Rattlers QB recalls big college play with Eagles' Celek

NICK DAVILA and Brent Celek haven't spoken since college. Nothing animus. Life happened, like it usually does, and they each went their separate ways.

But one day, maybe when they are back at the University of Cincinnati at some 20-year reunion or whatever, the 2006 night when Davila, Celek and the Bearcats stunned Rutgers is sure to come up.

Davila is the Arizona Rattlers quarterback. He is one of the best in the Arena Football League and will be the primary focus of the Soul's defense in tomorrow's championship game (1 p.m. CBS). Celek, of course, has been an Eagles tight end since 2007. Though that upset of Rutgers happened nearly 7 years ago, each remembered the key play as if it happened yesterday.

"It was a play-action pass," Davila said. "I threw it to Celek and he pretty much did the rest."

He sure did. Celek bounced through the Rutgers secondary for an 83-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach. The play didn't just put the exclamation point on senior night. It put an OMG on it as well. YouTube it. ESPN announcer Mike Patrick excitedly proclaimed it the play of Celek's life.

"Oh, yeah," Celek exclaimed the other day. "I had one catch for 80-something yards."

Rutgers was flying as high as it ever had. The Scarlet Knights were 9-0 and coming off a stunning victory over third-ranked Louisville. Rutgers, led by Ray Rice, Kenny Britt and Greg Schiano, were in the national title hunt for the first time in school history.

Cincinnati, however, was in the middle of a funky season. The Bearcats were 5-4 and rotating their quarterbacks, and coach Mark Dantonio ended up leaving prior to the bowl game to take the Michigan State job.

Brian Kelly, who is now at Notre Dame and was one of the coaches the Eagles talked to before hiring Chip Kelly, took over for Dantonio and led the Bearcats to a bowl win. But the Rutgers game was the highlight of the season.

"That was my first collegiate start at that level," said Davila, whose chance at a scholarship to Oregon State crumbled when he broke his clavicle in high school. "I don't want to say it put me on the map, but it definitely opened up some eyes."

Celek knew that Davila was kicking around in the AFL and isn't surprised that his old pal is in the league's championship game for the third season in a row.

"He's a typical guy's guy. He will go out there and grind for you," Celek said. "You've got to have a lot of respect for those guys. It's not an easy thing to do, to play in that league. The field is smaller. You don't have as much room to work. Especially for the quarterbacks. That's a tough position to play in that league. I've got a lot of respect for them all. I wish him luck."