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“After that’s done, I like toheaddown to thefieldand just get a sense of it,” says Davis. It’s still 90 minutes before kickoff, and the stadium is relatively empty. Davis knows better than to approach head coaches in these moments, as they are intensely focused on preparing for the game. However, he finds that assistant coaches and other team officials are happy to chat. The information he gathers will help him in his job. “I don’t ask them any questions about the game,” says Davis. “The funny thing is, if I don’t ask them about the game plan, then they’ll tell me.” Davis is highly personable and has a good sense of humor, which helps him to navigate such situations. An assistant coach approaches and asks him to “say something good about me today.” “What if your running back fumbles five times?” asks Davis with a smile. “What should I say then?” It’s time to head back upstairs to the booth, which is located in the press box area. Davis and Johnson do what are known as “pregame hits,” video segments in which they converse with FOX’s studio hosts on air. They run through their pregame opening as a rehearsal, discussing topics they’ve agreed upon the night before. Then, as Davis says, “It’s time for kickoff, and let the fun begin.”

12 C areers O ff the F ield • Sports Broadcasting