Panthers’ Davis preps to face Hurricanes
MIAMI — Butch Davis has already had that moment, the one where it felt strange to look across the field and see the Miami team he once coached lined up on the other sideline.
Davis, who on Saturday will lead FIU onto the Hurricanes’ home field at Hard Rock Stadium, has faced No. 21 Miami four times since he left Coral Gables, all of those coming when he coached at North Carolina.
But Saturday will mark the first time he faces the Hurricanes while coaching at FIU, a school located just eight miles away from Miami where Davis coached for six years and put together one of the greatest college football teams in history: the 2001 national champion Hurricanes.
Davis never coached that team, leaving Coral Gables after six seasons to coach the Cleveland Browns. And now, back in South Florida after his stint at North Carolina and after spending time as a television analyst, Davis is trying to build another winning program, this time at FIU where the Panthers have finished above .500 just three times in their history.
One of those times came last season, in Davis’ first year at FIU. The Panthers went 8-5 and tied the 2011 school record for wins. They earned their first bowl bid since 2011 and Davis, always known as a top-notch recruiter, built on that, securing the highestrated recruiting class in Conference USA last season.
And as game day draws closer, all of that is where Davis’ focus is.
“The first [game against Miami] was probably somewhat significant. It seemed weird, like I was standing on the wrong sideline, you know? But after you’ve done it a couple times, it’s more about your program,” Davis said. “It’s more about these kids and what can we do as a coaching staff to help them get prepared to play the best they can.”
Davis isn’t the only one at FIU that has deep ties to the Miami program.
Ken Dorsey, the quarterback who led that 2001 championship team and played for Davis in 2000, joined the staff at FIU as an assistant athletic director in March. Pete Garcia, FIU’s executive director of sports and entertainment, worked at Miami for a decade and during part of that time was the Hurricanes’ recruiting coordinator.
Andreu Swasey, who trained countless Hurricanes on their way to the NFL, is now an assistant strength and conditioning coach at FIU. And Davis’ coaching staff features a trio of former Hurricanes athletes and coaches including running backs coach Tim Harris, who was a four-time NCAA All-American on Miami’s track team; receivers coach Aubrey Hill, who coached at Miami for three years; and defensive line coach Kenny Holmes, who totaled 29 sacks during his Hurricanes career before going on to be a first-round draft pick of the Tennessee Oilers in 1997.
For Davis, the opportunity to work with all of those coaches and administrators has been a boon. But having Dorsey — one of his former players — join the staff that has been especially meaningful.
“One of the greatest things as a coach is to, hopefully, have your players — when they graduate — go on and have success, whether it’s in the NFL or career-wise. To become good husbands, good fathers, and Kenny has done all of that,” Davis said. “He’s had an NFL career. He’s coached in the NFL. He’s gotten to the Super Bowl coaching Cam Newton with the Carolina Panthers. Him coming here, my desire to have him be a part of the program is like any of the other guys.
“When you put people in your program that are champions, there’s a reason they’re champions. Their character, their integrity, their work ethic, they experiences that they’ve had. Anything that Kenny can share with me or our assistant coaches is valuable.”