From Staff Reports
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former Starkville High School and New Hope High quarterback Brady Davis will have to wait another year to begin his college career.
Memphis coach Mike Norvell announced Tuesday that the redshirt freshman will miss the 2016 season with a left knee injury.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Davis sustained the injury while lunging for a first down during a scrimmage Saturday.
Davis tweeted that he had an MRI exam on Monday.
“Unfortunately my (redshirt freshman) year has come to an end before I was able to get it started due to an injury to my knee,” Davis tweeted Tuesday night. “I’m having a hard time imaging a whole year without football, but the good Lord has a plan for me and this just so happens to be a part of it. My focus is now 100 percent on rehabilitation and being back on the field healthy come spring ball. I want to thank everyone who has reached out to me, also thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. You all will never know how much it meant to me. I look forward to watching my brothers achieve greatness this fall.”
Davis was splitting second team reps with senior Jason Stewart at practice, the Commercial Appeal reported. Junior Riley Ferguson was named the starter for the Sept. 3 opener against Southeast Missouri State.
Ferguson transferred to Memphis from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. He enrolled in January.
With one redshirt already, Davis isn’t automatically guaranteed a medical redshirt. He can seek one, but he won’t learn until his senior year if he will have a sixth year.
Davis began his high school career at New Hope, but transferred to Starkville as a senior. During that year under coach Jamie Mitchell, he led the Yellow Jackets to the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A North State title game. Starkville lost to South Panola.
During his senior year, Davis had 3,417 yards and 42 touchdowns. He was named 6A Offensive Player of the Year and the Dispatch’s Large Schools Offensive Player of the Year.
Davis picked Memphis over Southern Mississippi, Troy and South Florida among others.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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