Paul Hilton "Butch" Davis, Jr. (born November 17, 1951) is an
American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was the head coach at the
University of MiamiThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
from 1995 to 2000, the
Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the
NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 2001 to 2004, and the
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThe North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
from 2007 to 2011.
Early years
Davis was born on November 17, 1951 in
Tahlequah, OklahomaTahlequah is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It was founded as a capital of the original Cherokee Nation in 1838 to welcome those Cherokee forced west on the Trail of Tears. The city's population was 15,753 at the 2010 census. It...
, to Paul and Pat Davis. He attended high school at Bixby High School in
Bixby, OklahomaBixby is a city in Tulsa and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and is a suburb of Tulsa. The population was 13,336 at the 2000 census and 20,884 in the 2010 census. It is nicknamed "The Garden Spot of Oklahoma" for its rich agrarian heritage...
where he was an All-State fullback and defensive end for the Spartans and graduated in 1970. After graduation from high school, he attended the
University of ArkansasThe University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and played
defensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the
RazorbacksThe Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. Due to a knee injury, Davis was sidelined after his freshman year. However, he became a student assistant with the Razorbacks throughout the rest of his college days. After graduation from college, he had several assistant coaching positions at several high schools including Fayetteville High School in 1973, Pawhuska High School from 1974–1975, and
Charles Page High SchoolCharles Page High School is a high school in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, named after the philanthropist Charles Page. It is the only public high school in Sand Springs.-History:...
(Sand Springs, OK) from 1976–1977. He landed his first head coaching job at
Tulsa Rogers High SchoolWill Rogers High School, located on 3909 E. 5th Place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was built by Tulsa Public Schools in 1939 using WPA workers and designed by Joseph R. Koberling, Jr. and Leon B. Senter. It was named for the humorist Will Rogers, who died in 1935 along with Wiley Post in a plane crash...
in 1978.
After that, Butch began a successful 15-year association with
Jimmy JohnsonJames William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
, first as a receivers and tight ends coach at Oklahoma State University for the
CowboysThe Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
, then later as defensive line coach at the
University of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
. During that time, the
Miami HurricanesThe Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
won a national championship in
1987The 1987 Miami Hurricanes were the national champions of the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The national championship was the second of five won by the University of Miami in football.-Pre-Season:...
.
Dallas Cowboys
Butch followed Jimmy Johnson to Dallas where, as defensive coordinator and coach of the defensive line, he helped Johnson and new owner
Jerry JonesJerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
create a back-to-back Super Bowl champion out of a
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
team that went 1–15 in 1989, Johnson's first year as head coach. Davis was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1993 after the departure of
Dave WannstedtDave Wannstedt is current Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He was most recently head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team, a position he held for six seasons. Wannstedt is also the former head coach of the Miami...
. After Johnson left, Davis continued at Dallas for one more year as assistant coach under
Barry SwitzerBarry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
.
University of Miami
Davis returned to college football when he got his first chance as a head coach. Back at the University of Miami, he helped turn around a program that was in disarray. Not long after he was hired, the Hurricanes were found to have committed several violations of NCAA rules during the tenure of his predecessor,
Dennis EricksonDennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
. As a result, the Hurricanes were barred from postseason play in his first year (despite an 8–3 record) and lost 31 football scholarship spots over several years.
Despite these handicaps, he managed to post a 51–20 record during his tenure as head coach and by 2000, his last year, the Hurricanes finished 11–1 and #2 in the country. However, due to a quirk in the
Bowl Championship SeriesThe Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
formula, the Hurricanes didn't get a spot in the Orange Bowl (that year's national championship game). The snub still rankles Miami fans to this day, especially since the Hurricanes were passed over in favor of bitter rival
Florida StateThe Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, whom they'd beaten in the regular season and who lost the Orange Bowl to the Oklahoma Sooners 13-2.
