Devante Davis preparing for ‘home game’

If Houston wasn’t going to recruit Devante Davis, he was going to recruit himself to the school.

As a player at North Shore High School, Davis would make the 15-minute drive to Houston’s campus to let coaches know he was interested. Davis even attended a football camp there.

The interest, though, wasn’t reciprocated, and Davis had no choice but to look elsewhere. He was a track star who once committed to Texas A&M, but in football, no school showed more interest than UNLV, and that was the sport he badly wanted to play.

And now UNLV is preparing to play at Houston at 5 p.m. PDT Saturday, and Davis has become one of the Rebels’ all-time great wide receivers and a strong NFL Draft prospect.

“I’ve always got a chip on my shoulder no matter who we’re playing,” Davis said. “So against Houston, I guess it does build a little bit because I really tried to get into there, and they didn’t have anything for me or they couldn’t do it. But I’m very happy where I’m at, so that doesn’t play a big role for me.”

UNLV didn’t add this game to the schedule until May 29, giving the Rebels 13 games for the season, which is allowed when a team plays at Hawaii. The Rebels hadn’t planned on playing the extra game, but at the time they were ineligible for the postseason because of a low Academic Progress Rate score. That number since came up to the minimum 930, and UNLV can play in a bowl if it qualifies for one.

Playing in Houston is important because that’s a prime recruiting target for the Rebels. Four UNLV players, including Davis, are from there. Wide receivers coach Cedric Cormier also is from Houston and recruits the area.

“It probably helps us to be playing there because of guys like Devante and (former running back) Tim Cornett,” UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. “For people to be able to come see us is a good deal. I think the exposure’s good.”

Cornett finished last season as UNLV’s top career rusher, and Davis is working his way up the receiving lists.

Davis is coming off a game against Northern Illinois in which he caught six passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. But Monday he rued a tipped pass in the end zone that turned into an interception that helped seal Saturday’s 48-34 loss to the Huskies.

“I’m probably one of the biggest critics on myself, so I didn’t feel I played that well just watching the tape,” Davis said. “It felt good doing something to help the team come back into the game and try to win it, but ultimately I still think about the interception in the corner of the end zone. I felt I should’ve made that play to win the game.”

Maybe he will be faced with a similar situation at Houston and make the play he didn’t against Northern Illinois.

Davis went back there over the summer and hung out with his best friend, Houston linebacker Derrick Mathews, a fellow North Shore alumnus. They checked out the Cougars’ new stadium and met up with some Houston players.

TDECU Stadium was under construction, so Davis couldn’t go on to the field, but he hopes to be well-acquainted with the end zones this weekend. He has looked forward to this game since it was announced, and so have those close him.

“It will definitely be a home game,” Davis said. “It’ll be screaming for both sides. It won’t be one-sided in the stands because about 50 people are asking for tickets. I couldn’t get more than that, but more people will be there. I’m excited to go play in front of my family and friends.”

■ NOTE — UNLV’s game Sept. 27 at San Diego State will be at 5 p.m. and broadcast online at ESPN3.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.