City mourns passing of coaching legend

The Wills Point community lost one of its most beloved and well respected members Dec. 4 with the passing of longtime Tiger football Coach and educator Ken Autry Davis,
He was 77.
Davis was a standout athlete in Wills Point before playing football at Stephen F. Austin State University. At SFA, Davis was a four-year letterman in football, and a three-year starter at halfback for the Lumberjacks, and recipient of the SFA Todd Award as the Outstanding Male Athlete.
Adding to his accomplishments, Davis was also a two-year letterman in track at SFA.
During his time at SFA, he learned the offensive schemes he would bring to Wills Point.
In a 2010 interview with the Chronicle, Davis stated, “The coach was Red Conkwright, and he had been the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. I was exposed to a lot of things they were doing in the pros at the time, and I taught the same blocking schemes and plays.”

Davis returned to Wills Point as an assistant coach in 1962, and after taking the program over in 1964 introduced the unbalanced line with a Wing-T backfield.
In 1965,  27-year old Ken Autry Davis helped guide the Tigers to the lone state football championship in school history with a 14-0 win over White Deer in the Class A title game.
The Tigers were a perfect 15-0 that season, outscoring opponents by a stunning 486-52 margin along the way. Wills Point’s defense also posted four shutouts in five playoff games that season.
All told, Davis compiled a 187-83 record in 25 season at the helm for Wills Point, including nine district championships, five bi-district championships, three regional championships, one area, one quarterfinal, one semi-final and one state championship.

Davis also introduced the battle cry of O.T.S.S. – Only The Strong Survive – now emblazoned for posterity on the new turf field of the stadium named for the coach.
“We were in Longview to play Linden-Kildare. We were both undefeated, and we were walking down a long hallway and they had Only The Strong Survive on both sides of a banner,” Davis explained. “I told the team to read that sign, because it was going to be hot. We won, 25-23, and it was a knockdown drag-out. That phrase was on my mind after that, but it was too long, so I abbreviated it,” Davis said.
Wills Point's football stadium was renamed Ken Autry Davis Field in his honor in September 2005. Davis served as grand marshal of the Homecoming Parade earlier this year.
News of Davis’ passing was met with many fond remembrances on social media from people impacted by his life as a coach, teacher and member of the Wills Point community.

Mayor Mark Turner said, “Legacy. We are all going to leave one, be it for the better or worse. Coach Davis is leaving a legacy of excellence, discipline, focus, positive pride and investment in people. His legacy inspires everyone who knew him and came in contact with him. His influence on the lives of those he interacted with, especially young men in their formative years, continues today in ripple effects through those very lives. The example he set inspired you to reach high and his expectations of his students was no less. Thank you, Coach, for a life well lived, a life invested in others with great returns in lives today. When you live your life where people are automatically inspired by just the memory of you, you have won the race and the ultimate prize awaits. Enjoy your prize Coach, you earned it many times over. God bless and comfort your family and may they be secure in knowing your legacy lives on.”

Wills Point grad and current Wills Point High School teacher Adrianne Granger noted, "I obviously didn't have the pleasure of having him as a coach, but I did have him as a teacher and I was fortunate enough to spend my high school years surrounded by him and his awesomeness! I will never forget the excitement as he walked to the center of the gym floor during his legendary pep rallies...I can honestly say that even after almost 30 years of being away from him...he never forgot who I was. Even at the pep rally this past season he called me by name as I approached his car. That is just one of the moments that will stay with me forever. My pride in being a Wills Point Tiger lives strong and a lot of that is due to him. He instilled in me the values I have as a teacher at WPHS. I hope I can have just a small portion of the impact on my students that he had on me. You were one in a billion and your memory and legacy will live on for centuries to come. RIP Coach Ken Autry Davis! Love you all the way to Heaven!" Davis was laid to rest at White Rose Cemetery Dec. 8.