Back in the game

Former UM coach Butch Davis prepares for his first season at FIU.

Butch Davis, FIU coach, on his time away from coaching

MIAMI — Butch gone.

Whenhe landed a gig as anESPNcollege football analyst in 2014, he figured he had moved on from the coaching ranks. Work days were less stressful and allowed him to remain around the sport.

Then a funny thing happened. His new job made him miss the old one even more. After a six-year break, Davis is back in the game as he prepares for his first season as head coach at Florida International.

“[Working at ESPN] gave me the opportunity to visit a lot of schools,” said Davis, 65. “Sometimes that was a little bit painful, to go out and watch Davis thought the desire was Alabama and Auburn and Florida State practice or go spend time with Mike Riley at Nebraska and do all those kinds of things. It was like, ‘Oh my gosh, God, I wish I could be out there. Giveme a whistle because Iwant to go back to practice.’ ”

Davis is also back in familiar surroundings. Twenty-two years ago, he was hired by the Miami Hurricanes to resurrect a program decimated by NCAA sanctions. Davis responded by returning UMto national prominence and building one of the greatest college football teams in history.

Now, he views FIU as a similar project. The Panthers are 16-42 in the past five seasons. A turnaround won’t come easily, with the program fighting with Miami, Florida, Florida State, South Florida, Florida Atlantic and Central Florida for recruits.

Daviswouldn’thave it any otherway; he’s used to the circumstances. He was 1-15 his first season as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator in 1989 before winning a pair of SuperBowls. After rebuilding