Davin Meggett
Encyclopedia
Davin Meggett (ˈdeɪvɪn mɛ'gɛt; born March 22, 1990) is an American college football
running back
for the Maryland Terrapins
. He currently is the starting running back for the Terrapins. He is the son of former NFL player Dave Meggett
.
on March 22, 1990 to Super Bowl
champion and two-time Pro Bowl
selection Dave Meggett
and mother Victoria Davis. He grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
with his mother and stepfather John Davis. At the age of 9, Meggett switched from his preferred sport of soccer to football because his childhood friend played the game. Meggett, however, was doubtful that he was of large enough stature to play intercollegiate football for a major college program.
At Surrattsville High School
, Meggett was a three-year starting running back. As a junior in 2006, he ran for 1,150 yards on 156 attempts, rushed for ten touchdowns, and garnered second-team all-county and honorable mention all-state honors. Meggett experienced a breakout year as a senior in 2007, during which he led the Surratsville Hornets to its first playoff berth since the establishment of the team in 1960. He finished the regular season as the second-leading rusher in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. On the season, Meggett rushed 169 times for 1,784 yards and scored 26 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns. Rivals.com
named him the 16th-ranked player in the state of Maryland. He was honored as a first-team All-Prince Georges County, All-Met, and all-league player. Surrattsville High finished with a 10–2 record and a state playoffs berth. Meggett also ran track
in high school and earned a letter all four years. He was honored as all-county and the team's field athlete of the year as a junior.
Meggett was recruited by Notre Dame
, Virginia
, and Rutgers
, but Maryland
was the only Division I FBS school to offer him a scholarship
. He also received scholarship offers from Division I FCS programs , Old Dominion
, and James Madison
. Meggett, who grew up a Maryland fan, accepted the school's offer and later said, "This is a dream. Is this really happening? ... I'm going to go ahead, commit and live out a fantasy."
, Meggett studies government and politics. As a true freshman in 2008
, he saw action in each game of the season. Short-statured and muscular, his smash mouth rushing style is characterized by achieving yards after contact. In 2008, Meggett recorded 422 rushing yards on 79 attempts with a long of 38 against California, and four touchdown
s. After starting tailback Da'Rel Scott
suffered a lingering shoulder injury against California
game, Meggett gained increased playing time. Offensive coordinator, James Franklin, called the run-intensive, rain-soaked North Carolina
match "a Meggett type of game ... Downhill, not a whole lot of dancing." In that game, Meggett made a one-yard rushing touchdown and the 31-yard reception which helped put the Terps within range for the game-winning field goal. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen
said, "He's a freshman, but he doesn't play like a freshman." Against NC State
, Meggett had eight carries for 34 yards and a one-yard touchdown
run. He replaced Scott after an injury late in the game, and then caught a screen pass
for 31 yards to set up the game-winning field goal
by kicker Obi Egekeze
. Maryland secured bowl eligibility with the 27 24 victory. In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl
against Nevada
, he caught a pass for a two-point conversion
, and rushed ten times for 35 yards. Alongside leading rusher Scott, Meggett helped Maryland to come the closest it ever has to having both a 1,000- and 500-yard rusher in the same season. Meggett fell just 43 yards shy of the 500-yard mark. He led all Atlantic Coast Conference
freshman with 5.13 yards per carry
.
In 2009
, Meggett entered preseason camp behind Scott and Morgan Green
, but his camp performance was impressive enough to garner a share of the number-one position alongside Scott. He saw action in all 12 games including four starts, and recorded 338 yards on 99 carries and six touchdowns.
Meggett and Scott again split time as the number-one back during the 2010 season
. Head coach Friedgen said, "At this point in time, I would say Scott and Meggett are 1A and 1B." He saw action in all 13 games and recorded 720 yards on 126 carries and four touchdowns. In the season opener against Navy
, Meggett rushed eight times for a career-high 105 yards, including a career-long 67-yard run, and one touchdown. Meggett extended his career-long against Florida International
with a 76-yard touchdown run to ensure a Maryland victory. Against Duke
, Meggett had 18 carries for 57 yards, including a three-yard touchdown run. Against Wake Forest
, Meggett rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to the 2011 season
, Meggett was named to the Doak Walker Award
watch list. He assumed the starting position after the graduation of Da'Rel Scott and was named a team captain. In the opener against Miami
, he had 21 carries for 92 yards.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Maryland Terrapins
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He currently is the starting running back for the Terrapins. He is the son of former NFL player Dave Meggett
Dave Meggett
David Lee Meggett is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Giants , New England Patriots , and the New York Jets . He played college football at Morgan State University and Towson University...
