By
Pete Pelegrin
Twitter: @Petepelegrin
Bryce Canady "came with a dream" to Miami in the fall of 2013 when he enrolled at FIU. Canady, who is from Jacksonville, applied to FIU because he thought that FIU and the city of Miami presented opportunities for a career in finance.
"I heard FIU and the city of Miami had many connections and opportunities for my major which is finance," Canady said. "I'm studying to be a financial advisor and I came with a dream to Miami."
Part of that dream was realized Tuesday before FIU's final spring football practice.
For the past three years Canady had been paying his tuition at FIU by taking out loans. Last spring Canady decided to try out for the FIU football team and initially made the team as part of the practice squad. Eventually, Canady earned time at special teams when he played in three of FIU's final five games of the 2016 season.
However, last semester Canady reached his loan limit at FIU and couldn't take out any more loans.
Canady set a personal goal before FIU's first spring practice under new head coach
Butch Davis that he was going to try and earn a starting spot and a scholarship.
Before the 15
th of FIU's 15 spring practices on Tuesday, Davis gathered the team on the field and announced that Canady had earned a scholarship because of his performance in spring practice.
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"Bryce was popping every time we saw him at practice and later on film," Davis said. "He popped at corner and made plays on special teams. I didn't tell Bryce beforehand that I was giving him a scholarship so he was ecstatic when I announced it in front of the team. The kids dogpiled him. The kids know who makes the sacrifices on the field and who puts in the work and Bryce did that."
Canady, who was under pressure trying to make ends meet to pay for his tuition, reacted with jubilation knowing that the hard work he had put in came to fruition.
"I was overjoyed and thought a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders," Canady said. "I felt like I didn't have any more stress and I didn't have to worry any more. But I'm not going to take this scholarship for granted. I learned if you put the work in then you will be noticed by this coaching staff."
Davis liked that Canady, who played cornerback, safety and receiver at Jacksonville Paxon High, showed athleticism and versatility.
"What I'm looking at is a guy that can play safety and can also cover a back out of the backfield or cover a receiver," Davis said. "This is going to be a very positive move for us. I told Bryce with his size and coverage ability he can help us more at safety."
Finding talented walk-ons is nothing new for Davis, who has discovered some pretty good players in his coaching career.
During his tenure as the head coach at the University of Miami and other stops with the Dallas Cowboys and at Oklahoma State, Davis has seen how walk-ons can help a team.
"Every place I have ever been at walk-ons have helped jump start a program," Davis said. "I look at walk-ons like free agents in the NFL. We've given kids a chance who turned out to be spectacular."
Among those walk-ons who have helped Davis's teams, the FIU coach cites former offensive tackle Joaquin Gonzalez and defensive back Jeff Popovich. Gonzalez turned down a full scholarship to Harvard to walk-on at Miami. Gonzalez started 49 games in a row and played in the NFL for the Browns and Colts. Popovich, a former FIU assistant coach, was an integral special teams player for Davis's Hurricane teams and is now an assistant with the Indianapolis Colts.
Davis also mentioned former Dallas Cowboys safety Bill Bates, a former walk-on at Tennessee. Bates helped the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles when Davis was Dallas's defensive coordinator.
"In our first team meeting at FIU, I told all the kids we are going to coach every single one of you like you are the best player on the team," Davis said. "If things fall right I would love to award more walk-on scholarships. I'm not going to be surprised if we have a few more walk-ons, who earn some scholarships."
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