The Hurricanes earned recognition from the American Football Coaches Association for outstanding graduation rates in each of his six seasons at Miami
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/davis_butch00.html. The following players were coached or recruited by Davis in his stint at Miami: Ray Lewis (LB),
Ed ReedEdward Earl Reed Jr. is an American football free safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens 24th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
(S),
Yatil GreenYatil Devon Green is a former professional American football player. A 6'2", 205 lbs. wide receiver from the University of Miami, he was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 1st round of the 1997 NFL Draft.On the very first day of training camp, Green tore his quadriceps muscles, anterior...
(WR),
Kenard LangKenard Dushun Lang was an American football defensive end who played in the National Football League...
(DE),
Kenny HolmesKenneth Jerome Holmes is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers 18th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft...
(DE),
Duane StarksDuane Lonell Starks is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 10th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...
(CB),
Edgerrin JamesEdgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
(RB),
Clinton PortisClinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
(RB),
Frank GoreFranklin Gore is an American football running back who plays for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami. NFL Network analysts have nicknamed Gore "The Inconvenient Truth".-High school career:Gore attended Coral Gables High...
(RB),
Bubba FranksDaniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
(TE),
Dan MorganDaniel Thomas "Dan" Morgan, Jr. is a former American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers 11th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft...
(LB),
Damione Lewis-St. Louis Rams:Lewis was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the 12th overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. On July 27, 2001, Lewis agreed to a five-year, $7.5 million contract with the Rams...
(DT),
Santana MossSantana Terrell Moss is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
(WR),
Reggie WayneReginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
(WR),
Bryant McKinnieBryant McKinnie is a American football offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
(OT),
Jeremy ShockeyJeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
(TE),
Phillip BuchanonPhillip Darren Buchanon is an American football cornerback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders 17th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
(CB),
Mike RumphMichael Jamaine Rumph is a retired American football free safety and cornerback.-High school:...
(CB),
Andre JohnsonAndre Lamont Johnson is an American football wide receiver currently playing for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Through the 2010–11 NFL season, Johnson currently ranks first all-time in NFL history in receiving yards per game for a career...
(WR),
Jerome McDougleJerome McDougle is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles 15th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.McDougle has also played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles...
(DE),
Willis McGaheeWillis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
(RB),
William JosephWilliam Joseph is a free agent American football defensive tackle who last played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
(DT), Sean Taylor (S),
Kellen Winslow IIKellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
(TE),
Jonathan Vilma (LB), D.J. Williams (LB),
Vernon CareyVernon A. Carey is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins 19th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Carey lettered in football and basketball at Miami...
(OT),
Vince Wilfork-2004–06 seasons:The Patriots drafted Wilfork with the 21st overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. In his rookie 2004 season with the Patriots, he compiled two sacks, 42 tackles, and three deflected passes...
(DT),
Antrel RolleAntrel Rocelious Rolle is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami...
(CB), and
Kelly JenningsKelly Jarrod Jennings is an American football cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Jennings graduated from Suwannee...
(CB). Moreover, Davis' smaller-than-usual recruiting classes are widely considered to have laid the foundation for Miami's undefeated national championship team of
2001The 2001 Miami Hurricanes football team was the national champion of the 2001 college football season and is considered by many to be the greatest team in college football history.-Pre-season motivation:...
(under Davis' former
offensive coordinatorAn offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
,
Larry CokerLarry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
), since many of his recruits were forced to play right away.
Cleveland Browns
Returning to NFL Football in 2001, Davis walked the sidelines as head coach of the
Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In 1999-2000 under head coach
Chris PalmerChris Palmer is the offensive coordinator of the American football NFL's Tennessee Titans. He is the former head coach of the Hartford Colonials in the United Football League, and also a former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and former assistant coach of the Houston Texans, Jacksonville...
, the Browns, led by quarterback and 1999 number one draft pick
Tim CouchTimothy Scott "Tim" Couch is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Kentucky...
