Goal No. 4: IMPROVE. Every day... as a player, person and student.
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Zach Davidson |
Position: Quarterback Previous College: None Projection: Redshirt Status: Preferred Walk-On |
Zachary D. Davidson (b. Nov. 20, 1995) is a preferred walk-on reserve quarterback who is slated to redshirt.
A four-year letter-winner and three-year starting quarterback at Harrisonville High School under head coach Chuck Lliteras, Davidson also was a two-year all-district performer and three-year all-conference honoree.
He was named to the academic all-state team as a senior, while he picked up first-team all-state honors during the 2012 season after leading Harrisonville to a 12-3 record and the state semifinals. You can see his highlights here.
Davidson threw for 1,074 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for 1,026 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior.
He was the Missouri Class 4 quarterback rushing and scoring leader in 2012, then he came back the next season with 642 passing yards and six scores, along with 563 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, as a senior.
Davidson was set on coming to Kansas State once he knew the coaches wanted him, even though he will have to work to earn his scholarship in a future season, he explained earlier this year to GoPowercat.com:
"I've always wanted to go to K-State, whether I played football or not," Davidson said.
"Originally, I'd been talking to Western Illinois, but they signed another guy. A couple smaller schools like Emporia State were involved with me also, but when the opportunity presented itself at K-State this weekend, I loved it and knew that was the choice."
All Davidson was looking for was a chance, and with the sudden decommitment of flighty Aaron Sharp, it existed:
"I went this weekend and we all sat down with Coach Bill Snyder and he laid out the plan to walk on. He said that it all depends on me and how hard I work as to how fast I can earn a scholarship, but that it's attainable. That was enough for me."
One attraction Davidson holds for the coaches is that his running ability apparently surpasses that of the other QBs:
A player who admits he'll have to adjust to the speed of the game and improve his consistency as a passer, Davidson believes his abilities as a running quarterback separate him from other signal callers his size.
It was that rushing prowess that helped build buzz around his recruitment behind a junior season that landed him a spot on Missouri's 1st-Team AP All-State squad as an All-Purpose player. Though his senior season ended in a disappointing 6-4 fashion, thanks to what Davidson notes as more defenses keying on Harrisonville's ground attack, the promising prospect still held the attention of Kansas State.
During what is likely to be a redshirt season spent simulating dual-threat quarterbacks on the opposing team, Davidson will be able to lean on the expertise of the man who earned a Red Raider Award doing that in 2013:
"Jesse Ertz was my host and we practically hung out the whole time," explained Davidson.
"He told me it wasn't going to be easy and said how my first year would be a lot of developmental work. But he kept reiterating how worthwhile it all is when you go out on the field on Saturdays; that it's a great experience all around."