Age: 29
(Sept. 15)
8th
season in pro football, 1st in WFL & with Blazers
College: Virginia
Height: 6’2” Weight: 202
Prelude:
Davis was a
quarterback who could both run and pass effectively in college, throwing for
3095 yards and gaining 930 on the ground, but he suffered a major knee injury
in his last game. He was chosen by the Houston Oilers in the second round of
the 1967 NFL/AFL draft and he was a backup in Houston for three seasons,
completing 67 of 147 passes (45.6 %) for 735 yards and two TDs with 12
interceptions. Davis spent the 1970 to ’73 seasons with the New York Jets and
started seven games in 1971 due to injuries to Joe Namath and Al Woodall. It
proved to be his most productive NFL season as he threw for 624 yards and 10
touchdowns, but he averaged just 5.2 yards per attempt and completed only 40.5
percent of his passes. Davis spent a year as a backup with New Orleans in 1973
and saw scant action. He was traded to Buffalo but signed with the Washington
Ambassadors of the new WFL for ’74. By the time the regular season started, the
club was in Orlando and called the Florida Blazers.
1974 Season Summary
Appeared in
all 20 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Passing
Attempts – 414
[3]
Completions –
227 [3]
Yards – 3079
[3]
Completion
percentage – 54.8 [1]
Yards per
attempt – 7.4 [3]
TD passes – 21
[5]
Interceptions
– 23 [2]
Rushing
Attempts – 28
Yards – 94
Average gain
– 3.4
TDs – 2
Scoring
TDs – 2
Action Points
- 0
Points – 14
(Note:
Touchdowns counted for 7 points in the WFL)
Postseason: 3
G
Pass attempts
– 50
Most pass
attempts, game – 21 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Pass
completions – 17
Most pass
completions, game – 8 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Passing
yardage – 317
Most passing
yards, game – 184 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
TD passes – 3
Most TD
passes, game – 2 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Interceptions
– 2
Most
interceptions, game – 2 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Rushing
attempts – 3
Most rushing
attempts, game – 3 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Rushing yards
– 10
Most rushing
yards, game – 10 at Birmingham, WFL Championship
Average gain
rushing – 3.3
Rushing TDs –
0
Blazers went 14-6
to finish first in the WFL Eastern Division. Won First Round playoff over
Philadelphia Bell (18-3) & Second Round playoff over Memphis Southmen
(18-15). Lost WFL Championship to Birmingham Americans (22-21).
Aftermath:
Following the
demise of the Blazers, Davis joined the Philadelphia Bell in 1975 and beat out
Jim “King” Corcoran to be the starting quarterback. He passed for 1114 yards
and 7 touchdowns while giving up 12 interceptions before the league folded at
midseason, ending his career as well. Davis ended up as the WFL’s career passing
yardage leader in its brief existence with 4193 yards, tossing 28 TD passes
with 35 interceptions. In the NFL, he started a total of 14 games and threw for
1553 yards and 14 TDs while giving up 23 interceptions.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
