PATIENCE PAYS OFF
Davis making the most out of opportunity to fill in for Butler at defensive end
Troy Davis hasn’t had much trouble adjusting to what he already knows.
Pressed into starting duty on the Toronto Argonauts’ defensive line last Saturday in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders because of an injury to Victor Butler, Davis held his head above water, recording three tackles and a quarterback sack.
At times a linebacker in his football career, Davis lined up at his natural position of defensive end in place of Butler, and he will find himself in the same spot on Thursday when the Argos play host to the Calgary Stampeders at BMO Field.
The 26-year-old Davis had confidence prior to his first start in the Canadian Football League, and thanks in part to the mentoring of Butler and fellow lineman Shawn Lemon, it’s not about to wane.
“Patience, man, patience,” Davis said of what he has learned from Butler and Lemon.
“This is a league where the ball comes out fast and sometimes you might not get there right away, but you just keep pushing, keep pounding. This game goes all the way to the end, the last seconds, just never give up and keep pushing, because you never know when you are going to pop through and make that great play.”
That kind of approach will be required against the Stamps, who have won their past six games against the Argos. Calgary will bring the CFL’s best offence to the table, as it has been averaging 420.2 yards a game. Davis will do what he can to try to contain the CFL’s leading rusher, Jerome Messam, all the while keeping in mind the ability of quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. The Stamps’ offensive line has been excellent, allowing a league-low four sacks.
“They are pretty balanced,” Davis said. “They run the ball really well. They have a great quarterback.
“It’s a great challenge this week for us. As any competitor (would attest), I’m excited to go against one of the teams that is considered one of the best in the league. It’s going to be a great game.”
Argos head coach Marc Trestman expects another committed performance from Davis, a native of New York who grew up in Georgia.
“We saw it during training camp — we saw a guy who could be effective playing the position, effective in special teams,” Trestman said. “He is an exciting player, he is a high-motor guy. He’s fun to be around and coach and we will continue to hope he improves and gets better.”
Davis figured he would get his CFL career started in earnest last season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but a biceps injury suffered during camp led to his release, and he signed with the Argos in October. A past member of the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets, Davis was a star for the University of Central Florida, recording 127 tackles in a four-year career that ended in 2012.
Among Davis’ tattoos is a replica of the Rolling Stones’ iconic tongue logo on his neck, with a pattern of the Union Jack on the tongue. It’s an homage to Davis’ British roots, as his birth father hails from the United Kingdom.
As much as Davis is proud of his heritage — he and his father have a good relationship after a period of distance and talk once a week — Davis would like to put down permanent football roots in Toronto. It’s not clear when the impactful Butler, who is on the six-game injured list is out again this week, will return.
Butler was a force before he suffered a knee injury against Ottawa on July 24, and leads the CFL with seven sacks.
“I’m not going to go out of my way and (try to) do what Butler has been doing,” Davis said. “Just to do what is expected of me and that is run the call, play tenacious and play fast .
“I think if I play that way and play the way the defence is designed, I will have just as much success as Butler.”