knew nothing about the experience. However, on his first day on the job he was introduced to the sales staff at a board room. Jeff asked, “Who was the number-one salesperson here last year?” The top guy raised his hand. ‘Your number-two this year now that I am here,” Jeff said. In typical fashion Jeff sold more cars than anyone at the dealership that year.

The Church
Jeff knew there was more to life than car sales and the NFL. He knew there was a higher calling and he needed to do more. With his own money and own hands Jeff built a church. He bought land in a drug infested neighborhood in the Tampa area. He built the church from the ground up and was the first preacher. Jeff still talks about some of his greatest times being the first few weeks of the church and also how awesome it was to watch it grow.

Family Man
Jeff met his wife, Joni, at Clemson and they both graduated from Clemson on the same day in 1984. They have been married for 23 years and the couple wanted to have children. Jeff and Joni had a girl. The couple wanted a second child and had another beautiful little girl. Like many men, Davis loved his two girls but wanted a boy in the family as well. Jeff and Joni had a third little girl. Jeff says after three he really had to try hard to convince Joni to try again for a boy. The Davis’ had a fourth beautiful little girl. Jeff says he had it all, a great wife and four beautiful daughters but he convinced Joni to try one last time for a boy. “Wouldn’t you know,” Jeff says, “we had twin boys. So be careful what you wish for.” Like Jeff and Joni, all six Davis kids have first names that start with the letter J.

Homecoming
Jeff had it all. He had the nice life. He had a great family and a great job. He was making a difference in his Florida community. But something was missing. He knew he had to get back to Clemson. He says he always knew he would find a way to get back home.

Jeff came back to Clemson and helped start the Call Me Mister Program in South Carolina. The program raises money for scholarships for African American males in the state of South Carolina who are pursuing secondary education as a career. In 2001, he received the "Use Your Life Award" from Oprah's Winfrey's Angel Network. He was presented the award on Winfrey's program and she also contributed $100,000 to the Call Me Mister program. I can remember Jeff telling me the number of African American males we have in prison and how many we have in college. I was shocked but it was a powerful message from a powerful man.

The Role Model
Yesterday was a great day for Jeff when it was announced that he will inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. It was another day of honor and awards for Jeff. He is in the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame, the Clemson Ring of Honor, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and was named to the ACC’s 50-Year Anniversary.

Jeff continues to get awards and honors but to this day he still gives more than he receives. He is still involved with the Call Me Mister Program. He is an assistant athletic director involved with major gifts at Clemson. Jeff started another local church here and Clemson and preaches often here. He is involved with a local faith-based youth group. His impact is still felt everyday in the football program as he counsels many of the current players.

Golf is one of Jeff’s new passions and he has started working out in the weight room again. But Jeff will continue to spend most of his time doing what he does best—being a leader and giving to young people. In a world where parents search for role models in the public world for their kids I think you should look right here in our community for an incredible role model, Jeff Davis.

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