Oregon wide receiver pays tribute to fallen student

Everyone thinks tonight’s Oregon-Auburn National Title game will be an offensive show, and as a fan of college football, I hope the “experts” are spot on. This game could look more like a basketball game with the Oregon Ducks’ high-powered, quick-strike offense matching Auburn’s Heisman-winning signal-caller Cam Newton and the Tigers’ own high-octane offense.

Everyone wants to root for someone, and I’m rooting for Oregon. Here’s why…

Oregon wide receiver D.J. Davis, a senior, is described as “the consummate team player.” In the team’s final game of the season, against rival Oregon State, Davis caught a touchdown pass that put the Ducks ahead 23-7. A photographer snapped a photo of Davis that made headlines nationwide.

Tucked in Davis’s waistband was a photo of a kid who chased the same dream that Davis can accomplish with a win in tonight’s National Title game. The photo was of Notre Dame student videographer Declan Sullivan, who died on October 27, after the lift he was filming Notre Dame’s practice from fell over in high winds.

Davis never knew Sullivan, but news of Sullivan’s death hit Davis especially hard. “I have a 20-year old brother (Eric) who will be 21 in January and Declan was the same age,” Davis said. “I kept thinking about it a lot and usually God tries to talk to you in some strange ways and give you some messages.

“I just thought He was telling me to use that as some motivation for this year and giving me something else to play for.”

Davis will wear Sullivan’s photo in tonight’s game, and has been in contact with the Sullivan family, learning more and more about the young man he honors every game. “Pretty much when I talked to them, they wanted to let me know what kind of guy he was,” Davis said. “And he seemed like a really good kid from what I've heard from them and just that keeping his memory alive is one of the things they want to accomplish.”

Mission accomplished.

I tip my cap to D.J. Davis for doing something that very few others would even think of doing. “Just knowing someone can have an impact on you without even meeting them is an awesome experience,” Davis said.

I feel that way about D.J. Davis now. Hopefully he and his Ducks teammates have a little extra help tonight. I know I’ll be rooting for them.