MIAMI (Nov. 15, 2016) – Butch Davis has been named the new head coach of the FIU football program, Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia announced on Tuesday.
 
Davis, the fourth head coach in FIU history, has compiled a 79-43 overall record in 10 years as a college head coach, including three BIG EAST Championships while coaching the University of Miami. In that span, Davis recruited and/or coached more than 120 players that made it to the NFL, 36 of which were first-round draft picks. Davis coached in the NFL for four years, and is still the only coach to take the expansion Cleveland Browns to the playoffs. 
 
"To say we are excited to have Butch Davis as our head coach at FIU is an understatement," Garcia said. "There is no doubt that he will take FIU football to new heights."
 
"I can't tell you how excited I am to be the head coach at FIU," Davis said. "I love this opportunity. I am grateful to be here. I look at this challenge as one that has no limits for the ceiling. When I think about FIU, there is unbelievable passion. If you are looking for an opportunity to get back into coaching, you could not envision a better opportunity than FIU. It's got great academic reputation. In its own backyard, it's got great athletes in this state. One of the things that sold me was there are 200,000 alumni in Broward and Dade County. We have to unite those fans and those alums and get them back in that stadium."


 
During his 10-year collegiate coaching career, Davis guided his teams to seven bowl games, winning five of them, including a 37-20 victory over the Florida Gators in the 2001 Sugar Bowl.

"Coach Davis is passionate about FIU," junior quarterback Alex McGough said. "When he met with the team, you could tell that he wants to be here and that he believes in us. I'm excited to play for him next year.'
 
"After meeting with Coach Davis, there was an excitement in the room," junior running back Alex Gardner said. "He has confidence in us and what we can do. I'm definitely looking forward to playing for him."
 
Davis comes to FIU after serving as a college football studio analyst, while also contributing to coverage on College Football Live, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com and SportsCenter since 2014.
 
Before joining ESPN, Davis served as a consultant to the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2012 and '13 seasons. Prior to that, Davis had a long successful coaching career, including head coaching positions with the University of North Carolina (2007-10), the Cleveland Browns (2001-04) and the University of Miami (1995-2000). From 1979-94, Davis had a successful 15-year association with Jimmy Johnson, first as a receivers and tight ends coach at Oklahoma State University (1979-83), then as a defensive line coach at the University of Miami and ending with the Dallas Cowboys, where he started as a defensive line coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator. His tenure included two of Dallas' Super Bowl titles.
 
After graduating college, Davis spent 1973-78 as a coach and biology and anatomy teacher on the high school level.
 
A native of Bixby, Oklahoma, Davis graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1974, where he played tight end and defensive end for the Razorbacks under Head Coach Frank Boyles.
 

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The Butch Davis File
 
Davis Yearly Coaching History
2016 FIU - head coach
2007-10 University of North Carolina - head coach
2001-04 Cleveland Browns - head coach
1995-2000 University of Miami - head coach
1989-94 Dallas Cowboys - assistant (defensive line 1989-92, defensive coordinator & linebackers 1993-94)
1984-88 University of Miami - assistant (defensive line)
1979-83 Oklahoma State University - assistant (tight ends, receivers)
1978 Tulsa Rogers (Okla.) High School - head coach
1976-77 Sand Springs (Okla.) High School - assistant (offensive line, outside linebackers)
1974-75 Pawhuska (Okla.) High School - assistant (offensive, defensive lines)
1973 Fayetteville (Ark.) High School - volunteer assistant (receivers)
 
First-round draft picks coached or recruited by Davis as head coach Miami or North Carolina
Miami: Ray Lewis (LB), Yatil Green (WR), Kennard Lang (DE), Kenny Holmes (DE), Duane Starks (CB), Edgerrin James (RB), Bubba Franks (TE), Dan Morgan (LB), Damion Lewis (DT), Santana Moss (WR), Reggie Wayne (WR), Bryant McKinnie (OT), Jeremy Shockey (TE), Phillip Buchannon (CB), Ed Reed (S), Mike Rumph (CB), Andre Johnson (WR), Jerome McDougle (DE, Willis McGahee (RB), William Joseph (DT), Sean Taylor (S), Kellen Winslow (TE), Jonathan Vilma (LB), D.J. Williams (LB), Vernon Carey (OT), Vince Wilfork (DT), Antrel Rolle (CB), Kelly Jennings (CB)
North Carolina: Kentwan Balmer (DT), Hakeem Nicks (WR), Robert Quinn (DE), Quinton Coples (DE), Jonathan Cooper (OG), Sylvester Williams (DT), Eric Ebron (TE)  

Year-by-Year Coaching Record
2007 (UNC)         4-8
2008 (UNC)         8-5                  Carolina returned to rankings for the first time since 2001
2009 (UNC)         8-5                  Carolina made back-to-back bowl games for first time in a decade
2010 (UNC)         8-5                  First bowl victory for Carolina in nine seasons                                      
2000 (UM)          11-1                  ranked #2 in both polls Big East champions
1999 (UM)           9-4                   ranked #15 in both polls
1998 (UM)           9-3                   ranked #20 AP, #21 coaches
1997 (UM)           5-6
1996 (UM)           9-3                  ranked #14 in both polls Big East co-champions
1995 (UM)           8-3                  ranked #20 AP Big East co-champions                                                   
UNC (4 yrs)         28-23
UM (6 yrs)           51-20
Total                  79-43

Pre- or Postseason History
North Carolina (head coach)
2010 Music City vs. Tennessee
2009 Meineke Car Care vs. Pittsburgh
2008 Meineke Car Care vs. West Virginia
 
Miami (head coach)
2001 Sugar vs. Florida
2000 Gator vs. Georgia Tech
1999 Kickoff Classic vs. Ohio State
1998 Micron PC vs. NC State
1996 Carquest vs. Virginia
 
Miami (assistant coach)
1989 Orange vs. Nebraska
1988 Orange vs. Oklahoma
1987 Fiesta vs. Penn State
1986 Sugar vs. Tennessee
1985 Fiesta vs. UCLA
 
Oklahoma State (assistant coach)
1983 Bluebonnet Bowl vs. Baylor
1981 Independence Bowl vs. Texas A&M
 
Super Bowls
Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl XXVII vs. Buffalo (assistant coach)
Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl XXVIII vs. Buffalo (defensive coordinator)

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.