PALMETTO PREPS: Your thoughts on tonight’s big rivalry win over Chester.
DAVIS: “Great game, man. First off, hats off to Coach Floyd and his team. It’s a good football team, good, hard-nosed football team. They fly around, they hit on defense. We were just able to come away with a couple of plays that gave us the chance to pull away.”
PALMETTO PREPS: Just like the big rivalry win over Newberry, what is the significance of the win over Chester for you and your program moving forward?
DAVIS: “Well, all wins are important. But at the end of the day, our goal is to go 1-0 each week. I’ve been listening to (South Carolina State head coach) Chennis Berry about a lot of stuff that he preaches to his guys, and I’ll be honest, we try to go 1-0, and we try to ‘chop wood,’ and ‘carry water,’ some of the things I’ve picked up from him, and that’s kind of like ‘what we do.’
PALMETTO PREPS: Your defense did well tonight stopping a Chester attack featuring players like wide receivers Zay Feaster, Caleb Feaster, Zeke Evans, and dual-threat quarterback Trooper Floyd. How would you say the unit prepared and executed this week? And who did you think were some of the top players from the group?
DAVIS: “One thing is that Chester is always going to have those slot receivers. It’s hard to see them, it’s hard to tackle them, they’re bigger up front this year than they’ve been. And you talk about Trooper. Trooper has been one of the better quarterbacks in the state for the past couple of years. So anytime you get a chance to beat that crowd, this is the first time we’ve beat that crowd since 2021. They’ve beaten us three years in a row. So, anytime you get an opportunity to beat that crowd, it’s a big win.”
PALMETTO PREPS: Against Newberry, you talked a lot about momentum heading right into halftime. Just one score can change everything. Fairfield didn’t earn a touchdown, but senior placekicker Erik Martinez did connect on a field goal to put the Griffins up 9-6 heading into the second half. How did that play help carry you into the second half, and what was your message to the team in the locker room?
DAVIS: “Well, that’s our plan. We like to get a score going right into the half in hopes we will get the ball back after the half. And we didn’t quite execute the plan, because we didn’t score on the first drive of the second half, but those points right there before the half were really the ‘tale of the tape,’ for a while, before TyDarion was able to bust out a couple of runs.”
PALMETTO PREPS: Junior wide receiver Jalen Squirewell had a standout performance against Newberry, and tonight, he made another major contested catch that got the crowd on their feet at E.K McLendon Stadium heading into half. Tell me about the big catch and how that play was a momentum builder for your program heading into the third quarter.
DAVIS: “Jalen made a big (interception) right there in the second half, and that’s the same play he made against Newberry. That (contested) catch was s touchdown against Newberry, but that play (vs. Chester) right before gave us the momentum to get the (field goal) right before half.”
PALMETTO PREPS: What is your message to collegiate coaches about star running back TyDarion Grier?
DAVIS: “I’m really not trying to tell them anything, because the right one is going to come in, and he is going to be happy.”
PALMETTO PREPS: What were your thoughts on Grier’s big 64-yard score with 4 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter?
DAVIS: “That run right there, which sealed the game, he was in the hole, and he stepped out, you thought he was tackled, he broke a tackle, and next thing you know, he cut across the field. He (started) in the box. But just a great play from TyDarion Grier, he’s just a great player.”
PALMETTO PREPS: Any final thoughts on the big win tonight?
DAVIS: “Hats off to the defense. Coach Boyd and his staff put together a great game plan, and our kids executed. Our kids wanted to win today. Our message for the week was to want it more than they want it. And I (believe) our kids came out and wanted it more than they wanted it tonight.”
PALMETTO PREPS: The offense has had its moments this season, but perhaps both of us agree that the defense has been especially crucial to Fairfield’s success this season. What are your thoughts on how that group has played throughout the season?
DAVIS: “If it’s Pop Warner, middle school, high school, or pro, you’ve got to be good on defense to win. The team that wins the Super Bowl nine out of ten times or national championship nine out of ten times has a good defense. Offense sells tickets, but defense wins games.”
PALMETTO PREPS: What was your message to the team during practice and after the game following the big win?
DAVIS: “Everything we preached about all week came to life. When we had a plan, we executed a plan, and normally, when you have a plan and execute it, you have a chance to be successful.”
