Jabari Davis to Lead Episcopal School Football Team

     Former University of Tennessee running back Jabari Davis will lead The Episcopal School of Knoxville Saints football team into its second season of play this fall.
    Davis, a celebrated UT tailback who had the college nickname, “J-Train,” had a brief NFL career that was shortened by an injury. He is now at UT finishing a degree in sociology. At ESK, he will have the job of leading and shaping a very young football team.
    Athletic Director and Dean of Students Laurie Coburn said she was impressed by Davis’s football knowledge and his experience working with students. This includes youth sports camps and PeeWee football in Atlanta and a college stint as a teaching assistant at Rocky Hill Elementary with kindergarteners.
    “I think he’s going to be an asset and bring energy, excitement and experience to our kids,” she said. “Our inaugural tackle football season was last year.
    “Our team represented ESK very well. Coach Davis knows he’s in a building phase and he’s excited to do that.”
    Davis said he brings a love of sports and youth and a wealth of experience with football. He will be teaching the game from the bottom up to many players who have never played before.
    “I’ll be teaching them the three Ds—how to be dedicated to something, determined and dependable,” Davis said, adding that he looked forward to seeing that the players have fun and learn the basic techniques of playing football they will need in high school.
    He will begin working with ESK players in a football camp June 16.
    He said he will encourage the players to look forward to practice each afternoon.
    “They will put their bags in the locker, come outside, have some fun and play the great game of football. I’ll show them how to win,” he said. “Winning isn’t everything, but is definitely something.
    “You set a goal for working and becoming a team.”
    For returning players, he said he will offer more concentrated instruction on skill and coordinated movement for specific positions.
    The team, founded in 2009, lost three games but defeated the Lenoir City Panthers on Sept. 26 last year. Davis will finalize this year’s schedule in upcoming weeks.