Davidson shines as Princeton’s new QB in opening rout of Butler
PRINCETON >> Bob Surace did what is in vogue when he guarded his quarterback decision like a nuclear code.
Once he unleashed Kevin Davidson, it was bombs away.
Davidson threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns and the record-setting Princeton offense didn’t miss a beat in a 49-7 victory over Butler on Saturday evening.
“It just comes back to preparation,” Davidson said. “The receivers and the offensive line were all working so hard this summer and it showed on the field. We’re excited to improve because nothing was 100 percent and it’s back to the drawing board tomorrow.”
Despite Surace’s insistence that the job was up for grabs, Davidson was always the favorite. He was the only one in a group of four who had started a game when he threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns in place on an injured John Lovett against Brown last season.
Davidson, a Danville, Calif., native, isn’t the dual threat the two-time Bushnell Cup winner Lovett was, but he has a big arm and showed it off against an overmatched Butler defense.
“I was just told to go in the first play and I was ready to go,” Davidson said. “It wasn’t really named. I was just taking all the (first-team reps) all camp and you got to be ready for everything. I was ready to roll and had a decent game.”
First the caveat: Butler (13) is one of the worst teams in the FCS and was coming off a loss to an NAIA school.
Still, Davidson solidified himself as the No. 1 option for an offense that averaged a staggering 47 points per game last season, but needed to replace almost all of its skill position talent.
He led the Tigers (1-0) to six consecutive touchdown drives in the first half.
Davidson completed 16-of18 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as Princeton racked up 440 yards in 30 minutes.
He tossed scoring passes of 33 yards to Andrei Iosivas and 24 yards to Andrew Griffin. The second of which was beautiful throw he dropped into Griffin’s hands with a defender dropped all over the receiver.
“Once you do it, you know you can do it,” Surace said. “The biggest thing was he’s practiced so well in the spring, so well in camp and I think he feels comfortable. There was very good protection, very good routes, some very good catches, but he did thread some throws that were big-time throws.”
Davidson sat behind Chad Kanoff and Lovett in each of the last two seasons and was eager to take his turn under center.
“John and Chad were tremendous mentors throughout and they both called me yesterday and were like it’s your time and go out and play like we know you’ve prepared to play,” Davidson said. “I was relaxed all day today. Just being calm throughout, that’s what I did in high school and now that I’m playing more, it’s just the same mindset.”
Wide receiver Dylan Classi also threw a touchdown pass on a trick play to Iosivas.
Collin Eaddy ran for two scores, while Ryan Quigley and Trey Gray had one each.
Delan Stallworth had eight tackles (two for loss) and an interception to lead a swarming first-team defense that blanked Butler for three quarters.