By Jeff Zeigler
Correspondent
Emanuel Davis is used to big stages. As the starting quarterback for Manteo High School in 2006, he led the Redskins to the 1A state championship game. As a redshirt freshman at East Carolina University, Davis recently played on a national stage in the Liberty Bowl.
"It's wild. I never imagined playing in such a big atmosphere as ECU. It's a dream come true," Davis said. "It's still crazy when I look up there and see 'Emanuel Davis from Manteo, North Carolina.' "
Davis, a defensive back, is coming off a breakout season, in which he tied for the team lead with four interceptions.
Davis started five games and was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team and the 2008 CollegeFootballNews.com All-Freshman Second Team.
On Nov. 10, he was named the Conference USA Defensive
Player of the Week in helping the Pirates to a 19-16 overtime win over Marshall University. Davis tied his career high with six tackles in the win and also picked off two passes.
He had three tackles in the 25-19 loss to the University of Kentucky in the Liberty Bowl.
Davis said the bowl bid was big for East Carolina, which was Conference USA champion and finished with a 9-5 record, including victories over ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia University the first two weeks of the season.
"It was a big accomplishment to get to the Liberty Bowl this year. It was like the first time in 30 years we had been to the Liberty Bowl," he said. "It was good just to make history. It was big playing against an SEC team and just going out there and trying to showcase the talent."
Last year, Davis could only practice with the team and suit up for home games. He saw playing time at the beginning of this season and started playing a lot more after his first interception against the University of Houston on Sept. 27. In that game, Davis, a communications major, had an 11-yard touchdown return on the interception, which tied the game at 7-7.
"At the beginning of the year. I was figuring I would get a little playing time, but not as much as I got throughout the year," he said. "When I got my first interception against Houston at home, I started playing a lot."
The team has not had much time off since the Jan. 2 bowl game. Davis said the squad begins winter workouts this week, and spring practices will follow.
Davis has been able to take the big stage in stride and has stayed close to his roots.
"People call me all the time. People I played with in high school send me text messages before and after the games and tell me they see me on TV and they wish me good luck," he said.
"I have a lot of support."
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