Davis-Perry proving that it is never too late to achieve a dream
Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications
8/16/2021
It's late. But it's never too late.Roderick Davis-Perry
“It’s late, but it’s never too late.”
Roderick Davis-Perry said those words, and they certainly are a fitting theme for an improbable journey that began when he first stepped foot on a college campus seven years ago without any kind of realistic shot at playing college football. He moved on, left schools three different times, helped take care of his family and went to work. Now, at 25 years old, he’s three semesters from a bachelor’s degree, and he’s running with Millersville’s first team offense as a wide receiver. And believe this: he belongs.
It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Davis-Perry is a late bloomer. He’d agree with that assessment. When he graduated Norristown High School back in 2014, he was a rail-thin 140 pounds. He played football and ran track, but he wasn’t especially good, and he readily admits that it was more for the social aspect of the sport. He first went to Bloomsburg University and tried to walk-on, but Bloomsburg justifiably had little interest in a 140-pound wide receiver with average speed. After a couple of years, Perry-Davis decided he'd had enough of college and left.
Over the next few years, Davis-Perry picked up some credits at Norristown Community College and took a job at Finish Line, where he worked his way up to assistant manager. He also discovered weightlifting and body building. He wanted to stay athletic, so he frequently played pick-up basketball. Suddenly, that skinny kid had matured into quite an athlete. So much so, that his abilities on the court caught the eye of a former Millersville assistant who happened to be passing by.
“The first time we heard about Rod, our defensive backs coach at the time called me out of nowhere and said he saw this young man playing pick-up basketball in the gym, and he had great athleticism--a phenomenal athlete,” said Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan. “They had a conversation, and Rod said to him, ‘I think I might want to play football at Millersville.’ You hear that sometimes and you say, ‘ok, well, we will see what happens.’”
That conversation was all the spark needed to rekindle Davis-Perry’s dream of playing football again. He had left it behind so long ago that it hardly seemed possible, but Davis-Perry has never been afraid of hard work. He enrolled at Millersville in the spring of 2019 with no promises or guarantees—just an opportunity. Davis-Perry joined the team at 4 a.m., for conditioning drills, and he never once dragged or looked out of place. He had prepared and was in peak shape.
“I was in good condition at the time, so I was ready for the running and the drills,” said Davis-Perry. “Coach told me if I kept working hard, I wouldn’t get cut. I had been cut before, and I didn’t want to get cut again. I put in a lot of work.”
When they put pads on and got on the field, he stood out even more.
You could tell right away his athleticism and that there was some ability there.J.C. Morgan
“Rod showed up, came out to spring workouts and walked on,” said Morgan. “You could tell right away his athleticism and that there was some ability there. We got him on the field, and he’s making plays and doing things with the ball."
From the time he was cut as a tryout at Bloomsburg to when he joined the Marauders, Davis-Perry had packed on 55 pounds of solid muscle, bench pressing 335 pounds, squatting 565 pounds and deadlifting 600.
Having been removed from football for so long, Davis-Perry’s biggest challenge proved learning the playbook, but the routes and concepts slowly started to absorb, and by the end of spring 2019, Morgan fully believed that Davis-Perry would be their No. 1 receiver in the fall.
But Davis-Perry’s long road to college football met another detour. Before the start of the fall 2019 season, Davis-Perry’s grandfather became ill and needed care. He moved in with Davis-Perry’s mother, Tascha. Davis-Perry put family first.
“I left the team to help my mom at home and make sure everything was OK at home before I tried to do my own thing,” said Davis-Perry. “I worked and went to the gym. I worked at Finish Line and sold cars at DriveTime. Mom took care of Grandpop and worked to pay the bills.”
After devoting that time to his family, Davis-Perry fully prepared to return to Millersville for the 2020 season. COVID-19 thwarted those plans.
Now, two-and-a-half years after first enrolling at Millersville and seven years since high school graduation, Davis-Perry is in camp with the Marauders, lining up at wide receiver and looking like he may be a significant weapon for the new quarterback.
“It was a shame that it didn’t work out for him to come back in the fall (2019), but we are glad he is back now,” said Morgan.
Davis-Perry gives the Marauders wide receiver corps different dynamic. His physicality is noticeable.
“I think he will bring some playmaking ability and a physical presence,” said Morgan. “If you look at him, you know he has great strength. He’s put some great muscle on his body. He will bring a blocking presence to our run game which is something we need. I think he can do a lot of good things for us.”
While he isn't the most experienced in football, he is the oldest player on the team, and Davis-Perry has a perspective and wisdom that only comes from living life and enduring change, ups and downs—of which Davis-Perry has had plenty. He thinks sharing that with the younger players might be the biggest impact he can make.
“Being an older guy, I’m usually calm, and I have composure. It makes the game slower for me,” said Davis-Perry. “The maturity definitely helps with the game. Hopefully, I can give some wisdom to the younger players. When things are moving too fast, just breathe and calm down. Take in the moment.”
Davis-Perry’s position coach, Devin Altland, is just one year older, so the two can certainly relate on a personal level. Davis-Perry knows he’s far from a finished product as a wide receiver. He’s learning every practice, refining his blocking and route running. He has a habit of relying on his power, but Altland is quick to remind him to stay within his frame and use sound technique.
As the days of camp pass and the Thursday night season opener against American International draws closer, Davis-Perry can’t help but think about what it will feel like to finally step on the field in a real college football game after all these years.
“Anxiety, happiness, I can’t really put it into words,” said Davis-Perry. “I’m hyped to be here now in practice, so I can’t imagine what it will be like in the first game.”
The path Davis-Perry took to becoming a college football player was hardly traditional. Because of that, he appreciates this opportunity more than most. It’s an opportunity that so many never receive—a chance to play college football for the first time at the age of 25. It’s an opportunity he thought he lost seven years ago when he failed as a walk-on, and again in 2019 when he left Millersville to support his family. But that path just makes the first snap, the first catch, the first touchdown, all the more cherished.
“For a long time, football wasn’t in my mind,” said Davis-Perry. “It was definitely a goal (to play college football). I always wanted to do it. It’s late, but it’s never too late.”
