All-Purpose Husky

When quarterback Reggie Davis was leading Brethren Christian to a Southern Section Division X runner-up finish in 1993, he knew he might not take a snap in college.

So he signed with Washington as a defensive back, where he figured to play strong safety. At no time, however, did he have any way of knowing that he’d become the Huskies’ jack of all trades.

A fifth-year senior and team co-captain, Davis has started at six positions for the Huskies. On Friday, when Washington (6-5) plays WAC champion Air Force (11-1) in the inaugural Oahu Bowl in Honolulu, he’ll end his college career as a tight end.

Despite playing with partially torn knee cartilage, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound Davis caught 23 passes and averaged 12 yards per catch this season.

It wasn’t the output Davis was looking for. He ranked fourth in total receptions for Washington but accounted for only 243 yards.

“Being my senior season, I had high hopes, but it didn’t quite work out that way,” Davis said. “The knee really slowed me down. I was limping all over the field pretty bad.”

So much so that Davis had arthroscopic knee surgery three weeks ago and returned to workouts last week. He said he doesn’t think the knee will keep him out of the Oahu Bowl, which is the second game of a double-header with the Aloha Bowl at Aloha Stadium.

“I should be ready,” he said. “I’ve been out running around on it.”

Davis knows about being in the Huskies’ lineup. After being a redshirt his first year, Davis has played rover, defensive end, whip (weakside linebacker) and inside linebacker on defense, and tight end and H-back, a position that is more or less a combination between flanker and tight end, on offense.

He was moved to tight end in spring practice by Washington coaches, who thought he might excel at it.

It looked that way in the Huskies’ opener against Arizona State. Davis caught two touchdown passes, including the 63-yard game-winner from quarterback Brock Huard on a pass pattern the pair had never connected on in practice.

But Davis came off the field limping when the game was over. The injury was originally diagnosed as a sprained knee, but when it didn’t get better, he discovered that he had partially torn cartilage. He could block, but he had difficulty running and never caught another touchdown pass.

Although this season marked the first time he played the same position in spring and summer practice, Davis said he liked weakside linebacker and strong safety the best.

“It’s been a roller coaster kind of deal,” Davis said. “I haven’t stayed in one position for very long or had the time to get a real grasp for any one position.

“But I liked strong safety and weakside linebacker. With both of them you get to do everything, especially the whip. Sometimes I had my hand on the ground to rush the passer.”

Washington special teams and tight end coach Rick Mallory, however, said he believes Davis has found his niche at tight end.

“I think Reggie has a shot at the next level,” Mallory said. “And you will see him do good things. I don’t think he has had the opportunity to show what he can do, but he should prove himself in the future.”

Davis grew up in Long Beach and was on track to attend Poly High. But his parents wanted him to have a Christian education, Davis said, so when he entered ninth grade he enrolled at Brethren Christian.

He led the Warriors to the 1993 championship game, where he passed for only 39 yards and was intercepted once in a 43-21 loss to unbeaten Los Angeles Baptist. He finished the year, however, with more than 1,500 yards rushing and passing.

When Davis, considered one of the top recruits in Southern California, signed with Washington and was put at safety, he wasn’t completely unfamiliar with the position. He played several defensive back positions with the Warriors, too. As a senior, he intercepted five passes and returned three for touchdowns.

Davis gets high marks from Washington coaches for doing his best no matter where he has played. And Davis believes he has a shot at playing in the NFL.

The only question is, at what position?