Former North Carolina and Miami head coach Butch Davis is the front-runner to become the next head coach at Florida International, according to a report by Alex Marvez of The Sporting News.
Former Miami coach Butch Davis could be back in college football soon
The coach who built one of the best teams in college history is reportedly close to getting back in the game.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Davis was 51-20 as Miami head coach from 1995-2000 and is considered the architect of the 2001 national championship team, which was coached by former Davis assistant Larry Coker.
After a stint with the Cleveland Browns, Davis returned to college at North Carolina in 2006, finishing 28-23 over four seasons before he was fired in 2011 during an NCAA probe into academic fraud. Davis is currently a college football analyst for ESPN.
FIU has struggled for success since the program’s inception in 2002. The Panthers have not had a winning season since former head coach Mario Cristobal led FIU to back-to-back bowl games in 2010 and 2011. FIU AD Pete Garcia fired Cristobal in 2012, and the Panthers went 12-39 under Ron Turner, who was fired Sept. 25.
The firing of Cristobal, who took over an 0-12 program and increased FIU’s win total in five consecutive seasons, was considered to be unthinkable in the coaching community, and Garcia’s reputation has suffered for the move.
Garcia and Davis have a long history. The FIU AD was a part of Davis’s front office during his time with the Browns, and Davis was a rumored name for the FIU job after Cristobal was fired.
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