FEATURES
UM Coach Butch Davis: a profile
by Maggie Paul
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires
of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).And if you need proof, just ask
Butch Davis...
The Davis Trademark goes something like this: hard work, conviction,
pride, responsibility, class, character, success.These terms have
followed Butch Davis throughout his football coaching career.Named
the 18th head coach of the University of Miami, Davis brought
with him an acquisition of success earned at the highest levels.
Some of you may know him as the defensive coordinator from the
Dallas Cowboys.His 1994 unit ranked No. 1 in the NFL in total
defense, and that same year he also coached three Cowboys who
earned starting positions on the 1994 NFC Pro Bowl team (Harley,
Lett and Woodson).That was the most all-pro defensive starters
for the Cowboys since 1983.
Davis' 1993 defensive squad helped the Cowboys capture their second
consecutive Super Bowl.In that season Davis coached the Cowboys'
first defensive representatives to the Pro Bowl since 1985.This
earned trips to Hawaii for former Hurricane Maryland, Norton and
Everett.
Prior to being named for the defensive coordinator position, Davis
coached the Dallas defensive line for four seasons.In 1992, Davis'
line helped the Cowboys to their third Super Bowl championship and finished the season as
the NFL's top ranked unit against the rush.So you may be wondering,
"what is he doing at UM?" The answer is simple;
he's come home...
Davis spent five seasons as the defensive line coach for the University
of Miami from 1984-88 under Jimmy Johnson, which makes his presence
in Miami a long-awaited homecoming."It has been a lifelong
dream of mine to be a head football coach, and the position at
the University of Miami is one of the best at any level of football."
Any level includes the Oakland Raiders, whom Davis turned down
to make himself available for the opportunity to return to Miami.
Clearly Davis has been blessed with success.And with a lifetime
of landmark achievements, his most dramatic moment was of a personal,
rather than professional, nature.In 1992, he was serving his first
appointment to be the defensive coordinator for Dallas.Davis had
just come home from Chicago and discovered his 6 1/2 month old
son, Andrew, to be having a severe coughing attack which caused
the child to stop breathing.As Davis held Drew in his arms, he
noticed his infant turning purple with tears running down his
eyes.No noise - no crying; his only child was choking to death.
"It seemed like an eternity...what was probably a 3-5 minute
event seemed like it lasted an hour." In the first fleeting
moment that Davis and his wife, Tammy, knew this was gravely serious,
he said "God please help us help this child and please be
with this child and protect him - give us the strength to do the
right thing." Almost immediately after saying that, little
Drew screamed.He was crying and breathing again, and simultaneously,
911 answered their call and showed up on the doorstep.After a
battery of tests, it turned out Drew had developed protussis,
an old-fashioned whooping cough which he was immunized for three
times.This event left the baby to recover in Dallas' Children's
Hospital for approximately 11 days. "In crisis situations
you develop a tremendous sense of the people around you and the
love and devotion from my wife became so strong during that time.I
watched her give 100% of herself to the survival of this child.She
slept in the hospital room with him for the entire time, I went
up after work and slept on the floor.We virtually stayed there
around the clock, her considerably more than I, because I had
to continue to work." Which wasn't very easy for Davis, for
with his first regular season game on national television in front
of roughly 45 million people, the defending Super Bowl Champions
lost to the Washington Redskins. "The event with my son has
allowed me to keep my life in better perspective.No matter how
tough life is, you always have someone at your side to walk through
the tough times, if you walk with Jesus Christ.Having God in my
life allowed me to endure not only a catastrophic career start,
but also helped me through the situation with my son.From that
point on, Jesus has been a major part of our family's life and
a real source of strength ever since."
Without a hint of wavering, Davis puts to use the tools that have
made him successful at every previous stop in his life.He believes
he "can have a more dramatic impact on kids' lives at this
level than the NFL level.You always look and wonder why you do
the things you do and why you are where you are, and I always
said that I wanted to help kids and me being here was God's plan
to have me here and to help us through some of the tough times
we've had in this program.Not only because of the ones who suffered
from the loss of a teammate that was murdered (Marlin Barnes)
but also with some of the players who have had some off-the-field
problems.Maybe it was destined for me to be here for that reason."
Davis ministers to kids in many areas, and feels their football
team is a microcosm of society. "Our kids come here with
the same issues that all students and young people have.These
things necessitate being there psychologically and emotionally
to help them." Yet he believes that task is larger than himself.
"It takes an awful lot of people, like other assistant coaches,
the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Athletes in Action, Campus
Crusade for Christ and it takes the players themselves -- the
players who want to have an open mind about being involved in
a Christian atmosphere and how that can make a difference in their
lives.It's a collection of everybody, it can't just be one person.The
team has chapel services on Saturday prior to the games, and Bible
study open to all the athletes on Monday nights. Davis and his
wife attend University Baptist Church, and his daily prayer life
consists of giving thanks, praying for other people and praying
for guidance and inspiration.He reads the Bible a couple times
a week, and his favorite verse is the 23rd Psalm.
When asked what he is the most thankful for in his highly illuminated
lifetime, Davis doesn't have a moment's hesitation. "My wife
-- she is literally the cornerstone of my entire existence.She
is truly my best friend and valued confidant.Her role in my life
is so important because she does so many things and I have so
much respect and admiration for her in her ability to juggle my
demanding and difficult lifestyle, her role as a Christian, and
her influence with my son as we attempt to raise him in today's
society.She's the person I am most thankful for."
They say challenges test the heart of a champion, and Davis has
passed with flying colors on more than one occasion.His personal
and professional life have allowed him to enjoy the fruits of
his labor without losing sight of the Lord.He provides an awe-inspiring
example of Christian commitment to his community, career and family.And
thanks to a little "Divine Intervention," Miami
has been blessed with his presence once again.