Mar. 22—BEMIDJI — Neal Davis knew what he was looking for in his next college coaching stop.
The former graduate assistant at Wake Forest was informed that he would need to seek a new career move after his two-year stint as the Demon Deacons’ offensive line graduate assistant came to an end. He scoured openings across the country, searching for the right fit.
The father of two young sons, Davis found that opening in Bemidji. So he packed up his life and drove double-digit hours to northern Minnesota, settling into his first stint solely in charge of an offensive line. He is also serving as Bemidji State’s new recruiting coordinator, filling both roles occupied by former BSU coach Dylan Chmura.
“I was trying to look for the best opportunity for me and my family,” Davis said. “I grew up in Ohio. I love the Midwest. I love coaching Midwest kids. My wife’s from Ohio too. We’re Midwest people, so the location for us was really good. We felt like we fit into the culture here in Bemidji, in the town.
“As far as football, I really felt like the blue-collar mentality of (head coach Brent Bolte’s) program fit me to a T. That’s what I believe in, having a blue-collar mentality of outworking people. But in addition, the offense here has been really good for a long time, and they’ve got a nice little tradition of offensive line play going. I felt like that would feed my strengths as a coach.”
Davis played center at Division II University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, for four seasons, starting 46 games. He was named UF’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2020.
He served as a GA on Wake Forest’s staff in 2022 and 2023, honing his approach to the offensive line craft. Now in his first job fully in charge, Davis has a three-point plan for Bemidji State’s O-linemen.
“We want to play hard, we want to play smart, we want to play together,”…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/neal-davis-settling-beavers-o-151700693.html
Author : The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
Publish date : 2024-03-22 15:17:00
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