Butch Davis slams FIU administration, not expected to return next season

Butch Davis will not return to FIU next year, according to a report from Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, ending his five-year tenure as the Panthers’ head coach.

Hired in 2017, Davis was tasked with rebuilding an FIU program that had not put together a winning season in six years, with Mario Cristobal being the last head coach to accomplish the feat. Davis did just that, leading the FIU Panthers to a bowl in each of his first three seasons, winning the 2018 Bahamas Bowl but losing bowl games in 2017 and 2019. However, FIU tumbled since its last bowl appearance, finishing the abbreviated 2020 campaign with an 0-5 record. This year, Davis sports just a 1-9 record at the helm.

According to McMurphy’s report, Davis’ contract with FIU ends on Dec. 15. His agent contacted the school in pursuit of a one-year extension, but FIU officials opted not to extend his deal. Davis is 24-30 in his career at FIU, and the Panthers have two games left on schedule: a home contest against North Texas, and an away game at Southern Mississippi.

Davis was notified by FIU of the school’s decision to move on four days before his 70th birthday, according to McMurphy.

The report cites “challenges” that Davis had to face while at FIU. Among the various obstacles, Davis was only allowed to offer one-year contracts to his assistants, making it difficult to lure high-level coaches away from other jobs. Additionally, according to Davis, when he first arrived on campus, FIU’s shoulder pads were at least 10 years old, and the school wouldn’t provide the money to acquire new equipment.

One of Davis’ assistants had a contact at Mississippi State, which was replacing its five-year-old shoulder pads at the time. Through Davis’ assistant, FIU was able to acquire the Bulldogs’ pads at no cost.

“They were five years old,” Davis said, via McMurphy. “But they were new to us.”

Davis also said that his coaching staff was not allowed to take recruiting trips the past two years due to COVID-19 and FIU financial reasons. In early October — months before his contract was set to expire — the school posted an opening for the head coaching position, which was shared with the American Football Coaches Association.

“This year has been a nightmare,” Davis told Action Network. “You can imagine the players’ reaction when a head coach’s job was posted online. The administration has been sabotaging the program.

“Their decisions to post the job has resulted in a major negative impact on the football program and our ability to recruit and retain players.”

Davis boasts a 103-73 career record. He served as the head coach at Miami for six years, revitalizing the Hurricanes’ program after predecessors left a myriad of NCAA violations. He went 4-0 in bowl games at Miami, including an 11-1, Sugar Bowl-winning season in 2000, then left to accept the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns. After his NFL stint, he returned to college in 2007 and went 28-23 in four years at North Carolina but was fired after an NCAA investigation found that the Tar Heels’ players were receiving improper benefits.

FIU was Davis’ first coaching job at the college ranks since being fired by North Carolina in 2010.