Herald: Butch Davis To Coach FIU
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Rumors are flying this Christmas Eve that Florida International University is set to name former North Carolina head coach Butch Davis as the team's next head coach.
The report picked up steam Monday afternoon when reporter Patrick Nohe of the Miami Herald tweeted that he "can confirm that the next head coach of FIU will be Butch Davis."
The school hasn't confirmed the report and at least one source told CBS4 the report was completely untrue, but the rumor is building across the Internet. Davis has said in the past he would like to return to coaching, but earlier in December, ESPN's Joe Schad said Davis wouldn't take the FIU coaching position.
A potential hiring of Davis at FIU would make sense from the point of view that FIU athletic director Pete Garcia and Davis have a previous working relationship at the University of Miami. But there are several potential roadblocks that make a move by Davis a little more difficult.
Davis would likely have to give up any money he's receiving from the University of North Carolina, where he was fired just two years ago amidst an NCAA scandal. Davis would also be leaving a job as a special assistant to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
FIU is looking for a head coach after Garcia shocked the college football world by firing Mario Cristobal after one sub-par season followed two straight bowl berths and a share of the conference championship two years ago.
Cristobal built the program from the ground up and was highly regarded across college football for the turnaround job he performed at FIU.
If Davis is indeed the next coach at FIU, he will be in prime territory to once again recruit South Florida hard like he did when he was at the University of Miami. Davis is a great talent evaluator and brings in top prospects wherever he's been a coach.
A potential Davis hiring will also ignite a recruiting rivalry with the University of Miami as both schools fight for the top prospects in the area.
