Morgan County football and baseball standout Davis Strickland is taking a different path in his collegiate athletic career.
The former Bulldogs quarterback, who signed with the University of West Georgia in November to play football, has instead committed to Kennesaw State University, where he will continue his baseball career as a Division I pitcher.
The recent Morgan County graduate started at quarterback during his junior and senior seasons while also starring on the baseball diamond for four years as both a pitcher and position player.
Strickland committed to West Georgia in September 2025 and was scheduled to report for summer workouts at the end of May. He said stepping away from football was the hardest decision he has ever made, but he is excited for the opportunity to begin a new chapter in baseball.
"It was kind of a shock," Strickland said. "I'm so honored to have this opportunity and to represent Morgan County baseball at the next level. I'm really looking forward to starting the process all over again. I have to prove myself again and go be a freshman."
Strickland said he began exploring other options after former West Georgia head coach Joel Taylor accepted the head coaching position at Mercer University in December. Although he had signed early with the Wolves, he always planned to finish his senior baseball season rather than enroll early.
"What made the change from football to baseball was where I thought I could actually go in and see myself playing," Strickland said. "Leaving my commitment really was the hardest decision, but once I started talking to Coach Ryan Coe at Kennesaw State, the path started to align, and it seemed like the right decision."
While Strickland recorded the final out of Morgan County's state championship-clinching victory over Pierce County, he said his most memorable baseball moment came weeks earlier in the Sweet 16 against Stephens County, when he hit a go-ahead grand slam with one out remaining to keep the Bulldogs' postseason run alive.
He said that moment also helped convince him that playing college baseball was a realistic goal.
"Winning that Stephens County series was so cool," Strickland said. "I love watching the videos from that play and seeing the little kids so excited. Through this whole process, I think about those kids in the videos. I just want to be a good role model, and when it's their turn to go through all this, I hope it's not as complicated as mine."
According to Strickland, he made the decision to pursue baseball just days after Morgan County captured its first state championship. A few weeks later, he called West Georgia head coach Steve Englehart to explain his decision before beginning conversations with college baseball programs.
"I spoke with him about my decision to pursue baseball, and he said he was actually expecting the call after the season I had, so really that was kind of a compliment," Strickland said. "He's a great guy and very respectful. I know West Georgia is going to be just fine, and he's got them in good hands."
To prepare for his first collegiate baseball season, Strickland spent the summer working with a pitching coach at Full Count in Hoschton while also pitching for the Lake Oconee Wild Things.
"It's different playing against college hitters. They're a lot better than high school players," Strickland said. "It kind of stinks getting hit around a little bit, but that's just going to happen. It's been a great learning experience for me."
Looking back, Strickland called his senior year with the Bulldogs "the best season of my life." Now, he is eager to devote his full attention to baseball while continuing his education at Kennesaw State.
"My senior year taught me so much about myself," Strickland said. "Being a quarterback and a pitcher is very stressful, but it definitely helped me learn how to process situations and react calmly. I'm very blessed to be in this situation. I can't wait to have a full year devoted to baseball and compete at one of the highest levels."