Tim Hayes
Offensive lineman Dayne Davis has played in 51 games over the course of his football career for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and he hasn't taken any of those moments he's been on the field for granted.
"I absolutely appreciate it," Davis said last week in a telephone interview. "To be a guy from Bluff City who has a chance to do this; obviously, I'm living a dream that many others probably wish they could do, so I try to take full advantage of everything I get the opportunity to do whether it's on the field on Saturdays or off the field with my education."
The former Sullivan East High School star will experience another cool moment on Saturday as UT (10-2) plays at Ohio State (10-2) in the opening round of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on ESPN.
The Volunteers need three wins to advance to the national championship game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.
People are also reading... HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Graham dominates Strasburg to win VHSL Class 2 title HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Defensive gauge was on full again for Graham as Gage Palmer hit fueled another dominant effort in state finals TUESDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP: Mike Danser gets first win as Battle's boys hoops coach; Patrick Henry's Cole Caywood gets milestone; Brynnen Pendergraft and Kinley Huff (Lee High), Zac Cornett (Holston), Branch Sword (Tennessee High) star, as do many more HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Wytheville, Marion, E&H among stops on football journey of Grayson County coach Stephen James Four face charges after Bristol drug investigation MONDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS ROUNDUP: Dalton Gates (Northwood), Reed Kirtner (George Wythe), Kyle Hunt (Grundy), Jalynn Rogers (Rye Cove), Sophia Belcher (Grundy) among stars; Plus Prep Tourney schedules FRIDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP: Colton Woodward (Holston), Kinley Huff (Lee High), Hayden Hall (Marion), Azzy Hammons (J.I. Burton), Kam Bostic (Union), Anna Summers (Castlewood) among standouts HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: 2024 All-Region 1D Team HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS: Top Prospect Annsley Trivette of Abingdon (5-0) among headliners in Doc Maples Holiday Hoops Classic HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Purple Power for Strasburg Rams entering state finals vs. Graham HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: 2024-25 Cumberland District Girls Preview Capsules HISTORY WITH HAYES: Thirty years ago, Powell Valley and Lebanon played an all-timer. Remembering that 34-33 victory by the Vikings in 1994 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Graham has found the formula for success under Tony Palmer Veterinarian takes practice on the Road VHSL FOOTBALL FINALS ROUNDUP: Grayson County falls to Essex in Class 1; Liberty Christian Academy (Class 3), Phoebus (Class 4) win
"It feels great," Davis said. "It's my last year, so trying to go out with a bang. This is what we've worked for and the goal of every year. We're just going to put our heads down, go to work, look to win at Ohio State and then just take each game thereafter."
The 6-foot-7, 333-pound Davis started at right tackle for the Vols in the 2021 Music City Bowl and last season's Citrus Bowl, while also seeing action in the 2022 Orange Bowl.
This postseason hits a bit different for the big man.
His last playoff participation in pursuit of a championship came as a sophomore at East in 2018 when the Patriots lost to Knoxville Fulton by a 60-0 count in a TSSAA Class 4A first-round clash.
"This differs from a bowl game because you are not at the site of the game for a week doing events and stuff," Davis said. "It gives you more time to focus on the game itself. There's not a lot of distractions and of course there's a ton more to play for."
For a guy who plays his home games at 101,915-seat Neyland Stadium, big games in an electric atmosphere are nothing new. Davis has visited most of the iconic venues in the Southeastern Conference and on Saturday will battle in the trenches inside famed Ohio Stadium a.k.a. The Horseshoe.
"You definitely have some extra adrenaline so to speak going into a gameday and leading up to it," Davis said. "You can't let that get your mind too far off the game, so you just have to go in with a calm attitude and be ready to play. There's a fine line there."
A sixth-year senior, Davis has experience and is not alone in that regard.
"We have a lot of old blood on this team and that new blood has really helped us this year too," Davis said. "Us older guys have been able to pass a lot of info on to these young guys and have them prepared when we need them. I think there's four of us left from when Coach [Jeremy] Pruitt was here."
Pruitt was at the helm when Davis arrived in the summer of 2019 as a walk-on.
Davis had been a two-sport standout at East.
"Dayne really started to show his potential during the summer of his junior year and had a great senior year on both the football and basketball teams," said Mike Locke, his coach at Sullivan East.
Davis ended up getting a scholarship from UT just before Pruitt was fired and it was the following season when he realized that he could hang at the SEC school.
"That first year coming in I was just trying to get my body where it needed be as far as strength, agility, mobility and everything along those lines," Davis said. "Once I caught up in that area, I felt like I could take my smarts in the game and be able to apply that technique in the game and play at this level."
Davis has seen time at right tackle, left tackle and center during his career. What area has he improved on the most?
"There's not been one certain thing," Davis said. "I just try to take one thing each and every day and get better at that one thing and never make the same mistake twice. Eventually you pile up those days."
He's made one start this season and played 35 snaps as Tennessee clinched a playoff berth with a victory at Vanderbilt on Nov. 30.
Plenty of folks from the area will be looking for No. 66 on their televisions Saturday night. A fan favorite, Davis has held a camp each summer at East during his collegiate career and is a personable fellow.
"Of course, we are very proud of Dayne and his accomplishments," Locke said. "He has been a great ambassador for football in Northeast Tennessee and has really tried to give back to this area. ... It has been great to see the things that Dayne has accomplished. He is a great young man with a bright future."
Regardless of what happens Saturday, Davis will make sure to treasure the chance of being a big part of the Big Orange.
"It's what I always wanted it to be," Davis said. "Growing up as a fan, always wanting to play here and wear the orange on Saturdays. There's been a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice on my end to have the opportunities I've had each and every Saturday."
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tim Hayes Author facebook Author twitter Author email Follow Tim Hayes Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today