, who was injured in the 5th week, posted a dismal 3–13 record. Davis led the team to a 7–9 record in his
first yearThe 1999 Cleveland Browns season marked the team's return to the National Football League after a three-year absence. The 1999 season also marked the return of football to the city of Cleveland for the first time since the 1995 season.-Season information:...
at the helm, missing the playoffs by a game. The Browns posted a 9–7 record and got a playoff berth in Davis's
second yearThe 2000 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 48th season with the National Football League. Phil Dawson was the Browns leading scorer with 59 points. The Browns total offense ranked 31st in the league, while their total defense ranked 26th in the league....
, getting in after winning two close games in a row against the
Baltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens concluded the 2000 NFL season with a 12–4 record, good for second place in the AFC central, and earning them a spot in the playoffs as a wild card entrant...
and the
Atlanta FalconsThe 2000 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 35th season. The Falcons offense scored 252 points while the defense gave up 413 points.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Preseason:-Schedule:-Awards and records:...
. In
2003The 2003 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 51st season with the National Football League.-Schedule:-References:...
, a quarterback controversy erupted between Couch and backup
Kelly HolcombBryan Kelly Holcomb is a former American football quarterback of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1995...
after Holcomb, starting the 2002 playoff game for the injured Couch, threw for 429 yards and three touchdowns. Davis would ultimately give the starting job to Holcomb, though Couch did start a few games. In the
2004The 2004 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 52nd season with the National Football League.- Schedule :-End of Butch Davis era:On November 30, Butch Davis resigned as Head Coach and General Manager of the team. He was succeeded by offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie. Robiskie promoted tight end...
offseason, Davis signed
Jeff GarciaJeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
and cut Couch. Davis was forced to resign in early December 2004 after a 3–8 start and ended with a 24–35 overall record as coach of the Browns.
University of North Carolina
On November 13, 2006 Dick Baddour, the athletic director at the
University of North CarolinaThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, announced that Davis had been hired as the new head football coach at UNC. On November 27, 2006, he officially succeeded John Bunting, who was fired in October 2006 after posting only one winning season in six years as head coach of the
Tar HeelsThe North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
.
Davis took over a program that had fallen on hard times. After a run of seven straight bowl games from 1992 to 1998—the second-most successful period in school history—the Tar Heels had only notched three winning seasons in the past eight years, and had only crossed the six-win plateau only two other times. He inherited a very inexperienced team; many of his players had never played a down of college football before. However, the Tar Heels were far more competitive than expected in Davis' first season. While they finished 4–8, six of those losses were by a touchdown or less, two of which were against teams ranked in the top 15 at the time. They also remained in bowl contention well into November.
For much of the
2007 seasonThe 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina in the 2007 college football season. The team was led by first year coach Butch Davis.-Previous season:...
, unfounded rumors swirled that Davis would leave UNC after just one year if the head coaching job at his alma mater, Arkansas, opened up. The rumors grew louder when
Houston NuttHouston Dale Nutt, Jr. is an American football coach and former player. Most recently he was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi from 2008 to 2011. Previously, he served as the head coach at Murray State University , Boise State University , and the University of Arkansas...
was forced to resign at Arkansas, but Davis steadfastly denied he was leaving. On November 21, 2007, Davis agreed to a one-year contract extension, along with a raise. Davis now stands to receive an extra $291,000 annually due to the extension, according to the campus newspaper,
The Daily Tar HeelThe Daily Tar Heel is the independent student newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was founded on February 23, 1893, and became a daily newspaper in 1929. The paper places a focus on university news and sports, but it also includes heavy coverage of Orange County and...
. Davis said in a statement that one year at UNC convinced him that this was where he wanted to be, and that he intended to have "a long and successful career in Chapel Hill." He also hoped it would put to rest any talk of him leaving for Arkansas.
Davis originally signed a seven-year deal worth approximately $1.86 million per season, with a base salary of $286,000. He also gets $25,000 a year in expenses and a supplement from the Educational Foundation (Ram's Club) that ranges from $1 million in 2007 to $1.3 million in 2013.
Baddour said he could not release all the details of the contract until it is approved by the trustees but did say the base salary will rise $29,000, the expenses will go up $5,000 and Davis’ supplemental income will go up $100,000.
