Reintroducing Raesjon Davis

Raesjon Davis signed with USC in the 2021 class as one of the nation’s top prospects in the 2021 class. He’s originally committed to LSU and the Trojans eventually won a tough recruiting battle against Ohio State for his signature. The four-star prospect and top-10 linebacker nationally was seen as a potential instant-impact player.

There were probably too many expectations placed on a player who did not enroll early and needed to add weight as he moved from an edge defender to inside linebacker as a true freshman. Davis played 11 snaps at linebacker in the season-opener against San Jose State. It was the only time he played on defense as the Trojans struggled to a 4-8 record. Davis did take part in special teams, on kickoff coverage and punt return. That participation cost him his redshirt year. It also led to plenty of questions from Trojan fans as to why he wasn’t playing more and what his future at USC might look like.

And they weren’t alone in asking those questions.

Brian Odom came to USC as the Trojans’ inside linebackers coach and had a frank conversation with Davis. Odom asked the rising sophomore if he envisioned his career going like this after one year at USC.

“I think that no matter the external factors, I think you’ve got to look at it in terms of, okay, what can I do about it?” Odom said after USC’s second practice of spring. “What’s my response this season and this offseason? And what can I do about taking control of my own career? Making it right and getting it to the point where it’s something I can be proud of and something that I envisioned happening.”

Odom said there were discussions relating to work ethic, maturity level and an understanding of the work involved to bring those things to a level that would produce desired results. He said Davis responded well this offseason.

A Gold Plate for Davis

The finish line is still far off in the distance, but Davis seemed to hit a significant checkpoint in his USC career path on Thursday. After practice, he received new that he’d earned gold-plated status, meaning he’ll come out for Friday’s practice with the Trojan logo on his helmet.

“This is a big accomplishment, actually,” Davis said Thursday while holding up the t-shirt that also comes with the gold-plated designation. “I feel like I’ve done a great job just putting all my effort in and earning it.”

Davis said earning that designation was one of his biggest goals of the spring. It’s something that shows the coaches how much effort is being put in both on and off the field. This staff has not been easily impressed since they’ve arrived at USC. This stamp of approval should not be taken lightly.

And for Davis, it came with an extra perk. Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson was in attendance Thursday. And Matt Leinart, a former Monarch, was the one to give Davis the news.

“That was super dope,” Davis said.

Lessons Learned From Last Year

Davis spent plenty of time watching football last season. He learned a few lessons. He said he hated seeing the losses pile up, but he understood that the playbook and his weight stood in the way him seeing the field more.

The mentality on and off the field has flipped for him this offseason. Davis is spending more time with Odom.

“Just learning what he wants me to know so I can be able to speak it how he wants it translated,” Davis said. “That’s what I’ve been working on, being with him more, being in his office, just spending more time with him.”

Davis has also been serious about his nutrition this offseason. He’s sticking to an routine that sees him eating every three hours. In doing so, Davis has gone from the 207 pounds he played at last season to now checking in at 220 pounds. His goal is to get to 225 this season, while keeping the speed that makes him a potential star.

Davis is doing more in the weight room as well. Alabama transfer Shane Lee leads the charge there.

“We got in the weight room on Big Spot Friday, five plates on his back,” Davis said of Lee. “I was like, I gotta get my game up now. So I was like, let me throw a fourth plate. Let’s get it right…It’s all about effort now. That’s all it is.”

Odom said packing on pounds was vital for Davis.

“Our main focus is guys that can run,” Odom said. “But when you’re really underweight, you’ve got no shot…I don’t want to put weight on him that’s going to slow him down by any means. But I do want him to be able to have some strength and a little bit of weight to be able to function in a Pac-12 game.”

Impressing Odom

Odom spoke about Davis’ growth after Thursday’s practice. His tone was striking when compared to two weeks ago, when he seemed to suggest there were real questions as to whether Davis would ever be able to make a true impact at USC.

“Man, in seven practices, the thing that’s giving him a chance to play like he’s playing at the moment is the effort and the strain that he gives each play,” Odom said. “He flashes at a different level. And it’s purely on effort. That’s the thing that gets me so excited about him. It’s very evident that he brings effort on every play. And right now that’s giving him a real shot to make a difference. And I’m excited about him, It’s been fun to watch him.”

Lee and returning linebacker Ralen Goforth have the two inside positions locked up right now. But things can change. And Davis is now charging toward playing time. Even as a backup, an increased presence from Davis would be significant for the linebacker room. It appears he’s ready to showcase the skills and ability he and USC fans expected to see when he officially became a Trojan.

Odom recalled the previous discussion where he pointed to Davis needing to step up when it comes to maturity. He said Thursday that Davis has done some good things with that.

“The effort piece is the one that gives him a shot to be a pretty good college football player,” Odom said.