Teammates: Davis made decision to sit out

[abw0004 10,107]

Carlton Davis' reason for missing the Peach Bowl wasn't wholly due to the undisclosed illness coach Gus Malzahn cited -- at least according to two Auburn defenders.

Former safety Tray Matthews and linebacker Tre' Williams, both of whom are in Mobile for the Senior Bowl this week, said it was Davis' "decision "to sit out the Peach Bowl prior to declaring early for the NFL Draft. Davis, Auburn's All-America cornerback, did not play in the Peach Bowl and Malzahn said he returned to Auburn two days prior to the game due to an illness that held him out of practices in Atlanta that week.

"I mean, it's all his decision," Williams said. "He's an adult now. I wish he played just to have that extra body, but once again it's his decision and I'm still going to root for him either way it goes."

Davis developed into a lockdown corner for Auburn as a junior after minor injuries plagued him as a sophomore in 2016. He finished the year with 36 total tackles, an interception and a team-high 11 pass breakups while often matching up against the opposing team's top receiver.

Davis declared for the NFL Draft two days after Auburn's loss to UCF in the Peach Bowl, and the rangy corner is a potential first-round pick.

Both Williams and Matthews said they spoke with Davis during the lead-up to the Peach Bowl and understood his decision to sit out the bowl game.

"As first I got onto him." Matthews said. "I was like, 'hey man, what's up? I need you. You've been my dawg the last three years and you're going to leave me hanging like that?' He explained to me a few things. That's his decision. I got to respect it. He's a first-round talent, so you know, that's on him."

Williams said Davis did not discuss the decision much until it got closer to the bowl game, at which point it became evident which was he was leaning. Matthews added that it became clear that Davis was going to sit out the game after he missed a few practices.

Davis was not in attendance for any of Auburn's open practices in Atlanta during the week of the Peach Bowl.

"He was firm on his decision," Williams said. "I told him good luck on it and I'll see him on the other side."

While both players understood Davis' reasoning for sitting out the bowl game, Matthews said he wouldn't have done the same--even if he knew he was a potential first-round pick, though doing so has become commonplace among top NFL talents.

"We're built different," Matthews said. "If it was me, I would've still played because it was my last game with my boys. Maybe, give or take, you never know how somebody's feeling, though. You don't know how his body was feeling."

[abw0004 10,107]

Personally, I side with Tray Matthews' reasoning but that is just my own opinion.

[AUGoo 2,659]

I'm sorry it's come to this, but I really don't have a problem with it.

It's not like we were playing for a NC.  Gave others an opportunity to get some experience in a game of no significant consequence.

[AUsince72 11,084]

Sadly, the offensive line decided to sit out too.

[Tiger 8,817]

Well this thread is going to be interesting considering the last thread about how honest Malzahn was regarding Carlton's "illness"

[gr82be 14,402]

21 minutes ago, AUGoo said:

I'm sorry it's come to this, but I really don't have a problem with it.

It's not like we were playing for a NC.  Gave others an opportunity to get some experience in a game of no significant consequence.

Well it wasn't the playoffs but losing the game was more significant than winning it in my book. Anytime a team such as Auburn loses to a school like UCF it's a big loss. I don't blame CD for the loss though. No way it falls on one man. 

[abw0004 10,107]

23 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

Sadly, the offensive line decided to sit out too.

Apparently they were all sick:

Braden Smith:  "I've had a few nicks and pains, but that's probably the worst I've felt during a game.  It was the day before (the Peach Bowl), I caught a little bug that had been going around the whole team apparently all that week. It kept me up all the night. I had to get to the bathroom - I had diarrhea, vomiting, I got about 10 times that night. I was completely drained of fluid, I was feeling like crap. I had to get some IVs into me before the game just to get some fluids in. I was not 100 percent at all, but you got to stick it out you know? It's part of that mindset, being about to tough through it. You can't really let that get to you too much mentally or else you're just going to play like crap and that's not going to help anybody. You got to have that mindset that, telling myself 'I felt great.' I tried to trick myself into that  - of course, my body wasn't great, but I had to keep on going."

[abw0004 10,107]

12 minutes ago, Tiger said:

Well this thread is going to be interesting considering the last thread about how honest Malzahn was regarding Carlton's "illness" went

Gus did the right thing here.  He couldn't say much else that wouldn't cause blowback.  There is also the chance Carlton told Gus he was sick, or faked it.  We are just now finding out Carlton wasn't sick a month later so it isn't too farfetched.

