While everyone else hit the showers, new star cornerback Tacario “Bobo” Davis stayed behind to run plays with Kirkland Parker, UW quality-control coach for defense, after Thursday’s non-padded practice at Husky Stadium, the second day of fall camp.
“(I) just keep sharpening my tools and trying to be the best player I can be,” Davis said after practice.
The senior committed to Washington on Jan. 7 for a final season with the Huskies after three decorated years at Arizona.
Davis formally enrolled at UW in April via the transfer portal, in time for the spring season. He reunited with UW head coach Jedd Fisch, cornerbacks coach John Richardson and fellow cornerback Ephesians Prysock, all of whom departed Arizona for Washington a year prior.
“We are going well,” Davis said about meshing with his new team. “Getting to know the players on and off the field. I’ve got a strong relationship with all of the players and coaches.”
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Davis is particularly excited to be back in step with Prysock, who he endearingly referred to as his brother” and his “twin.”
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound duo will be an imposing force in the starting secondary.
“We compete every day, making each other better and just keep bettering one another every day,” Davis said.
The Californians were starting cornerbacks together under Fisch and Richardson as sophomores at Arizona. Davis, from Long Beach, tallied 25 tackles, led the Pac-12 with 15 pass breakups and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors. Prysock, from Canyon Country, finished the season with 61 tackles and earned honorable mention All-Pac-12. The “twins” helped the Wildcats to 10 wins and the Alamo Bowl that season.
Davis continued his success as a junior at Arizona, after briefly entering the transfer portal and considering UW. He made a career-high 44 tackles and was named second-team All-Big 12. Davis was also a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back in the country.
“He is as advertised,” UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said about Davis. “It’s rare to have that size and be able to move the way he does and play corner. That’s rare. You can tell he’s been really working on his ball skills. Looks a lot more comfortable catching. It looks more natural. High IQ football guy, tough guy. I’m really happy he is here.”
Davis voiced his comfortability under Walters’ command and with the man-coverage style of defense, believing Walters has what it takes to bring his skills to the NFL level.
“I’ve learned a lot from Coach Walters, just (how) to be a pro, Davis said. “We preach that a lot for our team, just being a pro, coming up and showing up every day, being the same guy and coming out competing.”
Walters is also in his first year at UW, after serving as head coach at Purdue for the last two seasons. Before Purdue, Walters found great success as Illinois’ defensive coordinator, taking the 2022 defensive unit to the national No. 1 ranking in scoring with 12.8 points per game and No. 2 in total defense with 263.8 yards per game.
Devon Witherspoon, now a Seattle Seahawk, was a steady force in Walters’ 2022 lockdown defense. The cornerback earned first-team All-Big Ten and was Illinois’ first-ever Jim Thorpe Award finalist, after leading the country in reception percentage against (33.8) and forced incompletions (16).
It’s still unclear whether Davis will be able to fill those shoes, but there’s no doubt he is making every effort to.
“At corner, you have to be sharp and polished every day, and you just have to be the complete defensive back,” Davis said.
