Princeton’s Teegan Davis makes it official, signs with Iowa

It was a grand celebration at Princeton High School on Wednesday morning as family, friends, coaches and teammates came to watch one of their own take the next step in his athletic career.

Princeton senior standout Teegan Davis signed his National Letter of Intent to play football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, three days after visiting Iowa City and receiving a full-ride scholarship offer from Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Davis, who previously made a verbal commitment to Eastern Illinois, was glad to put the recruiting process behind him.

“It’s definitely a relief. A weight off your shoulders and everything,” he said. “I know where I’m going next year now and it’s written down on paper, so it’s a big weight off your shoulders.

He said the “tradition at Iowa, its fan base and community and all of its great coaches” is what sold him most on the Hawkeyes.

Davis was appreciative all the support he received for his signing.

“It’s really awesome knowing I have all this support behind me,” he said.

Davis is the first Princeton player to sign with a Big Ten school since Eric Foresman and Bud Kittler signed with Illinois in the early 1980s. Previously, Jim Howard (’70) played for Indiana.

The last player from the Illinois Valley to play for Iowa was La Salle-Peru’s Mike Goff (’94), who went to play 12 years in the NFL with the Bengals, Chargers and Chiefs.

Davis, who was an all-state quarterback and defensive back for Princeton’s Class 3A quarterfinalist, will play in the defensive back field for the Hawkeyes.

A multi-sport talent, Davis is averaging 15.3 points per game for Princeton’s 12-0, Class 2A-ranked basketball team and is the reigning Class 2A state high jump champion.

He comes from a long line of athletes in the Davis family, including his father, Spencer, who played football at Augustana College. His brothers Drake and Wyatt play football at Northern Michigan, his brother, Cael, played three sports at PHS, and his sister, Keighley, is a promising three-sport athlete at PHS.

His uncles, Brian and Luke Davis, were noted football players at Manlius and Bureau Valley.

Spencer Davis said it was a great day for the family.

“Our family is elated about the fact that we’ve worked on sports for such a long time and now it’s starting to come to fruition for us that one of the kids gets to play at the highest level and one of the most prestigious programs in the country,” he said.

“I’m proud of him. He’s a great kid. He’s put in a lot of time. From the coaches here to the community and everybody involved, we really appreciate all the help and sacrifice to get him where he’s at.”

Spencer Davis said he knows his son will be in good hands with the Hawkeyes coaching staff, including Ferentz and defensive back coach Phil Parker.

“To go meet all those guys at Iowa, it’s really reassuring sending your kid there knowing they’re going to give him the best opportunity to be successful,” he said.

“We met with Kirk Ferentz and he wants Teegan to keep playing basketball and try to win another state title in track. That’s refreshing because it’s not just about being a football player. He wants him to still be a kid and enjoy his senior year.”

Iowa just seems like a natural fit for the Davis family, Spencer Davis said.

“When I was a kid, I loved the Hawkeyes,” he said. “Annette’s (his wife) from Iowa. Some of her family and friends have season tickets. It will be a fun experience for the next four or five years.”