Size Does Not Matter for Crespi Football Standout Davison

"Short people got no reason to live." -- Randy Newman

Hey, Mr. Newman, you might have to rethink those lyrics.

Meet Mike Davison, a Crespi High receiver who is listed at 5-foot-4 and 130 pounds, but is actually closer to 5-foot. Small maybe, but a big reason why Crespi is 4-1 and has everyone talking about how much the Celts have improved heading into a highly anticipated football showdown this Friday against visiting Taft (2-2) of Woodland Hills. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

In five games, Davison has 20 receptions for 247 yards and four touchdowns – one of the most productive seasons in the Pac-5 Division, the Southern Section's most competitive division.

"Everyone has underestimated me, and people still do. Once they see me play, they change their minds," Davison said. "I'll hear people say, 'Oh, look at him. He's so small.' Well, that boosts my confidence to prove to them that I can play this game." 

All of this is nothing new. Davison has been playing football since he was six, but it wasn't until this season that anyone took him seriously enough to give him a full-time role. 

A year ago, Davison was a backup return specialist who barely saw the football. Not that the Celts had a good excuse considering they finished 6-4 (one forfeit victory) and didn't make the playoffs.

But that was before new coach Jon Mack took over, and the coach has put his confidence in Davison. Last week, Davison had seven receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-32 upset victory at Vista Murrieta – a rallying cry heard across the Southland that Crespi football is back.

"Mike is a hard-working young man who will always find a way to make a play," Mack said. "Pound for pound, he's probably the strongest kid on the team."

And what an inspiration.

"We feed off his attitude about not being intimidated," tight end Tre Calahan said. "We see how he's not intimidated, so there's no reason for us to be intimidated."

A quick, shifty return specialist, Davison is hard to touch, let alone tackle in the open field, and he already has a punt return for a touchdown this season – one of the first times he touched the ball.

"When I'm in the slot, I don't feel that anyone out there can guard me," Davison said. "I have balance, and being small is to my advantage. If you put a big guy on me, I'll use my quickness to go right by him."

His teammates always have to be on the lookout for Davison cutting back across the field because he does it all the time.

"You have to hold your blocks a lot longer because you just don't know where Mike is going to go," Callahan said. "He'll change direction, and then all of a sudden he's right there. He's like a pinball."   

His favorite NFL players are Maurice Jones-Drew, who is 5-7, and Darren Sproles, who is 5-6.

"Those are the guys I look up to," Davison said.

And people are starting to look up to Davison, too.