UTC defensive lineman Keionta Davis performs drills during the Mocs’ first practice in pads at Scrappy Moore Field on March 21.Keionta Davis dipped his right shoulder and raised his forearm to shove the blocker back on his heels. In the same motion, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sophomore defensive end then planted his foot in the ground and raced around the edge, making a beeline for the quarterback.
Davis reached out to tag quarterback Jacob Huesman’s red no-contact jersey, causing Marcus West, his position coach, to yell out, “I see you, Keionta! Atta boy!”
The move came on one of the first plays of the live-snaps portion of Saturday morning’s Mocs practice at Scrappy Moore field, and just after group drills where West had preached a variety of ways to pressure the quarterback.
“We’ve always built this defense around pass-rushing ends and cover corners,” head coach Russ Huesman said later. “The more you have up front who can rush the pass, the better you are, and Keionta showed signs last year of becoming a really good player for us.
“His offseason is as good as anybody I’ve been around, and he’s at a point where he realizes how important it is to compete every day out here. His transformation from this time last year has been huge, and he’s letting his natural ability take over.”