Najeh davenport tale of 5
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Transcript of Najeh davenport tale of 5
NajehDavenportrisetostardom
NajehTrenadiousMonteDavenportwasborninRaleigh,NCwhilehismother
CarolynHowardattendedNorthCarolinaState.Hisfatherwasmurderedin
Novemberof1978whenhismotherwasfivemonthspregnant.Najehgrewup
playingstreetfootballonweekendsbecausehewastoobigforhisagegrouptoplay
PopWarner.
”Playingwiththeolderguysgavemeadvantages.TheoneyearIdidplay
PopWarnerfootball,IplayedfortheFtMyersRebels.Inthepeeweeleague
theirweightlimitrestrictionwas140andIweighedabout145attheageof
11.Iremembersittinginmycoach’struckwiththeheateronfullblastanda
garbagebagontodroptheextraweight.”‐NAJEH
NajehonlyplayedoneyearofPopWarnerbecauseoftheweight
requirementsandcontinuedplayingbaseballandstreetfootballuntilhismother
movedtoMiamiin1994.Inanewcityandanewschool,Najehfounddifferent
restraintswhenitcametoplayingfootballagain.
“ThiskidtoldmeIcouldn’tplaybecauseIwastoobig.Theyplayedevery
morningbeforeschool.Imeantheywerebiggamestoo.Iwasalready
alienatedfrommostofthepeopleIwalkedtoschoolwithbecauseofmy
honorclasses.Notbeingable
toplayjustmademework
thatmuchharder.”‐NAJEH
Heplayeddespitebeingthe
youngestpersononhisstreet
teamandcontinuedtoplay
andcompetewithguysin
highschoolorolder.His
streetteamwouldplay
againstotherneighborhoods,
sometimescatchingthebustoNajehDavenportSr.yearagainstMiamiNorland
someofMiami’sroughestneighborhoodsjusttoplaytacklefootball.
Oncehegottohighschoolplayingorganizedfootballbecameasecond
thought.
“Ireallydidn’twanttoplay,IhadbeentoldIcouldn’tforthelastfouryears.”
Afterplayinginstreetgamesandgettingnotorietyforhisplay,hewastoldby
MichaelDaniels,afriendandclassmatethatheshouldcomeplayJV.Afterone
practiceNajehquicklyrosetostardom,playingfourgamesofJuniorVarsityand
thenfinishingtheseasononVarsity.
“WhenImoveduptoVarsity,Iwasnervous,butexcited.Playinganything
justtogetonthefieldwasmymentality.”
Najeh’shighschoolcareerwasfilledwithaccolades,rewardsandtriumphsthat
contributedtobringingMiamiCentralbacktoit’sglory,rangingfroma0‐10season
asafreshmentoa9‐1senioryear.Rushingforover3000yardsand30touchdowns,
which1200yardsand12touchdownscamehissenioryear.
Graduatinghighschoolwitha3.9NajehchosetheUniversityofMiami,ahometown
favoriteoverFloridaState,FloridaU,NewMexicoandIllonios.
“IknewIwasgoingtoMiamiwhencoachDavisandcoachShannoncameto
recruitme.ButNewMexicoaggies
toldmetheywereinterestedinallof
us.Someandmyteammnatestooka
tripouttoNewMexico.Butthedeal
fellthroughwhenoneofthemdidn’t
passtheA.C.T.andtheotherone
decidedtogotoadivisontwoschool.”
CoachShannon,athenMiami
Universitylinebackercoach,was
classmates withwithNajeh’sgod
motherNancyClayton.In1997,
Miamihadover6backsontheir
rosterandNajehwaschallengedtobe
betterbyretiredrunningbackcoach
DonSodlinger.
“Hetoldme,andIqouteinhiswords,‘Heybro,youcomehereyougon’have
tofuckingcompetebro!’Andmanwasitachallenge.Ihadotherchoicesbut
thatconversationmademecometoMiami.IcouldhavewenttoFlorida
State,andthatyear,RockPrestonhadgottensuspendedandWarrickDunn
hadjustgraduatedsotherewerenobacksontheroster.”
Najehwasred‐shirtedhisfreshmenyear,ashewatchedfellowfreshemen
SantannaMoss,DanMorgan,andReggieWanye.
“Myred‐shirtfreshmenyear,myfirstcarrywillbeoneIwillrememberfor
alongtime.EJ(EdgerrinJames)toldmethatcoachSodwantedmetogoin.I
grabbedmyhelmetandranonthefield.JamesJacksonwasalreadyinthe
gamesotheypulledhimout.Myfirstcarrywasa12leadthatIbroketwo
tacklesandcutbackforabout15or20yards.CoachSodmetmeonthe
sidelinewhereIranoutofbounds.Itseemedhewasmoremadatmefor
runningoutofboundsthangoinginwhenIwasn’tsupposeto.Iguesshe
lookedatthatasmechompingatthebait!”
Thatyearnajehfinishedthirdonhighestinrushingyardswithanaverageof
5.7ypc.
NajehwentontochallengeJamesJacksonforthestartingspotthenextyear,
andhadwonuntilhetorehisACLandLCLintheKICKOFFCLASSICagainstOhio
State.Finishingthatgameinthethirdquarterwith13carriesand84yards.
Spendingtherestoftheseasonathome,Najeh’sworkeffortgrewtremendously.
“Ipushedmyselftothelimitsthreetimesaday:Irehabedinthemorning,
workedoutatlunch,andrehabedoncemoreduringpractice.Ineededto
comebackstrongerandfaster.”
NajehfinishupatMiamiwithacomebackplayerofyearaward,andTeamCaptain
ofthe2001NationalChampion.Despiteplayinginthenatioanlchamptionship
game.Duetoaninjurythatincuredtwoweeksearlier.
Najehfoundhisstockhadfell,becauseoftheinjury.Butcontinuedtoworkon
honinghisskillbeingdrafted,asafullbackandplayingfullbackaretwodifferent
things.Najehsays“IwasdraftedasafullbacktotheGreenBayPackersinthe4th
roundIwillneverforgetthat
phonecallfromCoach
Sherman.Theylinedmeup
atfullbackonMondayand
WednesdayIwasaswing
backplayingbothhalfback
andfullback.Thatfollowing
MondayIwascompletingfor
thenumbertwospotat
tailbackbehindAhman
Green.“Makingthebestout
ofeverysituationNajehtook
theopportunitytoplaytail
backagain.Asasecond
chanceatgloryrushingfor
84yardson12carriesinhis
rookieyear.Helatershared
aMondaynighthorsetrailer
withBrettFarve200thgameandNajeh’simpressive178yardson19carries.In
2003najehfoundhimself4returnsshortofaProbowlappearanceaveraging31.6
yardson16returns.
FinishinghiscontractinGreenbay,NajehsignwiththePittsburghSteelersin
2006.OnhisfirstcarrierasaPittsburghSteelershetookaleadplay48yards.Finish
thatgamewith12carries77yards.Najehbestseasonasaprocamein2007where
herushedfor499yards,over200yardsreceivingand10touchdowns.