The party's over. Now, the work begins.

The pep rally of a National Signing Day announcement was winding down when new Alabama linebacker spoke about the next step. The nation's No. 10 recruit is set to begin that transition to a Crimson Tide freshman with his own tall goals.

"I want to be a freshman All-American, be a team leader always and run around and make plays," Davis said. "I'm going to be coachable. I know I don't know everything yet so I will just continue grinding, stay humble and just work hard."

Work ethic was a theme when Davis and his parents looked to the future. Yes, he's a gifted athlete with prototypical size (6-foot-4, 240 pounds). And he has the pedigree as the son of Alabama's career tackles leader Wayne Davis.

But nobody in the Davis house thinks the next generation will be handed anything because of the past.

"Like I said to each coach, I'm not asking them to promise me he's going to play," said Faye Davis, Ben's mother. "I know he's going to have to work so we taught him how to work. So as a result of that, he's going to have to earn whatever. We don't want anyone handing us anything or handing him anything. He's going to have to work and that's what he's going to do."

Of course there will be comparisons to his father, who made 327 tackles at Alabama. A middle linebacker who started as a freshman in 1983 through 1986, Wayne Davis was listed at 6-3 1/2 and 210 pounds as a newcomer. His son already has 30 pounds on that.

"I want Ben to be better than I was," Wayne Davis said. "I would think any parent would -- to achieve more and to be more successful to be even more mature in college than I was."

Challenging that 30-year old tackling record might not be the easiest task given the structure of Alabama's defense. But it's a place middle linebackers have flourished under Nick Saban. The graduation of two-year starting Reggie Ragland creates some opportunity for the next wave that also includes five-star outside linebacker Lyndell "Mack" Wilson.

"This is a position where we've had lots of guys in the past contribute as freshmen -- Rolando McClain did, Dont'a Hightower did, CJ Mosely did, I think Nico Johnson did," Saban said. "And we didn't have a lot of depth at that position this year, so I think how quickly these guys can learn and grow and develop at that position is important because I think they both have the kind of athletic ability and critical factors at that position that we're looking for."

It starts with pre-enrollment training and then summer conditioning before practices begin in the August heat. Mom knows the path Ben must take.

"I'm looking forward to seeing him work, to earn his own place," Faye Davis said. "Because even though his daddy was the leading tackler there, he has a goal to shoot for to beat him. And our younger son said he's going to be better than Ben.

"So what more can you ask for?"