In recruiting, FIU’s Davis focused on players who are athletic and of high character

For the FIU Panthers football program, last year’s win against the Miami Hurricanes is the gift that keeps on giving.

In a recent interview, FIU coach Butch Davis went down memory lane, way back to 1998. Davis, who coached the Hurricanes at that time, recalled the impact of Miami’s 49-45 win over second-ranked UCLA.

“[UCLA was] 10-0 and on track to play for the national title,” Davis said. “We were trying to rebuild the Miami program. That win catapulted our entire program. … All of a sudden, the expectations went through the roof.

“Last year, the win over Miami, for us, impacted our recruiting class. There were probably five or six kids who we signed who we were on the borderline [on whether to sign with FIU]. A couple of them were actually interested in Miami, and that flipped them to us.”

Davis said recruiting this year has been different for all programs because of the pandemic. But he and his coaches have used the phone and zoom to get their message across.

“[The win over Miami] has really helped,” Davis said. “It’s a benchmark of what this program is capable of doing. [We want to] continue to emphasize our coaching staff, which is outstanding.”

Davis said he’s focused on recruiting players who are athletic — often as multi-sport guys in high school — and of high character.

The coach talked about some of the great multi-sport stars he recruited to UM, including safety Ed Reed, who also threw the javelin; linebacker Ray Lewis, who wrestled; and Santana Moss, who ran track.

“What that [versatility] tells me is that they love to compete,” Davis said. “It also gives me a chance to evaluate their overall athleticism.”

Davis said he also notices a recruit’s reliability.

“If you say you will call at 9 o’clock, and they agree, and you call, and they don’t answer — red flag,” Davis said.

Finally, Davis said, he wants players who love football.

“When you call a guy, and you ask, ‘who is your favorite player’, and they say: “I don’t watch anyone in football,’ that’s not right. I want them to give me a list — ‘I love Peyton Manning’ or whomever.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Davis said redshirt junior linebacker Tevin Jones is a player who has gone “under the radar.” Davis likes the way Jones played last year while filling in for middle linebacker Sage Lewis.

▪ FIU men’s soccer coach Kyle Russell, who was hired in March – nine days before the pandemic halted everything – has taken in stride the pushing back of the soccer season until January.

“Now there’s five months of prep time for the first game instead of two weeks,” Russell said. “We’re disappointed we won’t play this fall. After summer workouts, we’re conditioned to play in the fall.

“But beyond player safety, which is our No. 1 priority, this gives us a chance to build more trust. We have a new coaching staff and new players. This will improve player development. There are no more excuses now.”

FIU is currently training 26 soccer players, with two more arriving in January — one from Sweden and one from Denmark.