The Tar Heels were expected to be much improved in
2008The 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team began their season on August 30 against McNeese State at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team originally went 4–4 in conference play and 8–5 overall, but in 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.-Recruiting:The Tar...
, with most outlets picking them to finish second in the Coastal Division. They didn't disappoint, finishing 8–5 and appearing in the
2008 Meineke Car Care BowlThe 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl was the seventh edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started at 1:00 PM US EST on Saturday, December 27, 2008. The game, telecast on ESPN, pitted the North Carolina Tar Heels...
, their first bowl appearance in five years. On October 4, the Heels dismantled the then 24th-ranked
Connecticut HuskiesThe 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2008 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference...
38–12 for their first defeat of a ranked non-conference opponent in 11 years. This victory vaulted the Tar Heels to #22 in the weekly AP rankings, their first appearance in a major poll in seven years. The following Saturday, the Tar Heels defeated
Notre DameThe 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach is Charlie Weis. The Irish play their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana...
to notch their first regular-season win as a ranked team in 11 years. A 16–13 overtime loss at
VirginiaThe 2008 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Virginia's 55th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Cavaliers were led by...
on October 18 briefly knocked the Heels out of the rankings, but they were able to rebound with a convincing 45-24 victory over
Boston CollegeThe 2008 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College during the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football season. It was Boston College's fourth season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The Eagles were led by...
on October 25, making them bowl-eligible for the first time since 2004. It also vaulted them into the
Bowl Championship SeriesThe Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
rankings for the first time since the BCS began in 1998. A week later, they defeated
Georgia TechThe Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
to clinch their first winning season since 2001, and only their fourth since
Mack BrownWilliam Mack Brown is head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn football team.Prior to his head coach position at Texas, Brown was head coach at Appalachian State, Tulane, and North Carolina. Brown is credited with revitalizing the Texas and North Carolina football programs...
left the school after the 1997 season. However, the Tar Heels lost three of their last four games, including a loss in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to
West VirginiaThe 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team competed on behalf of West Virginia University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Stewart, who took over after he led the Mountaineers to a 2008 Fiesta Bowl victory over the #3 Oklahoma Sooners as the...
.
Davis led
the 2009 Tar HeelsThe 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina during its 57th season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels played in the Coastal Division of the conference. The Tar Heels finished the season 8–5, 4–4 in ACC play and lost in the Meineke Car...
to another 8–4 regular season record and a second straight bowl appearance. It was the first time since the 1997/1998 seasons that UNC had made consecutive bowl appearances. While they were ranked for much of the early part of the season, they swooned for much of September and October before rebounding to knock off Virginia Tech and Miami in successive weeks. However, a loss to N.C. State in the final game of the season sent them back to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. UNC faced
PittsburghThe 2009 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season was the fifth under head coach Dave Wannstedt. The 2009 season marked the team's ninth at Heinz Field and the University's 120th season overall. The 2009...
on December 26, 2009 in the game, but lost for the second straight year, giving UNC another 8-5 final record.
Following Davis' arrival, North Carolina has seen renewed enthusiasm for its football program, reflected in increased attendance. Despite a losing record in 2007, North Carolina fans averaged over 57,000 fans in
Kenan StadiumKenan Memorial Stadium is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and is the home field of the North Carolina Tar Heels. It is primarily used for football. Kenan Memorial Stadium opened in 1927 and holds 62,980 people. It is located in a cluster of pine trees near the center of campus at the...
