UVA’s best kept secret, freshman WR Lavel Davis Jr., has huge debut

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Marques Hagans knows talent when he sees it. Hagans saw a lot in a rangy, little-known wide receiver from South Carolina’s low country, when very few other recruiters recognized Lavel Davis, Jr.’s skills.

The 6-foot-7, 210-pound true freshman made a huge splash for Virginia during his collegiate debut on Saturday. Davis, who did not start, posted four receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Davis and quarterback Brennan Armstrong hooked up on a pair of fourth-quarter drives to blow the game open as UVA downed Duke, 38-20.

Davis was flying under everyone’s radar until that final quarter. Up until then, the freshman had one catch for 18 yards, although he had been targeted a couple of other times without success.

Then, BOOM, Davis became an overnight sensation in Wahoo Nation with three catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He actually hauled in another 28-yard pass on the second play of the fourth quarter but it was reviewed and declared an incompletion.

Davis finished the day with four catches for 101 yards and the two scores. It is believed his debut was the most successful by a Virginia true freshman since John Ford had a 104-yard performance against VMI in 1984.

It didn’t take Armstrong long to go back to his new receiver after the overruled catch. Three plays later, Armstrong spotted Davis and linked up for a 39-yard completion to the Duke 18-yard line. On the very next play, it was Armstrong to Davis in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown that lifted the Cavaliers back in front, 24-20, with 12:43 to play.

After the Wahoo defense forced a three-and-out by Duke’s offense, the Cavaliers took over at the Duke 49 with 11:20 to go. After Armstrong hit transfer tight end Tony Poljan for 14 yards and a first down at the Devils’ 26, he went right back to Davis for another touchdown and a 31-20 lead.

Virginia went on to finish off Duke for a sixth straight season.

Afterward, UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall said it was difficult keeping Davis a secret from media and fans during an extended preseason camp.

“One of our best kept secrets,” Mendenhall said. “It’s hard to hide 6-foot-7 for about 12 weeks in practice. The same plays he made tonight, he’s been making against us almost every day.

“He wasn’t highly recruited, was kind of viewed as a project, but we’ve loved him from the beginning and see a really bright future for him as he learns and grows and develops.”

According to Rivals and 247Sports, both of which had rated Davis a 3-star prospect from Woodland H.S. in Dorchester, S.C., Mendenhall was correct in that the receiver wasn’t highly recruited.

He did hold offers from four other schools — Appalachian State, Georgia Tech, Coastal Carolina and Liberty.

Hagans saw something in Davis and the Cavaliers scooped him up.

At Woodland, Davis had 70 receptions for 1,007 yards and 15 touchdowns one season, and 40 catches for 622 and 7 scores another season.

Armstrong certainly is delighted to have such a big target to throw to.

“Lavel, he came in as a freshman and we hit the ground running when we got back here in July,” Armstrong said. “That was our first get-together with just throwing and I think it’s going to increase. We’ve gradually gotten better.

“First game, you know, this is his first game, this is my first start. It’s going to gradually get better, I think, just the confidence that [Davis] is having, his confidence is going to increase. Yeah, he’s 6-7, a huge target. I’m really, really proud of him already and I think he’s going to be a great player.”

Davis was not available for comment because UVA freshmen are not allowed to be interviewed.