UTC Football: Iron Man Davis Tull

“Davis Tull has a great work ethic, takes care of his body and puts in the time needed in the off-season to be the best he can be. Forty-six straight starts is great.”

-- UTC head coach Russ Huesman

Brett Farve gives a gritty fist pump.

Lou Gehrig says “job well done.” Peyton Manning gives a salute. Federer leads the applause at center court.

People remember others for their talent. They also remember those who last.

Playoff Game Today and 47 Starts: Today at 1 p.m. at Finley Stadium UTC senior All-American Davis Tull takes his usual place at defensive end as a starter for a school record 47 straight games as the Mocs host Indiana State in a second round playoff game.

Tired, nicked up, ready-to-play, sore, yet for the Knoxville native it doesn’t matter the circumstance just line up and go after the opposing quarterback.

“Davis fits the mold of a pro who wants to be the best,” said UTC    director of sports medicine Dave Snyder. “He is a smart player in all aspects of the game.”

He started against Nebraska as a redshirt freshman in 2011 (2 tackles) and like Lou Gehrig (2,130 straight starts) replacing Wally Pipp low these many springs ago, the opposing teams can’t get him off the field.

Other Mocs have started for four years, but no one has started in as many games as Tull as his totals read 11 (2011), 11 (2012), 12 (2013) 12 and counting (2014) for 46 straight.

“This is Easy ...” - “On the first play from scrimmage against Nebraska in my first college game, they run a fullback dive play and after I make the tackle, I am so excited I jump up and down and give a fist pump to fellow freshman Faysal Shafaat who is on the sideline and said ’this is easy,’” stated Tull with a laugh.

Your choices when no one is watching helps form your character – who you really are. And for a football player living a regimented, well-disciplined off season schedule when no one is there to cheer you on, plus training in season as well, along with good eating habits proper sleep, etc., might make ones effort “look easy” to others.

The above mentioned athletes put in the time and have the championships and titles to prove it as Favre started 297 straight regular season games, Federer has played in a staggering 60 straight grand slam events (15 years worth), Gehrig was the original Iron Man and Manning had 208 straight starts to begin a career.

“I have had some bumps and bruises along the way, but for the most part I have been blessed with good flexibility and a great athletic training and medical staff who have kept me fit and on the field for the last four years,” Tull stated.

Today the five years of hard work (including being redshirted as a freshman in the fall of 2010) have led to three All-American selections, a trio of Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year awards,  two-time Academic All-America honors (3.52 GPA) and a Southern Conference career high of 37 quarterback sacks.

“Davis is a very professional college athlete and knows what I takes to play and succeed at a high level,” said Snyder.

But far from one who starred on the gridiron since youth football, Tull lost his senior year due to a broken leg and came to UTC without a scholarship.

The former walk-on has done fairly well for himself.

Impressive Stats:

Career Tackles - 193

Single Game High Tackles – 12 vs. Ga. Southern (2012)

Career Sacks: 37

Single Game Sacks: 3.5 vs Furman (2013)

Career Tackles For Loss: 59

Single Game TFL: 4 vs. Samford (2014)

Extra Incentive: “I was recruited by Furman and Georgia Southern, but they both backed off at the end,” said Tull. “Georgia Southern said they would call on signing day, but never did so that gave me incentive to play well against both those schools.”

Best Game vs. Furman: 2013 – 5 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery

Best Game vs. Ga. Southern: 2012 – 12 tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss.

Today’s Game:  Playing against a strong Indiana State team with an outstanding passing attack,  the Mocs will need Tull and the rest of the talented front four to add a few sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles to their season totals to help propel UTC to victory and to be able to play on another Saturday in December.

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net