SEMO speedster Shabari Davis looks to relish his final college game

The fastest man on Southeast Missouri State's roster, Shabari Davis is utilized in a variety of ways.

At cornerback, he is often lock-step with the most fleet-footed receivers in the Ohio Valley Conference.

As a returner, Davis has blown by kickoff and punt coverage teams.

Davis, who will play his final college game Saturday when the Redhawks (3-7, 3-2) host No. 8 Tennessee-Martin (9-1, 5-0), has relished every opportunity.

"We may not be playing for a championship, but you still need to have that mentality like you are," said Davis, who has been clocked at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash "We want to play it like any other game."

A product of a Savannah, Georgia high school program he said rarely sends players to the college level, the former quarterback was happy to field one junior college offer from a coach who noticed his eye-popping athleticism

After a season at Garden City Community College in Kansas, SEMO was among the few small Division I schools to show interest in the raw talent.

Davis — a 6-foot, 195-pound graduate who initially planned on playing junior college or NCAA Division II basketball before going the football route — was shifted at just about every skills position in high school and junior college.

Even at SEMO he briefly played scout team running back when the Redhawks were depleted with injuries.

But once Davis found his footing as a defensive back and returner at the Football Championship Subdivision level, he began to flourish.

Davis provided depth in 2017 and a 2018 SEMO team that earned a spot in the FCS playoffs. In 2019 he earned several starts on SEMO's OVC championship squad that reached the second round.

"That was the first time I had won a championship or a playoff game, other than Little League," Davis said. "That was an amazing experience for me, to be part of those back-to-back playoff appearances."

In a delayed and truncated 2020 campaign that was played in the spring, Davis established himself as one of the OVC's most dangerous returners and earned All-OVC distinction while starting all eight games on defense.

As his college career winds down, he has another feather in his cap.

Davis is the first player in SEMO's Division I history to return an interception, punt and kickoff for a touchdown in career.

The most recent was Oct. 30 when he opened the second half with an 86-yard return when his team trailed, sparking the Redhawks' 38-15 win over Eastern Illinois.

Davis, who also has eight career interceptions, wants to end his career with an upset a UT-Martin team that recently clinched an OVC title.

"I just want to leave it out there on the field," Davis said. "I really appreciate SEMO giving me a shot to play Division I football, so I want to show that on Saturday."

Davis, who is on track to his master's degree, fielded a lot more college basketball interest out of Groves High School than football.

His heart wasn't on the hardwood, though.

"I wanted to play football and was willing to do what it took," Davis said.

Davis said his speed — he believes is capable of clocking at a 4.3 in the 40 — and versatility can get him to a form of professional football.

If that doesn't pan out, he said wants to open a barber shop and use his degree to get into coaching.

"I want to be known as an athlete that can play any position, because that's what I was doing all my life," he said.