during the season—the highest average attendance since Brown's tenure. The 2007 matchup against
South CarolinaThe South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
saw a standing-room-only crowd of 61,000—the second-largest in school history. In 2008, a crowd of 60,500—third-largest in school history—watched the Tar Heels edge past Notre Dame. Additionally, Butch Davis led Carolina football to its 6th consecutive year of graduating more than 75% of its football players. The America Football Coaches Association recognized less than 30 public universities for superior graduation rates last year, with UNC the only such institution in the state of North Carolina and the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In July 2010, the NCAA began investigating possible violations involving improper benefits provided by agents to current players at UNC. In September 2010, the NCAA opened a second prong of its investigation, this time involving possible improper tutor involvement with UNC student-athletes. In response to the investigation, local and national sports columnists penned articles calling for Davis' termination. 13 UNC football players were held out of the team's season opener in Atlanta against the LSU Tigers. North Carolina fell behind 30-10 in the game, but rallied and nearly pulled off a victory, eventually losing 30-24. The Tar Heels later fell to ACC rivals Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and NC State, but won their first game since 1981 in Virginia's Scott Stadium and gained their first win ever in FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium when a Dustin Hopkins field goal missed wide right.
At the end of October 2010, three star players—WR Greg Little, DT Marvin Austin, and DE Robert Quinn—were ruled permanently ineligible after it was discovered they improperly accepted gifts from sports agents. Five other players were found guilty of accepting improper benefits and/or inappropriate academic assistance.
North Carolina fans responded to the calls for Butch Davis' job by beginning a movement in support of the coach. A survey of UNC fans reflected strong support for Coach Davis despite the ongoing investigation.
On July 27, 2011, Davis was fired by UNC chancellor
Holden ThorpHerbert Holden Thorp is a chemist, inventor, musician, professor, and entrepreneur who is the tenth and current chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . He began in that position on July 1, 2008, succeeding James Moeser, and, at age 43, was noted at the time as being among...
amid NCAA investigation of academic misconduct and allegations players receiving improper benefits from agents. Thorp said the move was necessary to restore confidence in UNC's integrity. He said, "I have been deliberate in my approach to understanding this situation fully, and I have worked to be fair to everyone involved. However, I have lost confidence in our ability to come through this without harming the way people think of this institution. Our academic integrity is paramount and we must work diligently to protect it. The only way to move forward and put this behind us is to make a change.""
On September 19, 2011, in response to an NCAA notice of allegations, UNC announced it was vacating all of its wins from 2008 and 2009, saying that its own investigation revealed players competed during those seasons while ineligible. As a result, those two seasons are officially UNC's first winless seasons in the modern era.
Broadcasting career
Davis also appeared on
NFL Playbook, an
NFL NetworkNFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
program where he discussed the week's upcoming games with fellow panelists. Davis also had his own segment of the show in the "NFL Playbook War Room", where he would break down key match-ups.
College
* North Carolina vacated 16 wins in the 2008 and 2009 seasons due to NCAA violations.
NFL
| Team | |Regular Season | CLE The 2001 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 49th season with the National Football League.-Regular season:The most notabale game from the 2001 Cleveland Browns season came on a December 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns were driving toward the east end zone for what would...
|
2001 The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
|
7 |
9 |
0 |
.438 |
T-3rd in AFC Central |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| CLE The 2002 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 50th season with the National Football League.-Regular season:- Playoffs :-Standings:...
|
2002 The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
|
9 |
7 |
0 |
.563 |
2nd in AFC North |
0 |
1 |
.000 |
Lost to Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in Wild Card GameThe 2002-03 NFL playoffs followed the 2002 NFL season and concluded with Super Bowl XXXVII.Prior to the 2002-03 season, the league realigned its teams into eight divisions . Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified...
. |
| CLE The 2003 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 51st season with the National Football League.-Schedule:-References:...
|
2003 -Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
|
5 |
11 |
0 |
.313 |
4th in AFC North |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| CLE The 2004 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 52nd season with the National Football League.- Schedule :-End of Butch Davis era:On November 30, Butch Davis resigned as Head Coach and General Manager of the team. He was succeeded by offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie. Robiskie promoted tight end...
|
2004 The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
|
3 |
7 |
0 |
.300 |
4th in AFC North |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| CLE Total |
24 |
34 |
0 |
.414 |
|
0 |
1 |
.000 |
- |
| Total |
24 |
34 |
0 |
.414 |
|
0 |
1 |
.000 |
- |
External links