[Football] Davis ready for challenge from Dickinson State in NAIA Quarterfinals

It took Josh Davis (SR/Compton, Calif.) a while to adjust to his new surroundings after arriving in Salina from the Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

Davis, a defensive lineman, came to Kansas after signing a letter of intent to play football for then-second year Kansas Wesleyan coach Matt Drinkall.

"The town was great," Davis said of Salina. "One thing that kind of threw me off when I first got here is everybody was so nice and they had good intentions for everything.

"It kind of threw me off a little bit but I'd rather be there in a place where everybody has good intentions than somewhere that has bad."

Drinkall was a bit more succinct.

"Josh comes from a world where football truly is a game â€" an escape from the problems that the real world throws in your face," he said.

It wasn't long before Davis felt at home, on and off the field.

Now in his fourth season as the No. 6-ranked Coyotes' starting nose guard, Davis has been an integral part of KWU's historic march to Saturday's quarterfinal game against No. 15 Dickinson State (N.D.) in the NAIA Championship Series at Graves Family Sports Complex. Kickoff is 1 p.m.