The Adrian Blackhawks are playing for the State Championship December 3rd at Faurot Field in Columbia, MO. Much has been said about the team and the players' individual performances to get them to the title game. Nothing has been said about the coaches that have prepared and motivated the players to excel on the biggest stage 20 years after winning the schools only state football championship.
Matt Davis is a 2004 graduate of Cass Midway, Adrian’s longtime conference rival. He played defensive end at Pittsburg State from 2004-2007. He was a part of the 2004 MIAA Conference championship team and national runner up. Matt was also a member of the 2005 conference champions track team as a shot put and discus thrower. He graduated from Pitt State in 2009 with a degree in math education.
Davis is in his second year as head coach of the Blackhawks. Previously he had served as offensive coordinator 2014-2020 under then head coach Matt Cochran. Davis was on the staff of Adrian’s last team to make it to the semifinals in 2020. He has transitioned from the classroom to administration and is currently the middle/high school principal at Adrian.
As evidenced, Coach Davis is no stranger to success and the work it takes to be a champion both in the classroom and the gridiron. In just his second year as head coach, his team is poised to accomplish what only one other Blackhawk football team has done. Outsiders can witness a team that plays as one.
The Blackhawks are a tough minded, smart football team and that can be attributed to their mentor. “Coach Davis has been a phenomenal coach throughout the 4 years I have played for him,” said senior team captain, Mason Talley. “He not only motivates us to do great things on the field but he also encourages us to be great off of it. He always has a positive attitude and treats the team as family. We would not be half the team that we are today without Davis and everything has done for us.”
The respect for Davis goes beyond this year’s team. His impact is still evident in the players he’s coached before. Jayke Welcher, class of 2021, is a sophomore at Matt’s alma mater Pitt State. “Coach Davis has been a role model and like a father figure to me for many years now. I consider him family and still text him every week. He is a life changing coach and a great friend!”
“Coach Davis is relatable,” added Drew Burris, class of 2021 and a sophomore at the University of Missouri. “He took the time to get to know every player both on and off the field. I could relate to him as a coach and as a teacher and will always carry that with me. Coach Davis was a great motivator. He pushed us to do our best. We wanted to do our best for him. I can’t wait to see Coach and my former teammates play at Mizzou!”
Matt is married to Shelley. They have two children, Chaz, 12 and Reid, 9.
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