Former Imhotep QB Mikal Davis Jr. gets a fresh start at Delaware State

Mikal Davis Jr. didn’t want to make the wrong decision.

The former Imhotep Charter quarterback had planned on continuing his college football journey at Army this fall. But a difficult realization led him to determine “this isn’t going to be the spot for me.”

“The things I had to do to get in that school were not hard, but it was a lot,” Davis said. “I guess me having to do the things I had to do to meet the requirements — I met the level of requirements — I felt like they were very strict in a way. I had to make a make a decision on my own, as a growing young man. It was very hard.”

The cadet life is much different compared to other Division I programs. One would have to serve at least five years in the U.S. Army and adapt to a military lifestyle in college. The academics are also rigorous. According to Prep Scholar, applicants who have been accepted average at least a 3.9 grade point average, an SAT score higher than 1300, and an ACT score above 29.

From April 2023 until January 2024, the dual-threat quarterback was set to play for Army, but as the deadline approached for the 2024 signees, Davis changed his mind.

» READ MORE: Mikal Davis Jr.'s journey is driven by family and forgiveness.

He withdrew his pledge from the Black Knights and signed on Feb. 7 with Delaware State, the only other program to offer him a scholarship. It was nerve-racking and stressful, but with guidance, Davis came to a place of acceptance and used this summer to plan a new beginning.

About a month ago, Glenn Hutton, Imhotep’s offensive coordinator, received a text from Davis saying he wanted to be baptized. When the two first met in 2022, they gradually started to connect over their interest in Bible studies and scriptures.

On the field, Hutton helped Davis win a state title. Off the field, they read Bible verses and compared them to life.

“Over our two-year relationship we had several verses that we would say to each other,” said Hutton, who joined the Panthers from Pennsauken High School. “One that really helped him out on a field was Proverbs 16:32, which says patience is better than power and controlling one’s emotions [is better] than capturing the city.

“That moment he got baptized was very emotional for me. It pulled me to tears, because never did I envision that I would be doing something like that with somebody that I coached.”

Timing was everything, Davis said, and his baptism was the fresh start he needed to move on to the next chapter of his football and academic career. But he needed his coach there by his side.

» READ MORE: This South Jersey 14-year-old broke a track record that was older than she is

Hutton has served as a mentor to Davis, who was raised by his mother and older brother while his father has been serving a sentence in a federal penitentiary. His former coach also counseled Davis during his college decision-making process.

“We were talking for two hours,” Davis said. “He was just telling me everything I needed to know about the situation, what I was going to get out of the situation, and what could happen if I didn’t make the decision. He’s the best role model you can ask for. He’s someone you’d look up to and would want to be.”

He’s also someone who has seen Davis’ relationship grow with God.

“I was telling him how I wanted to get into Christ and stuff like that,” Davis said. “He would send me Bible verses almost every day. We would do Bible studies on Sundays, so having him there to baptize me was one of the best days of my life.”

The two chat almost every day while Davis is in Dover. He’ll send Hutton clips of film to get insight on how the 6-foot quarterback is playing and what he could do to be better.

“I’ve asked him on a scale of one to 10, how do you feel?” Hutton said. “He says 9.5 out of 10, so that’s good to hear. As a coach, you’re wondering: Did I do everything to prepare him for the next level?”

Davis is learning a new playbook and trying to define a role on the Hornets, while his former Panthers are also holding their training camp. Imhotep went 15-0 last year and is slated to open its season on Aug. 23 against Clarkson Secondary School from Mississauga, Ontario.

“I expect them to be the dogs that they have always been,” Davis said. “They’re going to give it all they’ve got, because Imhotep has really prepared us for this. Our guys are prepared. I believe that they can be on this big stage.”

» READ MORE: ‘It’s all about them’: How flag football became a way of life for this Camden family

Delaware State will visit Hawaii in its season opener on Aug. 24. In the quarterback room, Davis has some experienced players in front of him. Last year, Marqui Adams, a redshirt sophomore who graduated from Neumann Goretti, played the most games in the pocket (10).

Davis will be ready when his name is called upon, he said. Imhotep has prepared him for the moment. The program has also given him something greater: coaches and teammates who have become family.

And they look forward to watching his next path.

“We’re here to help them grow as young men first,” Hutton said. “Football’s second. Winning is very important, but not to the expense of the young men.”