Mount Douglas secondary’s Davis brothers dominated B.C.’s AAA high school football circuit the past four years and now they’re ready to launch into the Canada West university football conference – together.
Marcus graduates high school this month (June), after a four-year stint at Mount Douglas, during which he and brother Terrell (who graduated in 2012) helped the Rams win three straight AAA championships from 2012 to 2014.
“I can’t wait to play with (Terrell) at UBC. It’s going to be great having him there,” Marcus said.
Despite Terrell being two years Marcus’ elder, they’ll both be rookies when the UBC Thunderbirds start the 2014-15 season against the Regina Cougars on Sept. 5.
Well, Canadian football rookies, as both are becoming acquainted with the three down Canadian system, as opposed to the four-down American style used in B.C. high schools.
Terrell also gained plenty of experience with the Arizona Sun Devils the past two seasons. He wasn’t on the field in his first year, a standard situation. By his second season, he made a few game appearances but it was nothing like he was promised.
As a Canadian stuck behind NFL prospects, Terrell wasn’t seeing the light. The situation was dire enough that he was considering a return to Canada for a chance to play Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football when the repatriation rule was passed late in 2013.
The CIS repatriation rule means Terrell will be part of a first generation of Canadian student-athletes to play this season after returning from an American school, rather than sit out a year, a penalty previously designed to deter Canadians from going to the NCAA.
“I actually didn’t know about the rule. I was thinking a lot about coming back. I wanted a chance to play, even if it meant sitting out a year,” Terrell said.
Watching what happened with Terrell was enough to convince Marcus to stay in Canada, where universities nationwide have thrown scholarship offers to both brothers.
“With Terrell’s situation in Arizona and everything that happened with him it opened my eyes a little bit,” Marcus said.
The younger Davis brother has been offered walk-on opportunities with a few solid NCAA programs for September, but no scholarships.
In the meantime, Marcus and Terrell have become reacquainted as roomies in their family home.
No big deal, they say, except that Marcus took over Terrell’s room while he was away. When Terrell moved back from Arizona at Christmas, he was forced to bed down in the more expansive basement.
“I didn’t take your room.” “Yeah, actually you did,” the brothers argue.
Terrell has been working in landscaping and is finishing some online credits through Thompson Rivers University.
Both took reps with the Thunderbirds’ first team at spring camp, a sign they’ll be given a chance to take on big roles in 2014-15.
Former Ram Bryan Rideout enters his fourth year as a defensive back for the Thunderbirds, while linebacker Sheldon Mack joins Davis from the Rams’ 2013 team.
reporter@saanichnews.com