Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
The Intern Takes The Field
May 11, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – Roman Davis received his first opportunity to suit up for Mississippi State as a walk-on this past spring.
But those practices were far from his initial introduction to Bulldog football. Davis spent the fall of 2021 working as an intern for MSU senior executive director of football recruiting Matt Dudek inside the Seal Football Complex.
Davis' duties during the internship included editing video cutups, checking in recruits on game days and also assisting the recruiting staff with preparations for official visits as well.
"He was a full-time recruiting intern with the half-promise that if he did a good job, he'd have an opportunity to join the team when spring came around," Dudek said. "He worked his tail off and come January, we put him on the team."
No matter what task Davis was asked to do as an intern, he viewed it as a chance to impress the Bulldogs' staff. He also saw it as a means to attain his goal of getting back on the gridiron after his football and wrestling career at Mandeville High School in Louisiana came to a close.
"The internship was a good opportunity but I wanted to be on the field," Davis said. "I'm an athlete and like working out. But it's what I had to do to get in front of the coaches."
Since he wasn't officially part of the team yet, Davis tried to keep himself in peak football condition last fall by working out in the Sanderson Center and also running sprints on the practice fields after hours in hopes of fulfilling his dream of playing college football.
Davis finally got the invitation he'd been waiting on during the spring and suited up alongside some of the very same prospects he'd helped with during his internship.
"Some of the guys who were midyear guys like me, like Braedyn Locke and Percy Lewis, I'd do their highlights and circle them," Davis said. "It's awesome to be teammates with those guys now."
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound freshman got his first taste of college football as a player during spring drills and roamed the secondary at safety. Not only was it a special achievement for him, but it also meant a lot to his former boss as well.
"It is really cool to see," Dudek said. "I'm a cold-hearted guy most of the time, but it is really nice to see him out there working. It came as no surprise that he came out here and worked his tail off because that's what he did in the office."
Davis did not have any scholarship offers coming out of high school but had his heart and mind set on playing on the biggest stage college football had to offer. Having attended football camp at Mississippi State during his prep career, Davis decided to enroll at MSU as a regular student and try out for the football team as a walk-on.
"God just kind of worked it out for me to be here," Davis said. "I've always wanted to go to a big school and work my way up and be around a bunch of great players. I'm sure people thought it was ridiculous or I might not be able to do it. But my parents are super excited now that I'm here and on the team. I'm calling them all the time and telling them everything."
After Davis got the chance to experience what college football is like during the spring, his next goals are to make contributions to the team however he can this fall whether it's in the secondary, on special teams or on the scout team helping the Bulldogs' offense prepare for their upcoming opponent.
"I want to keep working and show them that I belong here," Davis said.
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But those practices were far from his initial introduction to Bulldog football. Davis spent the fall of 2021 working as an intern for MSU senior executive director of football recruiting Matt Dudek inside the Seal Football Complex.
Davis' duties during the internship included editing video cutups, checking in recruits on game days and also assisting the recruiting staff with preparations for official visits as well.
"He was a full-time recruiting intern with the half-promise that if he did a good job, he'd have an opportunity to join the team when spring came around," Dudek said. "He worked his tail off and come January, we put him on the team."
No matter what task Davis was asked to do as an intern, he viewed it as a chance to impress the Bulldogs' staff. He also saw it as a means to attain his goal of getting back on the gridiron after his football and wrestling career at Mandeville High School in Louisiana came to a close.
"The internship was a good opportunity but I wanted to be on the field," Davis said. "I'm an athlete and like working out. But it's what I had to do to get in front of the coaches."
Since he wasn't officially part of the team yet, Davis tried to keep himself in peak football condition last fall by working out in the Sanderson Center and also running sprints on the practice fields after hours in hopes of fulfilling his dream of playing college football.
Davis finally got the invitation he'd been waiting on during the spring and suited up alongside some of the very same prospects he'd helped with during his internship.
"Some of the guys who were midyear guys like me, like Braedyn Locke and Percy Lewis, I'd do their highlights and circle them," Davis said. "It's awesome to be teammates with those guys now."
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound freshman got his first taste of college football as a player during spring drills and roamed the secondary at safety. Not only was it a special achievement for him, but it also meant a lot to his former boss as well.
"It is really cool to see," Dudek said. "I'm a cold-hearted guy most of the time, but it is really nice to see him out there working. It came as no surprise that he came out here and worked his tail off because that's what he did in the office."
Davis did not have any scholarship offers coming out of high school but had his heart and mind set on playing on the biggest stage college football had to offer. Having attended football camp at Mississippi State during his prep career, Davis decided to enroll at MSU as a regular student and try out for the football team as a walk-on.
"God just kind of worked it out for me to be here," Davis said. "I've always wanted to go to a big school and work my way up and be around a bunch of great players. I'm sure people thought it was ridiculous or I might not be able to do it. But my parents are super excited now that I'm here and on the team. I'm calling them all the time and telling them everything."
After Davis got the chance to experience what college football is like during the spring, his next goals are to make contributions to the team however he can this fall whether it's in the secondary, on special teams or on the scout team helping the Bulldogs' offense prepare for their upcoming opponent.
"I want to keep working and show them that I belong here," Davis said.
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