Jeff Davis

Bio

Entering the 1981 season, the Clemson Tigers were unranked and their rise to become national champions is one of the more surprising stories in college football history. The Tigers unexpectedly won their crown by going undefeated and beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. The strength of the team was a defense that forced 41 turnovers. The leader of that defense was its top tackler, linebacker and team co-captain, Jeff Davis. Known as "The Judge," Davis was the cause of many of those turnovers as his hits led to ten fumbles. He recovered eight of those miscues to go along with four interceptions. Jeff played in 40 games for the Tigers, starting in 35. Of those 35 starts he had 30 games where he had double-digit tackle performances. He went into double figures in 22 of his final 23 games. In his junior year, he set a Clemson record with 24 tackles against North Carolina. As a senior, he was named the Atlantic Coast's Most Valuable Player. He also gained consensus All-America honors. His 175 tackles was an all-time single-season school record. Thought too small for the pros, he was not drafted until the fifth round. He played six seasons and led the Tampa Bay Bucs in tackles three years. Davis is also a member of the Clemson Hall of Fame, the Ring of Honor and a member of the ACC's 50th anniversary team.

Career Highlights

• 1981 All-Conference
• 1981 Conference MVP
• 1981 Consensus All-America