QB Davis leaves UL football program before final season

Quarterback Jordan Davis announced via Twitter on Thursday that he is leaving the UL football program.

Davis, a senior, also tweeted that he will “possibly be transferring” elsewhere to pursue a master’s degree.

Davis had been in a battle with sophomore-to-be Levi Lewis, who stood out in the Ragin’ Cajuns’ spring game last Saturday, and senior-to-be Andre Nunez to be UL’s starting quarterback under first-year head coach Billy Napier in 2018.

Related: Lewis impresses in UL spring game quarterback battle

“I am very thankful that the University of Louisiana Lafayette gave me the opportunity! I will always be a Cajun!” Davis tweeted.

Said Napier in a statement issued by the program: "Our coaching staff supports that decision, and we would like to thank Jordan for his contributions as a Ragin’ Cajun. ... We will do our very best to assist Jordan as he looks to continue his academic and athletic career."

The product of Klein Oak High in Spring, Texas, issued a lengthy statement on his Twitter account:

“I would like to first start off by saying I am very grateful and thankful for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (for) providing me with the opportunities and the experiences that I have had within these past four years.

“These memories and experiences that I have been through … will stick with me for the rest of my life and I am thankful for the many relationships that have been built throughout my experience.”

Davis spent four seasons at UL and played three, appearing in four games in 2015, five in 2016 and 10 last year.

Related: UL QB Davis tells teammates, 'Hold me to a high standard'

He played sparingly as a reserve in ’15, and less so in ’16 after losing the starting job because of a rough spring.

In that 2016 season, Davis played behind LSU graduate-transfer Anhony Jennings even though Jennings did not join the team until he start of preseason camp.

Davis considered leaving UL at least one other time in his Cajun career, but wound up staying then.

He began last season as UL’s starter, but after sustaining a knee injury in a late-September loss at Texas A&M both Nunez and Lewis started games later in the year.

He finished 151-of-260 for 1,660 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions, including 122-of-215 for 1,386 yards last season. Ten of his touchdown throws and all eight of his picks came in 2017.

More: UL QB Davis says 'I've just got to be more confident' in knee

Davis, Lewis and Nunez got equal reps throughout the spring, after the Cajuns fired coach Mark Hudspeth last December and hired Napier to replace him.

Napier previously has said on several occasions that he did not plan to name a starter until sometime much later this summer, perhaps just a couple weeks or so before UL’s season opener against Grambling.

He has said his decision would not be made on any one factor alone, and has suggested that it would in large part be impacted who shows they can be best win the team over and who shows they can both protect the ball and be most-productive in UL’s new offensive scheme.

More: Napier says QB battle is 'about who can win the team over'

Lewis did the most to stand out in the Cajuns’ spring game, going 14-of-22 for 275 yards and two touchdowns. Davis was 9-of-13 for 117 yards with one TD pass and one interception.

The departure leaves UL with four scholarship quarterbacks on its roster: Lewis, Nunez, Dion Ray (who has played exclusively as a Wildcat QB in the past) and little-used Jake Arceneaux.

Another scholarship Cajun, Kadon Harrison, who redshirted as a freshman in 2017, was moved from quarterback to receiver by Napier early in spring drills.

More: Harrison moves to receiver as Cajun QB battle narrows

It remains to be seen if Harrison will return to QB now that Davis has left.

Napier did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how Davis' exit will impact his decision-making at quarterback.

Davis’ statement on his departure included messages of thanks on several fronts:

►To “both coaching staffs” past and present: “Y’all pushed me and developed me in many ways, not only as a football player, but as a man, and I am better because of it;”

►To now-former teammates: “This was not an easy decision. I want to thank all of you guys for the many exciting and amazing memories we created together.

“I love all of you guys like my brothers and will keep every one of you guys in my prayers. You guys are like brothers to me and will FOREVER have a special place in my heart. I know y’all will go on to do great things! I will always support you guys;”

►To the Cajun community: “What a tight-knit community with amazing people who genuinely care about the people within. I am so thankful to have been (a part) of this community.

“I’ve had so many amazing memories at Cajun Field because of you and will missing everything about it!”

“With that being said,” Davis added, “I felt this was the best decision for me and my future.

“I will always remember my Cajun family and the memories that I have shared with over there. I love and thank you all.”

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