By Billy Watkins
This story was due to be written and posted last week. Life and circumstances didn’t allow it.
It was to be a feature about Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis the week of the Rebels’ first SEC game, about how sooner or later he was probably going to be called on to nail a field goal to win a game in a season that seems to be playoffs-or-bust for this team.
It happened last Saturday, right out of the conference gate. With 53 seconds left, he faced a 48-yard field goal to probably send the Rebels and the visiting Kentucky Wildcats to overtime.
He missed badly to the left. Kentucky hung on, 20-17.
The Rebels’ chances of making the 12-team playoff took a serious hit. But they are 4-1 and ranked 12th in the Associated Press poll and 11th in the coaches’ poll. Obviously, there are people across the country who still believe in this team as it prepares to play at 3-1 South Carolina on Saturday
As I watched Davis’ attempt hook left and the Wildcats begin to celebrate on their sideline, my thoughts turned to my interview with Davis just a few days earlier.
I wondered: Should I still write the story? It might open him up to loads of criticism from fans still angry about the miss. But I must admit, the message boards I’ve read have not roasted him. Nor should they.
The guy who missed that field goal last Saturday is the same one who made a 56-yarder last season to boost Ole Miss’ lead to 10 points against a really good Tulane team with less than two minutes left. (Rebel Jared Ivey added a scoop-and-score to make the final 37-20.)
Davis’ two field goals and five extra-points helped beat LSU, 55-49. His field goal and three extra-points were the difference in a 38-35 victory over Texas A&M.
He did not miss an extra-point all season and made seven of nine field goal attempts on a team that went 11-2.
I finally decided the story needed to be written because I wanted football fans to read the words that Davis spoke to me during that interview. His words about pressure. About why he left A&M and chose to sign with Ole Miss. About how his life is different since moving to Oxford.
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A little background: Davis grew up in Coppell, Texas — three hours north of A&M’s campus.
“I was an A&M fan so the recruiting process wasn’t too difficult for me,” he said. “I went to games there as a kid and being recruited by Jimbo Fisher was kinda cool — before things sorta went south there.”
Davis only handled kickoff duties in College Station. “And that’s one of the reasons I decided to transfer. I wanted to do both.”
I asked why he signed with Ole Miss.
“It wasn’t that hard of a decision,” he said. “I’d always thought Ole Miss was cool. I’d played here before when I was at A&M and it just felt right.
“And I remember while I was still at A&M watching Ole Miss’ game at Tennessee (in 2021) and Coach Kiffin on social media. I could tell the culture he was building.
“It seemed like a really fun place to play and that’s the biggest difference I’ve noticed between my time here and at A&M. Everyone here enjoys playing, and at A&M it was really a job.”
We talked football, specifically kickers. They have gotten bigger, look more like football players. Davis is 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. He said kickers began working out harder in the weight room after golfers started adding muscle and routinely booming 300-yard drives.
He said his position coach, Jake Schoonover, “is one of my favorite coaches, if not the favorite coach I’ve ever had.
“And I really like Coach Kiffin. He’s sorta surprised me. You watch him on social media, you would think he is real outgoing. But he doesn’t say a lot. But when he does, it means something. That’s pretty cool to see.”
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During the course of the interview, Davis mentioned his faith.
“It is the most important thing in my life,” he said. “Way more important than football. And I think ==the reason I can have some success in football is because I believe in something higher than myself.
“I grew up a Christian, was baptized in middle school but my faith was up and down for a while,” he continued. “When I was at A&M, honestly my faith wasn’t as strong. But ever since I got to Ole Miss, I’ve gotten closer and closer to God. I want to find ways to lead others to Him and glorify Him in whatever ways I can.”
Facing the challenge of a game-deciding field goal “is the reality of playing this position and playing this sport,” he said. “There are going to be close games. But through God I am strong.
“I have a lot of confidence, and my faith calms me out on the field. I’ve put in the work and the rest is up to God. I know He has good plans for me.”
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Billy you make life worth getting up in the mornings ! I have told you before you have a special gift and you use it for the great benefit of many of us. I don’t know if your columns get reprinted across the country but if not a lot of good folks are missing out.
Please don’t ever stop. Love ya my friend!!
Max