FANNIN COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023
By Mike Harper
When he reported for the first day of practice for the 1969 football season, senior Doug Davenport was greeted by first year coach, Doug Griffin. Playing for a new coach, however, was nothing new for Davenport for he had competed under five different head coaches since his 8th grade season. His coaches were William Young Querry at Epworth Elementary, Raymond Montgomery for his freshman season at West Fannin High School in 1966, followed by Tom Foster in 1967, Gene Crawford in 1968 and finally by Griffin in 1969.
Although the five coaches were considerably different in temperament, personality and coaching philosophy, Doug has nothing but good things to say about each of them. Three of the coaches, Montgomery, Foster and Crawford, would play a role in Davenport’s career beyond the playing field as the years unfolded. He joins all three as a member of the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame. He says that he respected and learned from each of his coaches. When asked for specific recollections, Doug quickly remembers Montgomery, a stern, no-nonsense taskmaster as a coach, telling him that “if you can make it on this field, you can make it in life”.
Doug Davenport became a starting offensive and defensive lineman at the beginning of his sophomore season in the fall of 1967. His debut as a 150-pound guard was auspicious as he was named to the Atlanta Journal/Constitution Class AA All-State Honorable Mention team, a significant honor for a sophomore. He was also named to the Chattanooga Times All-North Georgia first team. He was named ‘Lineman of the Week’ twice by the Copperhill/McCaysville Jaycees, one of the selections for his performance against Fannin rival Murray County. In that game, Davenport blocked a Murray punt with the loose ball picked up by a teammate and returned for a touchdown.
Doug continued his stellar play in 1968 and 1969, although West Fannin had very little team success during those two seasons. He was again named to the Atlanta Journal/Constitution Class AA Honorable team as a junior and was selected as the team Outstanding Defensive player each year. He was selected by the Jaycees as ‘Lineman of the Week’ six times during his junior and senior seasons.
At the dawn of his senior campaign in 1969, Davenport had grown to a hefty 175 pounds. In an attempt to add punch to the Yellow Jacket offense, Coach Griffin moved Doug to fullback when the team had the ball. He lined up as a linebacker on defense. Doug scored the winning touchdown and ran for the PAT in a 14-6 victory over Union County, the team’s only victory during a 1-9 1969 season.
In addition to his football exploits, Doug Davenport assembled an impressive resume during his time at West Fannin High School. He was elected as Class President for his freshman, sophomore and junior years and was a member of the National Honor Society. His classmates elected him as the Best All-Around male student in his graduating class of 1970. On the distaff side, Marsha Arp, Doug’s high school sweetheart, joined him as the Best All-Around female student.
Doug’s goal beyond high school was to become a football coach. He had sufficient funds for only one quarter (in the days when a collegiate year was measured in quarters rather than semesters) when the entered the University of Georgia in the autumn of 1970. He was able to defray some expenses by living with Gene and Tressie Crawford throughout his first quarter at UGA. Gene, Doug’s coach at West Fannin in 1968, had moved on to coach at Winder-Barrow High School a scant 15 miles from the UGA campus in Athens. In the meantime, Doug was able to find sources for his other expenses through scholarships and student loans to see him through to graduation with a Bachelors’ Degree in Health and Physical Education in the class of 1974.
With his college degree in hand, Doug Davenport landed a job as a teacher and assistant football coach at Gilmer County High School in Ellijay beginning in the fall of 1974. He was an assistant for several years before ascending to the head coaching position in 1979. He held the reins at Gilmer for the 1979 and 1980 seasons and established a weight and off-season conditioning program that helped his team to a 6-3-1 regular season record and playoff appearance in 1980.
Personal changes in the life of Doug Davenport also occurred during his time in Ellijay. He married Marsha Arp in February, 1975 and the couple welcomed the first two of their three children in 1978 and 1979. Daughter Roxanne came along in 1978 and Nathan made his debut in the Davenport family on the last day of May in 1979.
Fannin County High School Principal Frank Henson contacted Doug and offered a position of head football coach and teacher during the summer of 1981. Doug accepted the offer and moved his family back home to Fannin County for good. He coached the Rebels football team for six seasons while working his way up in the administrative side of the Education System of Fannin County. Doug quickly discovered that his football warriors did not have the physical strength to compete with many of their opponents in the Class AAA Division in Georgia athletics. With the support of Henson, and with volunteer aid from the community, he put together a weight and off-season training program that would serve the school well for years to come. He also established a competitive wrestling team at Fannin High.
The Davenport family grew to five when their third child, Alexis, came along in 1982. Doug continued his personal education earning a Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education from North Georgia University in 1987. He was promoted to Assistant Principal shortly thereafter and was elevated to the position of Principal at Fannin County High School in 1990.
Doug Davenport served his native Fannin County as Principal of Fannin County High School for 17 years. A lot happened in those years and Doug continued to actively lend his support to the athletic programs at the school. During his tenure, the Fannin County girls basketball teams, coached by fellow FCSHOF member Johnny Farmer, captured state championships in 1993 and 1999.
Strong athletic genes seem to run in the Davenport family as Doug’s son Nathan and grandson Corbin have also left indelible marks in the annals of Fannin County High School football. Nathan was a rugged noseguard and defensive leader of the 1995 Region Championship team that posted a record of 12-1, winning three playoff games before finally tasting defeat. Corbin, an all-purpose athlete, had a spectacular season on the gridiron in 2022 and won the state Class AA wrestling championship in 2023.
Doug and Marsha Davenport are living the good life in the bucolic community of Epworth. Doug continues to stay in shape with a well-disciplined and varied workout schedule. They have seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and are closely involved in the activities of their progeny. They also have two Pomeranians that keep them busy.