Meet Butch Davis

by Ajax on Oct 29, 2006 11:25 AM PST in Football

Bumped. Yes we used to get some hate mails back in August 20, 2005 for putting up these kinds of blog posts. But looks like A, O, and yours truly were on to something when we first started blogging over here. ;-). Let's get to know BD. How would you like two UCLA major revenue sports being headed by a Ben Howland and the Butcher of Westwood? -N

(This is part 2 in a multi-part series in which we will spotlight names that should be included on the list of replacements for the current UCLA head football coach--Ed.)

3 Super Bowl Championships as an NFL Defensive Coordinator. National Championships as both a DC and Head Coach. These are just some of the qualifications in the impressive coaching resume of Butch Davis.

Should UCLA choose to go the NFL route in selecting the next head football coach, they could do a lot worse than Butch Davis. Along with the credentials detailed above, one of the most amazing accomplishments of Davis' career, and perhaps a quality that will be much needed when a new head football coach at UCLA is needed, was the resurrection of the football program that he directed at the University of Miami when he accepted the Head Coach position in 1995 after Dennis Erickson and Jimmy Johnson had destroyed any semblance of respectability in that once proud program. (Remember when the Miami v. Notre Dame match-up was glossed the "Catholics vs. the Convicts?")
Davis took over for Dennis Erickson in 1995, after the NCAA had issued the partial death penalty (the loss of 31 scholarships) against the Hurricanes for a litany of NCAA violations.

Despite knowing full well the NCAA was about to drop the hammer on the Hurricanes, Davis couldn't pass up such a challenge (Taking the head coach position at UM). On Jan. 24, 1995, eight days before the national letter-of-intent signing period began, he was introduced as the 18th head coach in the school's history. Incredibly, Davis was able to land a nationally-ranked recruiting class, and the team went on to post an 8-3 mark.

Americanfootballmonthly.com

UCLA is going to need a dynamic recruiter to bring in top notch players in order to pull the football program from it's current state of mediocrity. If Butch Davis can go from near NCAA death penalty to National Champion in just 5 years, it's reasonable to assume that he could undo the mess that the Morgan Center created by hiring Karl Dorrell.

With the exception of dedicated alumni, students and die hard fans, the UCLA football program has largely become irrelevant in the eyes of the college football world under the Karl Dorrell regime. Butch Davis would be terrific choice to restore some of the proud tradition that we UCLA alumni, students, and fans were once so proud of.

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We need somebody like this.

I would love to see this man leading the True Blue and Gold. Considering his history of bringing teams back from destruction, he could be the Howland of UCLA football.

by Bruin Roar on Aug 20, 2005 3:59 AM PDT reply actions

The Cuppard was Bare, Racism, are the comments....

that will be said; if Karl is 'Let-Go'. If the next coach is successful,Blindos will claim it was KD's players that made the success. If next coach is not successful, then it will be because of Toledo, and "no one could have saved the program". I have even heard Blindos say, because John Wooden took 13yrs to reach the top, KD should be given the same amount of time.
Shouldn't the next coach be picked by the critera of a Demonstrated Ability to: Win Football Games, Teach Football Knowledge, Make Adjustments, Plan Strategy and Tactics. Recognizing and developing Talent is not the ONLY thing a coach does!

In D-1 Football, the Players on the entire Roster should be YOUR GUYS, not just the 'Pets' you recruited.
If there is a lack of Depth or Experience, it could be, the HC thinks in terms of Individuals instead of Team.

by RaveOn on Aug 20, 2005 2:50 PM PDT reply actions

Nice job RaveOn...

...and welcome to the BN.

Of the criteria you discussed above, do any apply to Dorrell? The next creative in-game adjustment that Dorrell makes wil be his first.

Kick the ball to Perkins again!

by Ajax on Aug 20, 2005 4:41 PM PDT reply actions

Your post is already having an effect A ...

I see Butch Freaking Davis discussion popping up on a certain paid premium board. Coincidence ... I think not. Keep this up. Great work my man.

by Nestor on Aug 20, 2005 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't think Davis is realistic

We simply will not spend the money ti would take to bring him in. In addition, if we do fire Dorrell it will not be until the end of the season when IMO Davis will have already been named coach at North Carolina.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 29, 2006 11:37 AM PST reply actions

money is not an issue

we have the money. I keep hearing the argument that UCLA will not spend the money. We have the money. It will take some will power for UCLA to spend it. And an overwhelming public pressure from alums and students and a total collapse this season my force UCLA to do it.

But the argument that UCLA doesn't have the money to spend on a big time football coach is just baseless. I know you are saying that UCLA "will not" spend the money. And that's different.

But times have changed. We live in a different time right now than back in the Donahue era. And we don't have Pete Dalis in charge. So no reason to sound so defeatist.

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 11:46 AM PST up reply actions

No doubt we have the money

but we will not spend it because in football our university is content with mediocrity as evidenced by the fact that Dorrell still has a job.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 29, 2006 12:35 PM PST up reply actions

well I think

time is right to force a change in that thinking. And I DG is open to change the course. And thats where we can be helpful in generating as much PR on this as possible on how hungry we are in terms of change in how UCLA handles its football program.

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 2:46 PM PST up reply actions

I hear this refrain alot

How much will it take to bring Butch to Westwood? We just don't know. The point is, he needs to be on the list.

