Soddy-Daisy's Christian Bell is brought down by Red Bank's Malik Davis as Courtney Stamper watches Friday at Red Bank High School.Player of the Week honorable mention(Coaches are invited to submit nominations by 6 p.m. each Saturday to Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com.)James Cole, Hixson: He had 12 carries for 178 yards and a TD and then recorded eight tackles, five assists, two interceptions, a fumble caused and a fumble recovered.Kyle Sholl, Ringgold: He had 15 carries for 197 yards and a TD and added three catches for another 115 yards and a second score.Cole Copeland, Bradley Central: He completed 23 of 30 passes for 250 yards and three TDs with no interceptions and added two more TDs and 136 yards in 24 rushing attempts.
Malik Davis saved the best till last and by doing so made it possible to have another best and another last.
"I played this game like it was my last," he said in a Friday postgame interview.
The versatile senior athlete turned in what his coach called a phenomenal performance as Red Bank moved on in the Class 3A playoffs with a 29-14 victory over Bledsoe County.
"He's phenomenal -- his offense and then being able to do what he does on defense; he's just phenomenal," Lions coach Chad Grabowski said. "He's one of the best players I've coached or been around."
Davis' performance was good enough to push Red Bank into a second-round playoff game Friday at McMinn Central and to earn him Times Free Press Player of the Week honors.
Malik Davis, Red Bank High SchoolThe 6-foot-3, 180-pounder completed 6 of 12 passes for 71 yards and two TDs. He also carried the ball 10 times for 263 yards and two scores and then on defense he intercepted three passes and broke up another.
When Grabowski arrived last spring to take Red Bank's head coaching position he was told that Davis didn't have the best reputation and that he'd never make it through the season. Grabowski found and then fostered the exact opposite.
"Everything he's been asked to do he's done with no complaints, and then we put quarterback on him and he has done everything so well thus far," Grabowski said.
Davis played some last year when Mike Robinson was hurt, but the coach said it was more running an option-style offense. This year once he stepped into the position, it was as a runner to be certain but also as a passer. The best advantage of having Davis at quarterback and in the defensive secondary is that he's football-savvy.
"We put a little more on him and his throwing is getting better. He had a couple of drops the other night," Grabowski said. "He's probably the most football-smart player. It's amazing how much football knowledge he has. I assume he picked up some from (brother) Kiontae (a defensive lineman at UTC), but he is always around the football office."
During the course of his career, Davis has also played wide receiver, running back, cornerback, safety and linebacker.
Grabowski thinks his standout is a future NFL cornerback.
"He's a good defensive player. He could be an NFL corner, even though he'd been a big NFL corner. He has great instincts," Grabowski said. "We put him in a Rivals camp at cornerback and although he had never played it he was shutting down people that had been wide receivers all their lives. He has the instincts and he has the speed to play corner at both of the next levels. He's a legitimate 4.5 (seconds over 40 yards), and he can get into the 4.4s with a little more work. The kid has another gear."
The biggest question is whether or not his prized standout will qualify for a four-year school or have to go the junior college route.
"He's been working so hard on his grades, basically trying to make up poor grades from his freshman year and the first part of his sophomore year," Grabowski said. "I think if he was already a qualifier that Tennessee already would have offered."
UTC, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State are among other schools recruiting him.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.