Butch Davis has ‘no intentions of stepping down’ as FIU football coach

Despite reports to the contrary, FIU Panthers football coach Butch Davis told the Miami Herald on Wednesday night that he is not quitting his job.

“Not sure the reports you are seeing,” Davis texted this reporter, “[but] I have no intentions of stepping down.”

Davis’ text messaged capped a wild day for FIU sports that started with news that athletic director Pete Garcia was resigning from the post he has held since 2006. His resignation was first reported by Larry Milian of SLAM Radio and later independently confirmed by the Herald.

Davis is on the hot seat because the Panthers have lost 15 consecutive games against FBS teams and 15 of 16 overall.

Garcia, who was not available for comment, was the AD who brought Davis to FIU, and the two have worked together for years — at the University of Miami and with the Cleveland Browns — before coming to the Panthers.

Davis, who turns 70 on Nov. 17, has no contract past this season. He told the Herald last week that he wanted to continue to coach, but his fate will now be in the hands of the person hired as the new athletic director.

Garcia, meanwhile, had made numerous dubious decisions on coaches through the years, from firing Mario Cristobal and Danny Price to hiring Isaiah Thomas, Anthony Evans and Ron Turner.

Davis appears likely to be allowed to coach FIU’s final three games this season.

The Panthers are 1-8 overall and 0-5 in Conference USA.

FIU went 0-5 in a COVID-shortened 2020 season

But in Davis’ first three years, he took FIU to new heights, including the Panthers’ first win against the Miami Hurricanes. In addition, FIU went to three consecutive bowl games during that span. Prior to Davis’ arrival, the Panthers had only made it to two bowl games in program history.

In addition, FIU had two quarterbacks drafted by the NFL during the Davis era: Alex McGough (seventh round) and James Morgan (fourth).

However, FIU’s current slump washed away the good feelings, and the losses have coincided with at least eight teams bolting from Conference USA, leaving the Panthers behind.

There are other problems with FIU football in particular and Panthers athletics in general:

▪ Crowds at FIU football games — and all Panthers sports, really — have usually been sparse, and that has not helped.

▪ Davis has never been able to beat FIU’s rival, the Florida Atlantic Owls. FIU went 0 for 5 against FAU, getting outscored 234-85.

▪ Football recruiting — with Davis’ job in limbo the past several weeks — has taken a hit. The early signing period runs from Dec. 15 to Dec. 17, and it remains to be seen if FIU will have a new athletic director, a new coach and/or new assistants by that time.

This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 5:38 PM.