“My brother has always been a role model all throughout growing up … He’s always pushing me to be the best person and football player I can be.”
It’s something that most people with older siblings can relate to. For third-year T-Bird receiver Marcus Davis, his brother Terrell Davis has been a big source of inspiration throughout his years playing football.
A native of Victoria, BC, Davis first got into football at the age of six, looking to play alongside his brother who started playing the sport only two years before him.
Before starting his college career at UBC, Davis was a standout for the Mount Douglas Secondary Rams, where he captured three Subway Bowl titles. He played various positions on the field, including receiver, running back and defensive back. Davis and his brother were both recipients of the triple-A player of the year award.
Another sport that Davis excelled at during his high school years was lacrosse, where he won a championship with the BC provincial team in 2010.
In 2014, Davis decided to play football for the T-Birds to once again join his brother, who had just transferred to UBC after two years with the Arizona State University Sun Rays. Terrell played as running back in 2014 and linebacker in 2015.
“I did have more offers to go to universities in Canada and a couple in the US, but when my brother came back, it made my decision easy to come play for UBC,” said Davis.
For Davis, his first season with the ’Birds was a disappointment, as the team finished 2-6 and earned the last place spot in Canada West. Still, Davis led the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) in average yards returned per game,with 31.8 to become a first-team All-Canadian returner.
“It’s not always my goal for individual awards, but it’s nice to be recognized as one of the best players in the country,” said Davis. “It wasn’t the season we were hoping for, but if there was a positive side, it would definitely be the All-Canadian Award.”
After the disappointment in 2014, the new year was a season of change for Davis and it wasn’t just the arrival of Blake Nill as the new head coach. Having played receiver the previous year, Davis started the 2015 season as a tailback before switching back to receiver midway through.
Still, 2015 became a memorable year for Davis, as the T-Birds captured the first Vanier Cup title in 18 years.
“Being able to play in the [Vanier Cup] game is a dream come true and then winning it is just huge for not only the guys on the team, but also the university and British Columbia as a whole,” said Davis.
Six months after the Vanier Cup victory, Davis had another moment where his brother inspired him yet again, as Terrell received a draft into the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats.
“I always wanted to follow in [Terrell’s] footsteps, so going to the next level and playing professionally is also a goal of mine,” said Davis.
With Terrell now playing for the Tiger Cats, Davis had to part ways with his brother after two years together as Thunderbirds. While playing with Terrell has left Davis with fond memories, he believes that being on his own also has its benefits.
“It’s definitely a lot different now, not having him be there with me every step of the way, but it’s good at the same time. Now I can find my own self and what I really want,” said Davis.
Davis also said that his brother continues to be supportive of him even though they don’t play together anymore.
With three years of eligibility remaining, Davis hopes to win another national championship, but more importantly, make his varsity years the most memorable experience possible.
“It’s been great so far and it’s just trying to make the most of it.”