If DG is as creative is I think he is, feelers are going out as we speak.

by Ajax on Oct 29, 2006 11:50 AM PST up reply actions

Don't you think...

that Davis would rather return to Miami? Unless, Coker gets to a BCS Bowl game, he will be fired. I think Davis would much rather go to Miami than to the school he almost single-handedly destroyed in 98.

by UCLAFreak88 on Oct 29, 2006 12:06 PM PST reply actions

Nope

Miami has already burned its bridges with Davis. The AD who hired Davis is no longer there and I am sure he is not happy with the way Corker has been treated.

Look foe Schiano to be the next HC of Miami. It won't be Davis.

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 12:08 PM PST up reply actions

Or Nick Sabin*

by Ajax on Oct 29, 2006 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

the question on NS

would he want to stick around in South Florida if he fails with the Dolphins?

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 12:12 PM PST up reply actions

UNC is already

courting Butch Davis. There also have been rumors of UNC contacting Steve Kragthorpe as well. Those are my two favorite candidates. UNC must be getting serious about their Football program, unlike us.

by UCLAFreak88 on Oct 29, 2006 12:17 PM PST up reply actions

UNC can talk to anybody

but their chances of recruiting a high caliber coach to that football program seems like a prayer.

I truly hope for a great season, but if we dont have one we must dumpdorrell.com

by DumpDorrell on Oct 29, 2006 12:42 PM PST up reply actions

I certainly

hope so.

by UCLAFreak88 on Oct 29, 2006 12:48 PM PST up reply actions

They have a better chance

of landing a big time coach than we do. Coaches have considered UNC a sleeping giant for years. They have access to Florida and the entire south to recruit from and have amazing facilities. UNC gets amazing support from Nike athletic department wide and Chapel Hill is a great campus. UNC also has lots of money and seems ready to invest it in football so besides being a program that has tremendous upside, it is a school willing to spend money. Much more than we are willing to spend.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 29, 2006 12:49 PM PST up reply actions

Coaches

also know full well what a sleeping giant UCLA football program is.

I don't really care two sh!ts about UNC football program. It's not even close to UCLA in terms of what we have to offer with our natural recruiting base.

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 2:47 PM PST up reply actions

We're a sleeping giant

but not liek UNC. Difference is UNC is willing to throw ssupport behind their football rpogram and in turn, throw money behind it. Coaches aren;t going to want to come here for what we pay them. We have to pay more than any other school because of housing costs in L.A. Right now almost all our coaches live in Valencia and make the treak at Westwood every day. Why would a coach want to do that when they could live on campus at Chapel Hill and have more money left over. Until our athletic department is willing to commit to our football program no high profile coach will commit to us.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 29, 2006 5:29 PM PST up reply actions

well you are just off on this ...

UNC can throw whatever money they want, but they will never become a football power. The Tarheels are stuck in the ACC next to Miami, Florida State, VA Tech, BC and Clemson. Their program is in shambles.

And it will take 4-5 years for any top notch coach to put together a full rebuilding job to get them just to the level of their opponents within in the conference.

At UCLA, Butch Davis would have only two serious opponents - Southern Cal and Cal with Tedford.

Butch Davis was in college football when UCLA was hauling in top-5 recruiting classes. He knows Southern California is such a hot bed of prep talent that he can easily bring in a #1 class in 2007/08 and have the program hitting on all cylinders very quickly.

UNC will never be UCLA in football no matter who they bring in as HC and how much they spend.

That program just doesn't have the upside of a UCLA program and it never will.

by Nestor on Oct 29, 2006 6:31 PM PST up reply actions

It shouldn't have the upside of UCLA

but it will until we are willing to shell out some money. When Toledo was fired how many serious high profile names did you hear about. Names that were either interviewed or at least spoken to? UNC has only been without a head coach for a week and rumor is they have already contacted Davis and a meeting will take place in the near future. UNC has already made more progress in brining in a high profile coach than UCLA has ever done.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Oct 29, 2006 7:52 PM PST up reply actions

well

I will be surprised if Davis ends up at UNC. He knows full well it will never be a football power and if he goes there he will be going through the same issues Spurrier is going throught at USC.

And yeah rumor has it that UNC is going after that Davis but like I have said I will be surprised if he ends up there.

by Nestor on Oct 30, 2006 6:33 AM PST up reply actions

Schiano

The Scarlet Knight's head coach already said he won't believing Rutgers any time soon. Miami is probably going to have to find someone else.

by BenIsTheMan on Oct 29, 2006 5:46 PM PST up reply actions

leaving

i meant leaving. Won't be leaving. Whoops.

by BenIsTheMan on Oct 30, 2006 8:38 AM PST up reply actions

Nice post

Just the thought of having a HC like that fires me up.

by Menelaus on Oct 29, 2006 1:04 PM PST reply actions

It makes me sick . . .

to see Oregon State and Washington State cracking the top 25. How they are in and we're not, makes no damn sense. I'm thinking a coordinator from the SEC with some balls, big boy football under his belt. Let's steal one of Urban Meyer's assistants or an assistant from LSU. Freaking Oregon State and Washington State!!!! OMG!!!

by TheStick on Oct 29, 2006 2:17 PM PST reply actions