Even though Justin Davis didn't plan on doing it, he's following in his parents footsteps. Davis, a 1997 Rome Free Academy graduate, recently completed his second season as a graduate assistant football coach at the University of Toledo, where he helped coach the secondary. The Rockets finished the year at 5-7 overall. Davis came to Toledo from Louisiana Tech, where he worked with Toledo defensive coordinator Tim Rose as a graduate assistant, also working with the secondary. Previous to his stint at Louisiana Tech, Davis worked for one season at Wagner College, where he coached linebackers. "I didn't want to be a coach right off the bat," said Davis, who is the son of RFA football coach Mike Davis and RFA modified coach Debbie Davis. "My father is a coach, my mother is a coach. I wanted to try something different. After graduating from college I got a corporate job in Charlotte. I loved Charlotte. My sister Jennifer was there, my friends Joe and Marty Ryan were there. I absolutely loved it, but it was corporate America. At that time it wasn't what I was looking for. "For the first time since I was young, I wasn't involved in football and I missed it," he added. "I was playing for the Rome Colts Pop Warner team when I was in the fourth and fifth grade. I hadn't stopped playing since. However, going to Charlotte was the best thing that I ever did and I would love to go back there." Davis was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Maine from 1998-2001 at linebacker. As a senior, Davis helped lead the Black Bears to an Atlantic 10 championship and a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs. He won the Maine Man Award in 2000 and was a three-time recipient of the Academic Achievement Award. The 28-year-old received his bachelor's degree in communications from Maine in 2001, and earned his master's degree in exercise science from Louisiana Tech in May of 2005. "I've learned from both my parents on how to handle kids," Davis said. "There is a lot more to being a coach than x's and o's. When you recruit kids, you tell the parents that you will get him an education, make him succeed in football, learn how to deal with adversity and grow up and be a man. To a lot of kids, you're a guidance counselor and a father figure. Growing up with parents that are coaches, it helps you prepare for that a little more. My father being a college football coach really prepared me in what the business is all about." Mike Davis coached football at Hamilton College for 18 years before taking over the reins of his alma mater in 2001. The younger Davis says he owes a lot to Wagner coach Walt Hameline, Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell and to Rose. "I'm very lucky," Davis said. "I stepped into the Division I level right away because of Walt Hameline at Wagner and Jack Bicknell at Lousiana Tech. He was the head coach and Tim Rose was the defensive coordinator. Tim Rose is my guy. He's been a head coach and defensive coordinator since the 1970s. He just wants to be a ball coach. He likes the x's and o's. "He's kind of had a reputation of coming in and fixing defenses," Davis continued. "He taught me everything that I needed to know. He's light years ahead of everybody. We've worked well together the past three years. I've been soaking up everything I can from him. I was lucky enough to latch on to Tim Rose at La Tech. He's a multiple defensive guy." Davis said he is undecided on where he will coach next season, but he would like to take a shot at the National Football League. "I really don't know yet," Davis said. "I have to see what's out there. I'm going to try and makes a push for the NFL. Who wouldn't want that? Being 28-years-old and experienced, I'll do anything. I don't care what I do. "I've thought about coming back to the area. I've been away for 10 years and I have an older sister (Jennifer) that?s about to have a second baby. At this point, I'm still at Toledo. I recruit New York State and I'm going to continue to recruit here." "I'll see what's going on and entertain anything," he added. "Obviously I want to stay at the Division I level. I've made some good contacts and have done some volunteer work for the Cincinnati Bengals. I met (Bengals head coach) Marvin Lewis at the Ohio State football camp. He gave me an open-door policy to watch practice and after the season to get together. It's a chance to get my foot in the door. The hardest job in the NFL is getting your first one and once you get your second one you're there forever."

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