.
Early life
Meggett was born in Clinton, MarylandClinton, Maryland
Clinton is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Clinton was formerly known as Surrattsville until after the time of the American Civil War. The population of Clinton was 26,064 at the 2000 census. However, as of 2007, there is an...
on March 22, 1990 to Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion and two-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection Dave Meggett
Dave Meggett
David Lee Meggett is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Giants , New England Patriots , and the New York Jets . He played college football at Morgan State University and Towson University...
and mother Victoria Davis. He grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
with his mother and stepfather John Davis. At the age of 9, Meggett switched from his preferred sport of soccer to football because his childhood friend played the game. Meggett, however, was doubtful that he was of large enough stature to play intercollegiate football for a major college program.
At Surrattsville High School
Surrattsville High School
Surrattsville High School or SHS is a public high school located in Clinton, Maryland and is a part of the Prince George's County Public School System in Prince George's County, Maryland. The school educates about 1,100 children and teenagers in grades 9 through 12...
, Meggett was a three-year starting running back. As a junior in 2006, he ran for 1,150 yards on 156 attempts, rushed for ten touchdowns, and garnered second-team all-county and honorable mention all-state honors. Meggett experienced a breakout year as a senior in 2007, during which he led the Surratsville Hornets to its first playoff berth since the establishment of the team in 1960. He finished the regular season as the second-leading rusher in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. On the season, Meggett rushed 169 times for 1,784 yards and scored 26 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns. Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
named him the 16th-ranked player in the state of Maryland. He was honored as a first-team All-Prince Georges County, All-Met, and all-league player. Surrattsville High finished with a 10–2 record and a state playoffs berth. Meggett also ran track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
in high school and earned a letter all four years. He was honored as all-county and the team's field athlete of the year as a junior.
Meggett was recruited by Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, and Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
, but Maryland
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
was the only Division I FBS school to offer him a scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He also received scholarship offers from Division I FCS programs , Old Dominion
Old Dominion Monarchs football
The Old Dominion Monarchs football team is the college football program for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The Monarchs compete at the NCAA Division I-FCS level. The university did not compete between 1941 and 2009. The team was reborn beginning in 2009, competing for two years as an...
, and James Madison
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
. Meggett, who grew up a Maryland fan, accepted the school's offer and later said, "This is a dream. Is this really happening? ... I'm going to go ahead, commit and live out a fantasy."
College career
At the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, Meggett studies government and politics. As a true freshman in 2008
2008 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2008 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...
, he saw action in each game of the season. Short-statured and muscular, his smash mouth rushing style is characterized by achieving yards after contact. In 2008, Meggett recorded 422 rushing yards on 79 attempts with a long of 38 against California, and four touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. After starting tailback Da'Rel Scott
Da'Rel Scott
Da'Rel Scott is an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland...
suffered a lingering shoulder injury against California
2008 California Golden Bears football team
The 2008 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in the college football 2008-2009 season. They played their home games at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California and are coached by Jeff Tedford...
game, Meggett gained increased playing time. Offensive coordinator, James Franklin, called the run-intensive, rain-soaked North Carolina
2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team began their season on August 30 against McNeese State at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team originally went 4–4 in conference play and 8–5 overall, but in 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.-Recruiting:The Tar...
match "a Meggett type of game ... Downhill, not a whole lot of dancing." In that game, Meggett made a one-yard rushing touchdown and the 31-yard reception which helped put the Terps within range for the game-winning field goal. Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Friedgen
Ralph Harry Friedgen is an American football coach. He was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2001 to 2010. Friedgen was previously an offensive coordinator at Maryland, Georgia Tech, and in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers...
said, "He's a freshman, but he doesn't play like a freshman." Against NC State
2008 NC State Wolfpack football team
The 2008 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University during the 2008 college football season. The team's Head Coach was Tom O'Brien, who began his second season as the Wolfpack head coach with a 5-7 overall record, and a 3-5 conference record at NCSU. N.C...