[JMassie11 1,610]

For selfish reasons we all wish he had played but at the same time you’re always one play away from ending your career so I don’t blame him

[tbone4jc 2,238]

Meh.. i think everybody and they mommas knew about this!..

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

No reason for him to play in a meaningless game that we should’ve won without him 

[McLoofus 35,182]

1 hour ago, AUsince72 said:

Sadly, the offensive line decided to sit out too.

Hah! For real though, Davis only cared slightly less than a lot of the guys who *did* play.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

I vividly remember the thread before the Peach Bowl. This is funny. 

[mustache eagle 2,388]

i wish this wasnt the trend with guys looking to go pro.  before you know it the non-playoff bowl games will look like JV games.

anybody remember the JV game that tubbs had us play versus georgia southern (or state?).  interesting idea, but missed a little something if i recall.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

Just allow all teams to play red shirts without losing eligibility and everyone who may go pro can stay home and watch on TV. At least then we'll get some value out of the game.

[McLoofus 35,182]

16 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Just allow all teams to play red shirts without losing eligibility and everyone who may go pro can stay home and watch on TV. At least then we'll get some value out of the game.

Does anybody know the rationale behind this? Talk about a better way to sell your product and boost ratings. 

[AUsince72 11,084]

19 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Just allow all teams to play red shirts without losing eligibility and everyone who may go pro can stay home and watch on TV. At least then we'll get some value out of the game.

The Bowls are just "exhibitions" anyway, right?

[Gowebb11 9,308]

59 minutes ago, JMassie11 said:

For selfish reasons we all wish he had played but at the same time you’re always one play away from ending your career so I don’t blame him

I certainly agree that we need to respect his, and others decisions. It’s not me with a future NFL career at stake. But I wonder where this is headed. You’re right that his career is one play away from ending. And that was true every snap in fall camp, and versus Mercer, and versus Clemson, and versus Bama. And it will be true every snap in shorts and T shirts while working out for the NFL. Since the NFL enjoys college football as a high performing minor league they don’t pay a dime for, maybe they could fund an insurance fund for the college players that feed their league. Otherwise, the bowl games will shortly become exhibition games.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

3 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

The Bowls are just "exhibitions" anyway, right?

For the most part... they are really just ways for stadiums and TV networks to make more money.

[lionheartkc 6,150]

7 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Does anybody know the rationale behind this? Talk about a better way to sell your product and boost ratings. 

And it seems like a lot more of a reward for a good season than playing 1 more game, during the holidays, with no guarantee that it will be anywhere you actually want to go.

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

I certainly agree that we need to respect his, and others decisions. It’s not me with a future NFL career at stake. But I wonder where this is headed. You’re right that his career is one play away from ending. And that was true every snap in fall camp, and versus Mercer, and versus Clemson, and versus Bama. And it will be true every snap in shorts and T shirts while working out for the NFL. Since the NFL enjoys college football as a high performing minor league they don’t pay a dime for, maybe they could fund an insurance fund for the college players that feed their league. Otherwise, the bowl games will shortly become exhibition games.

I would argue that the BCS and playoffs contribute to this more than the occasional guy sitting out. 

[abw0004 10,107]

1 hour ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

No reason for him to play in a meaningless game that we should’ve won without him 

Didn't you hear?  Apparently we were in the national championship.  Or at least every person in Florida thinks that.  

[AUld fAUx@ 2,584]

47 minutes ago, lionheartkc said:

Just allow all teams to play red shirts without losing eligibility and everyone who may go pro can stay home and watch on TV. At least then we'll get some value out of the game.

 

30 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Does anybody know the rationale behind this? Talk about a better way to sell your product and boost ratings. 

Lots'a sense here.

[Randman5000 4,224]

Marcello and Crapeola and alot of those al.com guys love click bait articles and trying to get people riled up. It's over it's done. Let's move on. Go Carlton and rest of the prospects, make us proud. 

[au_bsci_04 407]

1 hour ago, ClaytonAU said:

I vividly remember the thread before the Peach Bowl. This is funny. 

On 12/30/2017 at 3:01 PM, au_bsci_04 said:

CD isn’t playing. Is going Pro. Most AU thing ever to say he’s ill when he just wants to sit.