New LB commit Davis: 'I love the direction Frost is taking the program'
Linebacker Kalia Davis couldn't help but to notice the momentum building at UCF over the past week.
The Pensacola linebacker, who committed on Thursday night, saw how the Knights' 2017 recruiting class had been growing at a feverish pace with new players coming on board almost every day. In fact, when several of the commitments got wind of his upcoming visit, they got right to work in making sure he would be next to join them.
"As soon as I dropped my top seven (schools) the other day, DeMarco Artis was DM'ing me telling me to commit," Davis said. "He was saying, 'What are you waiting for?' I already had it mind. UCF has a pretty good class. I saw the wide receiver from IMG, Emmanuel Greene, commit the other day and I was like, 'Man! They've got a really good class.' I already knew if the visit goes well I was going to pull the trigger. When I committed they added me to their group chat with all the commits. They're all telling me, 'Congrats,' and 'Welcome to the fam.'"
Davis, who 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds and attends West Florida Tech, became No. 11 when he pledged following his unofficial visit. He had earned an offer after defensive coordinator Erik Chinander saw him in action during his spring practice. Though he'd been on campus several times because his sister attends UCF, he had yet to see the football facilities up close and personal.
"When I first got to campus, Coach (Ryan) Callaghan took me in to see the coaches," Davis said. "They were having a coaching meeting and they stopped the meeting to greet me. I shook what seemed like 30 hands. Coach Callaghan toured me around the whole campus, me and my whole family on a golf cart. It was just awesome. I loved everything I saw. I love the direction Coach (Scott) Frost is taking the program. I just really bought into what he's saying."
In fact, Davis said UCF's coaches were the No. 1 reason he made his decision.
"They're just real cool people," he said. "Like Coach (Barrett) Ruud. He was telling me how they don't want guys hating to go to practice. They want us to look forward to practice and make the position meetings fun. Make practice fun."
Davis knew his mind was made up, but waited to talk to his family and coaches before giving the official word.
"We were in a meeting with Coach Frost and he was basically telling me he wasn't going to deceive or B.S. me," Davis said. "He told me what he wanted me to play and what he likes about my skill set. He told me I was an NFL-sized linebacker right now. They want me to stay this size, I'm the perfect-sized linebacker. He thinks I can play three positions. I can blitz off the edge, play mike and will. That's what I'm doing for my high school team now. It's a great fit for me.
"Anyway, he told me he knows I've got a lot going on. He wanted me to take my time. I knew I was ready, but I needed to talk to my dad and my coaches. They all said it was a great move, that I should do it. So a little bit later I called the coaches, first Coach Ruud, then Coach Chins and then Frost."
His family couldn't be more excited.
"It's like a two-for-one trip," Davis said. "It's great because my sister is here too. She's on an academic scholarship and I'll be on an athletic scholarship."
Davis is thinking about a future career path in sports medicine.
"My goal is to get my degree," he said. "Second is I just want to win championships at UCF."
