Donald Davis is ready to show you can come home again.
Davis, a 1996 Calvert Hall graduate, will return to his alma mater this fall as the school?s head football coach. The now-former Cardinal Gibbons coach takes over for Jay Robinson, who was released following last season?s disappointing 1-8 finish. Robinson had a 45-37 overall record for the Cardinals, but the team was just 9-21 over the past three years, including three straight losses to archrival Loyola.
“This is a mixed blessing for me,” said Davis, 28, who will take his entire staff with him. “I?m excited about returning to my alma mater, but I?m leaving a great group of kids. Without their hard work, I would have never gotten this opportunity.”
Davis compiled a 30-14 record with the Crusaders, who won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference?s North Division title last year. From 2003 to ?05, the program graduated 36 seniors, 13 of whom moved on to play in college. Davis, who started at Gibbons in 2001 as a faculty member and assistant football coach, also coached track.
For Calvert Hall athletic director Lou Eckerl, Davis is the perfect person to get the football program back on track.
“Donald is an extremely hard-working coach who is well-liked by his players,” said Eckerl, who was Davis? high school football coach. “Being an alum, Donald brings a great deal of excitement with him, and I think he?ll do an outstanding job.”
At Calvert Hall, Davis jumps into the MIAA A Conference, one of the state?s toughest leagues.
“Cardinal Gibbons played [A Conference member] Mount St. Joseph last year, so they weren?t ducking anybody,” Eckerl said. “Donald knows what it takes to coach in the A Conference. He?s seen it as both a coach and player.”
