New article by C. Trent:
Davila makes bid for UC starting job
Backup pushing incumbent Grutza
By C. Trent Rosecrans
Post staff reporter
WEST HARRISON, Ind. - It's less than two weeks before the University of Cincinnati begins its football season and coach Mark Dantonio still hasn't decided who his starting quarterback will be on Sept. 2 against Eastern Kentucky.
"We're going to name a starter when I make that decision," Dantonio said following Monday's practice at Higher Ground Conference and Retreat Center.
Making that decision has been made tougher by the recent play of the top two candidates, incumbent Dustin Grutza and senior Nick Davila.
"Those are the two guys right now," Dantonio said. "All of the quarterbacks can do good things.(Sophomore) David Wess did not scrimmage last week. It comes down to game management and he's behind right now. The other two are pretty even. We try to put a timetable on things and establish who is going, but at the same time we don't want to omit somebody if they are doing a good job."
Last season Davila, a junior college transfer, played in five games and did well in mop-up duty, leading the Bearcats to touchdowns in his first two drives as a Bearcat. But in his lone opportunity to play in the first half of a game, Davila struggled, completing just 4 of 13 passes for 19 yards and an interception playing the entire second quarter in UC's 38-20 loss at Pittsburgh.
For the season, Davila completed more than 57 percent of his passes and had four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had the best statistics in the spring game and has continued to improve during UC's preseason camp.
Perhaps Davila's biggest test was scheduled to come this morning, when the Bearcats were to scrimmage at Higher Ground.
"Nick deserves consideration to play with the first unit," Dantonio said following Monday's first practice. I want to see what he can do (today)."
If it's the biggest day of camp so far for the left-hander, he's not showing it.
"I'm a competitor and I want to play, but at the same time it's about the team," Davila said. "Coaches are going to make the right decision. You have to have respect for your coaches' decisions and accept other people's opinions. I'm not going to point fingers - that's not the characteristic of a quarterback. You have to be team first."
That said, Davila would still rather be under center than on the sideline come the first weekend of September.
He's in position to do that because of his experience of being in the system for more than a full year now. Talent was never really a question. Davila was a two-time junior college All-American at Chaffey Junior College in California. But the jump from junior college to Division I football is difficult, especially in the game's most difficult and important position.
"It's like any position in football, if you know what you're doing it's easy. If you don't know what you're doing, you look like a totally different athlete," Davila said. "I know everyone's position. I know the DBs. I know this offense like the back of my hand now.
"It's just knowing all the little details. It's not all about throwing the ball and making the right reads. It's putting guys in position if they don't know what they're doing; it's watching the play clock, watching the defense. There's so many details that go into playing quarterback."
And even if Davila isn't the starter when Dantonio finally makes his decision, he knows anything can happen in the course of 12 games.
"You have to prepare and persevere," Davila said. "Week-to-week, you have to be ready to go in under the fire. That's the position - only one guy can play at a time. It's not like running back or receiver. It's the position I chose."
Now he just hopes the position chooses him.
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No clear-cut UC QB yet
