ST. LOUIS — At the start of training camp, Austin Davis was simply trying to secure a roster spot. Now, he’s the St. Louis Rams starting quarterback.
Coach Jeff Fisher announced Wednesday that Davis will be behind center for the rest of the season. Previously, Fisher insisted that Shaun Hill would return as starter as soon as he was completely healed from the quad injury.
“I think that’s why you do take the cliche approach of work hard every day and take every rep like it’s your last, because you never know what’s going to happen in this game with injuries and different opportunities and things like that,” Davis said. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a wild ride, but at the end of the day, this team is looking for me to lead them and I’m up for that challenge and excited about it.”
The 25-year-old Davis has thrown for 754 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, while completing 72 percent of his passes since taking over for Hill midway through the first game of the season.
Davis’ 93.1 quarterback rating is ninth-highest among NFC quarterbacks.
“I think it’s important that you avoid the questions, you avoid the controversies of things like that,” Fisher said. “And yes, I did say that Shaun was our quarterback. My job is to make the right decisions and I felt that I was going to go this way pretty much after the Tampa Bay game based on what I saw, and then the Dallas game was just what really convinced us as a staff and myself. And he deserves it. He deserves an opportunity.”
Davis, who is in his third year, was actually cut by the Rams last season. He was brought back after Sam Bradford suffered a torn ACL.
After the Rams drafted Garrett Gilbert in the offseason, a position for Davis was far from guaranteed. But Davis outplayed Gilbert in the preseason and injuries to Bradford and Hill led to the opportunity.
Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt likes Davis’ attitude.
“The one thing that I’ve seen from his first start is he’s more confident in himself in the huddle,” Britt said. “He’s taking command in the huddle. He’s telling us what he wants in certain looks and certain routes and that’s something that you want to see out of any veteran quarterback and right now he’s looking like a five or six year vet.”
Hill seemed poised to be the Rams starter after Bradford re-injured his ACL, but has not seen the field since injuring his quad in the first half of the season opener.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating, but I understand it,” Hill said. Fisher’s “got a decision to make and he made a decision for what he felt was best for the team. Obviously, the team comes first. I’m a professional and I’ll come to work every day and try to help this team the best that I can.”
NOTES: Hill (thigh) was a full participant in practice, while Tavon Austin (knee) was limited. Trumaine Johnson (knee), Barrett Jones (back) and Brandon McGee (foot) did not participate.
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