, Meggett had eight carries for 34 yards and a one-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
run. He replaced Scott after an injury late in the game, and then caught a screen pass
Screen pass
A screen pass is a type of play in American football. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is being thrown, when in fact the pass is merely a short one, just beyond the defensive linemen. Screens are usually deployed...
for 31 yards to set up the game-winning field goal
Field goal
A field goal is a general term used in some sports wherein a goal may be scored either during general play or via some sort of free shot...
by kicker Obi Egekeze
Obi Egekeze
Chukweume Obi Egekeze is an American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Maryland from 2006 to 2008. He was the team's starting placekicker in 2007 and 2008, scoring 164 points, kicking 32 field goals, and converting 68 consecutive extra points without a miss...
. Maryland secured bowl eligibility with the 27 24 victory. In the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl
2008 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2008 Humanitarian Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Nevada Wolf Pack on December 30, 2008. It was the two teams' first meeting. The game featured two conference tie-ins: the University of Maryland represented the Atlantic Coast Conference ...
against Nevada
2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team
The 2008 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the 2008 season. Nevada competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference .The team was led by...
, he caught a pass for a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
, and rushed ten times for 35 yards. Alongside leading rusher Scott, Meggett helped Maryland to come the closest it ever has to having both a 1,000- and 500-yard rusher in the same season. Meggett fell just 43 yards shy of the 500-yard mark. He led all Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
freshman with 5.13 yards per carry
Carry (American football)
In American football, a carry is a statistical term equivalent to a single rushing play. The term is typically used in reference to "yards per carry," meaning yards per attempt rushing the ball. Any offensive player who performs a carry is known as a ballcarrier, regardless of position....
.
In 2009
2009 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2009 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Terrapins played in the Atlantic Division of the conference, and competed against all five divisional opponents, two Coastal Division opponents on a...
, Meggett entered preseason camp behind Scott and Morgan Green
Morgan Green
Morgan Green is an American former college and high school football player. He played as a running back for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland. He played interscholastic football for Henry E...
, but his camp performance was impressive enough to garner a share of the number-one position alongside Scott. He saw action in all 12 games including four starts, and recorded 338 yards on 99 carries and six touchdowns.
Meggett and Scott again split time as the number-one back during the 2010 season
2010 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2010 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Terrapins' 58th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its sixth within the framework of the ACC Atlantic Division...
. Head coach Friedgen said, "At this point in time, I would say Scott and Meggett are 1A and 1B." He saw action in all 13 games and recorded 720 yards on 126 carries and four touchdowns. In the season opener against Navy
2010 Navy Midshipmen football team
The 2010 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Midshipmen, led by third-year head coach Ken Niumatalolo, competed as an Independent and played their home games at the Navy – Marine Corps Memorial...
, Meggett rushed eight times for a career-high 105 yards, including a career-long 67-yard run, and one touchdown. Meggett extended his career-long against Florida International
2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team
The 2010 FIU Golden Panthers football team represented Florida International University during their 6th season of NCAA Division I FBS football and their 9th season overall...
with a 76-yard touchdown run to ensure a Maryland victory. Against Duke
2010 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2010 Duke Blue Devils football team represented Duke University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blue Devils were led by 3rd year head coach David Cutcliffe and played their home games at Wallace Wade Stadium. They are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Coastal...
, Meggett had 18 carries for 57 yards, including a three-yard touchdown run. Against Wake Forest
2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team
The 2010 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represented Wake Forest University during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Jim Grobe, who was coaching his tenth season at the school, and played its home games at BB&T Field. Wake Forest competes in the...
, Meggett rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to the 2011 season
2011 Maryland Terrapins football team
The 2011 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season...
, Meggett was named to the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
watch list. He assumed the starting position after the graduation of Da'Rel Scott and was named a team captain. In the opener against Miami
2011 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 2011 Miami Hurricanes football team represents the University of Miami during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hurricanes are led by first year head coach Al Golden and play their home games at Sun Life Stadium...
, he had 21 carries for 92 yards.
Statistics
| Maryland | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Att | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lg | TD | ||
| 2008 | 13 | 89 | 457 | 5.1 | 38 | 4 | 9 | 79 | 8.8 | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | 12 | 99 | 338 | 3.4 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 175 | 12.5 | 67 | 1 | ||
| 2010 | 13 | 126 | 720 | 5.7 | 76 | 4 | 6 | 59 | 9.8 | 31 | 0 | ||
| Total | 13 | 89 | 457 | 5.1 | 38 | 4 | 9 | 79 | 8.8 | 31 | 0 | ||